Hill to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary)
General Post Office
9 January 1860
I have the honour to inform you that, under the regulations recently laid down by this Department, the Correspondence for Van Couver's Island and British Columbia is forwarded to its destination viâ the United States and Panama, when not specially directed to be sent by the West India Packet.
It has, however, been brought to my notice that a Bag of Despatches for Van Couvers Island is frequently received at this Office from the Colonial Office without anything on the address to indicate the route by which it is intended that it should be sent; and, according to the above regulations the BagManuscript imageBag should of course be forwarded by way of the United States. But, as it is usually received here on the Evening previous to the departure of the West India Packet, it is presumed to be intended for conveyance by that means.
I have thought it right, therefore, to call your attention to the circumstance, and to request that, if it is intended that the Despatches from the Colonial Office for Vancouvers Island and British Columbia should be forwarded by the British Packets viâ St Thomas and Panama, and not through the United States, such Despatches may in future be specially addressed to be sent "by West India Packet".
I am etc.
F. Hill
Minutes by CO staff
Manuscript image
Mr Merivale
Acknowledge & state that care will be taken that the Despatches in future be addressed as suggested "by West India Packet"?
VJ 10 Jan
Annex dt.
HM Jan 10
Other documents included in the file
Manuscript image
Draft, Merivale to Hill, 18 January 1860, advising that care would be taken to ensure all correspondence was correctly addressed.
People in this document

Hill, Frederic

Jadis, Vane

Merivale, Herman

Organizations in this document

Colonial Office

Places in this document

British Columbia

Caribbean

Panama

Vancouver Island