Preparatory to asking you, as Colonial Minister, to do
me the favour to grant me an interview with you—or a Deputation
from the Promoters should you rather prefer it—I have had the
accompanying compilation on my scheme for European & Asiatic
intercourse
via British Columbia, by means of a main through
Trunk Railway from the Atlantic to the Pacific, put into type.
You will see from the Correspondence which the Pamphlet contains,
that upon several occasions during the past 13 years, I have
obtained from your predecessors in Office promises of
encouragement & support
in in carrying out this great national
undertaking—& the time has now come, when with your assistance
as Colonial Minister, these promises will, I trust, be made good.