Churchill to Cardwell
No 11 George Yard,
Lombard Street, E.C.
London
19 May 1866 To the Right Honble E. Cardwell Secretary of State for the Colonies

Sir
Referring to my letters of Decr 15th, Jany. 6th and 19th I have the honor to inform you that some months since I wrote Mr Waddington requesting him to communicate with Mr Birch, the Acting Governor of British Columbia, with the view of constructing a railway in lieu of an ordinary wagon road. Since that time the money markets here have become so unsettled that the parties who were desirous of carrying out the project have deemed it desirable to abandon the railway scheme and inManuscript image lieu of that they propose to construct an extra heavy wagon road capable of carrying the largest description of Traction Engine.
On the 9th Ulto. I had an interview with Governor Seymour on the subject, when His Excellency requested me to put the tenor of our conversation in the form of a letter, a copy of which I have the honor to enclose.
On the 20th Ulto. His Excellency wrote me "I have no power to grant Charters in British Columbia when not in the actual administration of the Govenment. I will however bring several of your proposals favorably under the notice of the Colonial Office." From the above you will see that my proposals have met with aManuscript image favorable reception by His Excellency, and I may also state that Genl R.C. Moody who arranged the present Charter, having considered it very fully, is strongly in favor of my present proposals; therefore, I trust you will grant me what is necessary to carry out this important undertaking as it is desirable that it should be completed as soon as possible.
I have the honor to be
Sir
Your Obdt Servant
James D. Churchill
Atty for A. Waddington
Minutes by CO staff
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Mr Elliot
Refer the writer to the Letter addressed to him from this Office on the 21st instt.
ABd 23 May
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Mr Elliot
I have looked into the various schemes proposed by Messrs Waddington and Churchill.
The last plan suggested by Mr Churchill does vary from the previous ones.
But the prolongation of the charter (clause 2) and the free grants of land (clause 4) have already been declared to be inadmissible by GovrsSeymour and Birch. It may be worth while referring this letter (5021) to Govr Seymour. Mr Churchill seems to think that delay wd be fatal to his scheme.
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Mr Blackwood
Will you prepare a letter accordingly to Mr Seymour.
TFE 25/5
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
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Copy, Churchill to Seymour, 11 April 1866, recapitulating the proposal to construct a heavy wagon road through Bute Inlet.
Other documents included in the file
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Colonial Office to Seymour, 25 May 1866, forwarding correspondence relating to the various schemes of Waddington and Churchill for comment.
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Colonial Office to Churchill, 25 May 1866, stating that the proposal would be discussed by Seymour and Cardwell.