Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Public Offices document
Corry, Henry Thomas Lowry to Merivale, Herman 5 October 1858, CO 60:2, no. 10184, 21.
Abstract
Public Offices document.
Minutes (2), Enclosures (untranscribed) (1), Other documents (1).
Corry informs the CO that the Admiralty has requested the “Thames City” and the “Briseis” land the Royal Engineers and their stores at the Fraser River and not at Victoria but the owners of the boats demand proper compensation.
The minutes decide it may be best to have the stores deposited at a “safe depôt” in
Victoria as opposed to the “damp rude huts on the Main-land.”
Enclosed is a draft from Merivale to the Secretary to the Admiralty declining to have the ships go to the Fraser River and requesting Admiralty assistance to move stores from Vancouver Island to British Columbia; and Shaw, Savill & Co. to the Comptroller of Transport Services stating that the
owners of the “Thames City” could not accept lower terms for service to Fraser River because of the risk of desertion by crew and added insurance costs.
Corry to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary)
Immediate
Admiralty
5 October 1858
Sir,
I am commanded by my Lords Commissrs of the Admiralty to request
you will state to Secretary Sir Bulwer Lytton that in accordance with the
suggestions contained in your letter of the 1st Instant to the War
Department,
1
My Lords have endeavoured to arrange better terms with the owners of the
Thames City and Briseis for landing the Royal Engineers, and stores at,
Fraser's River instead of at Vancouver's Island; but by a communication
(copy of which is enclosed) from the Brokers, it appears that they are
unwilling to submit to any reduction of their previous reward, and
require thatsuch
such additional services be absolute, and not conditional on
arrangements out in British Columbia. Under these circumstances it is
for the Secretary of State to decide whether the offer be definitively
accepted at once; or the removal of the Men and Stores from Vancouver's
Island, be left to the means which may probably be afforded by Her
Majestys Ships, several of which it is anticipated will be in the
neighbourhood by the time the two arrive.
such additional services be absolute, and not conditional on
arrangements out in British Columbia. Under these circumstances it is
for the Secretary of State to decide whether the offer be definitively
accepted at once; or the removal of the Men and Stores from Vancouver's
Island, be left to the means which may probably be afforded by Her
Majestys Ships, several of which it is anticipated will be in the
neighbourhood by the time the two arrive.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Merivale
I pass on to you this day the papers which have reference to this Letter. See 10081. 2 Under these circes I think we had better leave the removal of the Stores &c from Victoria to Fraser's River to chance Ships of H.M. Navy; & request the Admiralty to direct the Naval Officers on the Station to render all the help in
their power to the 'Engineer' party on effecting
such removal. Perhaps it may turn out after all that it will be best for
the Stores &c to have them desposited at a safe depôt at Victoria than
in damp rude huts on the Main-land. We must hope the best.
I pass on to you this day the papers which have reference to this Letter. See 10081. 2 Under these circes I think we had better leave the removal of the Stores &c from Victoria to Fraser's River to chance Ships of H.M. Navy; & request the Admiralty to direct the Naval Officers on the Station to render all the help in
their power to the 'Engineer' party on effecting
such removal. Perhaps it may turn out after all that it will be best for
the Stores &c to have them desposited at a safe depôt at Victoria than
in damp rude huts on the Main-land. We must hope the best.
ABd
5 Octr
Mr Blackwood
This was marked "immediate" but not placed in my hand as such—I have no doubt you are right. Please to annex draft.
This was marked "immediate" but not placed in my hand as such—I have no doubt you are right. Please to annex draft.
HM
O 6
Other documents included in the file
Draft, Merivale to Secretary to the Admiralty, 9 October 1858,
Immediate, declining to have the Thames City go to Fraser River
and requesting Admiralty assistance to move stores from
Vancouver Island to British Columbia.
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Shaw, Savill &
Co.
3
to Comptroller of Transport Services, Admiralty, stating that the owners
of the Thames City could not accept lower terms for service to
Fraser River because of the risk of desertion by crew and added insurance
costs.
Footnotes
- A draft of this letter appears in Storks to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary), 1 October 1858, 9977, CO 60/2, p. 372.
- "> See Storks to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary), 2 October 1858, 10081, CO 60/2, p. 380.
- Shaw, Savill and Company were ship and insurance brokers with offices at 23 Leadenhall Street, London. Their letterhead advertized "The Passenger Line of Packets, for New Zealand, British Columbia, &c." (Enclosure with Moody to Carnarvon (Parliamentary Under-Secretary), 1858, 10315, CO 60/3, p. 320. In 1873 they had moved their office to 34 Leadenhall Street and listed themselves as shipping agents, specializing in goods and general merchandise from Manchester and Birmingham to the West Indies, Cape, and other ports. EMIL ?? (1873) p. 126. Were they also ship owners??