386 N. America

British Museum
Feb. 21. 1848.
Dear Sir,
Referring to the letter I had the honor to addressing to you, dated the 14th inst;, respecting the formation of a Colony in Vancouvers Island, I beg leave now to enclose a paper, which has been printed for private Circulation.
I have to request that you will be so kind as to take the Earliest opportunity of bringing
2Ansd 24 Feb / 48.
both this, and my former letter, under the notice of Earl Grey.
It is obviously of greatest importance to know the intentions of Her Majesty's Govt, at the present moment; whether they areManuscript image about to give the right of working the Coal to the Hudsons Bay Company, or whether they are prepared to listen to the proposals of any other Company formed for the purpose Specified in the Enclosed Circular; and if so upon what terms the grant will be made, or lastly whether it be contemplated to keep the mines in the property of the Crown.
Without having some information on these points, there is no meansManuscript image of ascertaining whether it be worth while to proceed with the formation of a Company or not.
I have the Honor to be
Dear Sir,
Your most obedient Servant
James Edward Fitzgerald

Minutes by CO staff
Manuscript image
1
R
Mr Merivale.
Should this be included in the Letter acknowledgg Mr Fitzgerald's former communication?
ABd 23/2/48
Mr Hawes
The draft of our answer to Mr Fitzgerald's first letter was with me when this arrived, and I have added a few lines of information which it seemed to me […] might fairly be given by way of answer to this second letter without going beyond the necessary reserve: I therefore send on the draft with this minute calling your attention to the proposed addition
HM Feb 23
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Manuscript image
For private circulation: "A Proposal to Form a Company for the Purpose of Working the Coal, and Establishing a Colony in Vancouver's Island." Printed report signed by John Shillinglaw, 23 Dean Street, Soho, no date.
Footnotes
  1. This "R" appears above the minutes, on the other side of a page fold; see image scan.
  2. This text runs perpendicular to main body text; see image scan.
People in this document

Blackwood, Arthur Johnstone

FitzGerald, James Edward

Grey, Henry George

Hawes, Benjamin

Merivale, Herman

Shillinglaw, John

Organizations in this document

Hudson's Bay Company

Places in this document

Vancouver Island