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Public Offices document
Hawes, Benjamin to Merivale, Herman 30 December 1857, CO 305:8, no. 11734, 358.

Abstract
Public Offices document. Minutes (4), Enclosures (untranscribed) (1), Other documents (1).
Hawes informs the Colonial Office that a party of Royal Engineers are to be dispatched to Vancouver Island in order to survey the boundary between the British Territory and the United States. He hopes that Douglas will be notified to expect their arrival and make any arrangements as he may consider necessary.
The minutes annex Hawes’ despatch for the following morning’s mail to Vancouver Island.
Enclosed is a draft from Labouchere to Douglas, informing him of the boundary survey and a letter from Hawes to Douglas advising him to expect the arrival of a party of not less than seven officers and thirty non-commissioned men of the Boundary Commission, and requesting that he prepare temporary accommodation for them and assist them in every possible way.
Hawes to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary)
War Office
30 December 1857
Sir,
Lord Panmure desires me to acquaint you, that, in compliance with the request of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, arrangements are being made for despatching a party, under the orders of an officer of Royal Engineers, to North America to be employed in laying out the boundary between the territories of Great Britain and the United States.
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This party will leave England on the 1st February next and will rendezvous at Vancouvers Island and, as it is most important that the Governor of that Island should be advised by the earliest opportunity of the expected arrival of this party in order that he may make such arrangements as he may consider necessary, Lord Panmure has caused a letter to be addressed to Governor Douglas, of which I am to enclose a copy fortheManuscript image the information of Mr Secretary Labouchere.
I am, Sir
Your obedient Servant
B. Hawes

Herman Merivale Esqre
&c &c &c
Minutes by CO staff
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Mr Merivale
The Mail for Van Couvers Island will be dispatched tomorrow (Friday) Evening, & the following one on the 16 of Janry. The War Dept. do not state the name of the Engineer Officer who is to act as Chief Commissr nor are we aware of the nature of the Instructions he has received. I annex the Despatch addressed to Govr Douglas in the case of the Water Survey between Van Couver's Isld: & the Main land.
VJ 31 Decr
Though marked "Immediate" this letter was not placed in my hands as
such, as I have repeatedly requested might be done, in all such cases, and consequently I did not see it until today. This is however immaterial as the letter forming the enclosure has gone. Write by mail of 15th in the same sense as on the former occasion.
HM Jan 1
HL 18
Other documents included in the file
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Draft reply, Labouchere to Douglas, No. 3, 23 January 1858.
Minutes by CO staff
See letter from Foreign Office received today 635.
VJ
Mr Jadis
Why was not this prepared for the mail of the 16th? See minute on 11734.
HM
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
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Hawes to Douglas, 24 December 1857, advising him to expect the arrival of a party of not less than seven officers and thirty non-commissioned men of the Boundary Commission and requesting that he prepare temporary accommodation for them and assist them in every way possible.