Colonial Despatches

I have the honor to submit to Your Grace a letter that I have addressed to His Excellency the Governor of British Columbia intimating a desire to promote the construction of an Hydraulic Lift at Vancouver's Island, capable of raising vessels of a dead weight of 3000 tons for repair or cleaning.

As the only aid asked of the Colony is limited protection againstcompetition competition and such minor assistance as it may be possible to grant, it is hoped that Your Grace will so far promote the undertaking as to forward the letter after perusal by the first convenient opportunity with such notion of Your Grace's favor as you may consider due to the undertaking.

I cannot, however, but urge upon Your Grace, the great advantages that such a work would confer upon the Imperial Government towards the efficient Maintenance of the Iron Clads and other ships attached to H.M. Squadrons in the North Pacific: also the great difficulty that exists in providing funds for any Engineering work in the present depressed state of the money market; and as the capital required cannot be taken at less than £130,000, I am desired respectfully to ask, whether, presuming that the sum of £100,000 is raised in the ordinary way, Your Grace would feel justified in recommending to the Government at home, the grant of a sum of money in aid, and if so, to what extent, always providing that the work shall be commenced and completed at certain agreed dates, and the lift and pontoons always placed at the prior disposal and use of Her Majesty's Ships.

Trusting to Your Grace's favorable consideration.