Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Public Offices document
Trevelyan, Sir Charles Edward to Merivale, Herman 21 September 1858, CO 60:2, no. 9723, 261.
Abstract
Public Offices document.
Minutes (2), Marginalia (4).
Trevelyan informs the CO that a sum of £800 has been advanced to pay the Royal Engineers headed
to British Columbia.
The minutes discuss the importance of getting the engineers to BC and of obtaining funds from “issuing of [mining] licenses amp; and other sources.”
Trevelyan to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary)
Treasury Chambers
21 September 1858
Sir,
With reference to your letter of the 17th
Instant,
1
I
am commanded by the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's
Treasury to acquaint you, for the information of Sir E. Bulwer Lytton, that they have instructed the Paymaster General
to issue to Messrs Cox and
Co.
2
the sum of £800 being for
advance of pay to the Royal Engineers proceeding to British
Columbia, and to charge the same, for the present, to the
Treasury Chest account, as well as the sums previously directed
to be issued for
the Engineer Officers proceeding to British Columbia.
the Engineer Officers proceeding to British Columbia.
As soon as the remainder of the force has been despatched,
and the amount of the requisite advances can be ascertained,
Their Lordships will be glad to receive Sir E. Bulwer Lytton's
opinion upon the proportion that should be charged to Army Funds
,
3
and the amount for which it may be necessary to submit
to Parliament an Estimate
, for those charges which may properly
be considered as Civil Expences of the Colony, to be defrayed,
in the first instance, from Imperial Funds.
See last Par: of 8864. [ABd.]
In the mean time
it appears to Their Lordships to be
desirable that these advances should be made to, and accounted
for by, Colonel Moody, in preference to making separate
issues to the Officers employed under his orders
.
it appears to Their Lordships to be
desirable that these advances should be made to, and accounted
for by, Colonel Moody, in preference to making separate
issues to the Officers employed under his orders
Minutes by CO staff
No 1. The proportion of the Pay of the Royal Engineers
proceeding to B. Columbia, which should be charged to Army funds is a
question which will soon demand Sir E. Lytton's consideration.
No 2. With respect to the amount for which a Parly Estimate
may have to be prepared it is impossible at present to state anything.
The first grand object is to get the Engineers on the spot in order
that they may survey—mark out and sell land. The money will then come
in it is to be hoped. Funds are doubtless coming in even now from the
issuing of licenses, & other sources, but we are at present totally in
the dark as to the extent. The Govr has, howr, been several
times warned of the necessity of reporting as early as possible, &
indeed immy on this subject.
No 3. As two parties of Engineers, under separate Officers,
have been sent viâ
Panama, it has been unavoidable to give these Officers
funds for the journey: but now nothing is issued except to & on the
requisition of Colonel Moody.
Put by—there appearing nothing to be done upon this letter.
ABd
27 S
Footnotes
- The reference should probably be to Merivale's letter of 15 September, a draft of which appears in Moody to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary), 1858, 9465, CO 60/3, p. 266. Cf. the draft of Merivale's letter of 17 September in Moody to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary), 1858, 9486, CO 60/3, p. 275.
- Cox and Company, of 1 and 2, Craig's Court, Charing Cross, London, were army agents. POLSCG, p. viii. More information?
- I.e., Treasury to Colonial Office, 2 September 1858, CO 6/26, NEED. The numbers appearing in the margin in brackets relate to Blackwood's minute below.