Colonial Despatches

I am sure you will feel my interest in British Columbia to be so natural, that you will at once accept it as an apology for my writing to you upon the following subject. The Chaplain General, 1 an old friend of mine dined with me, yesterday, and in speaking of this Colony he mentioned that one of the Military Chaplains, was a great friend of the Revd Mr Hills and that if he could obtain the permission of General Peel to send out a Chaplain for the troops there, he hoped this gentleman, (whose name I forget) would go. The Chaplain General said he was well suited for a Missionary especially in such a Colony, and that he had great hopes of General Peels consent; for although the number of troops sent was small, yet they would hold a most important position, and without a Chaplain of their own, would be left utterly without religious instruction or means of worship whilst they would be surrounded with peculiarly demoralizing influences, and as the formation of the native Militia will I suppose devolve hereafter upon these men, their example and their principles will probably tell greatly for good or for evil on the Colonists. The Stations may be rather far apart, but this seems to me rather an additional reason that there should be a Chaplain, who would not only serve them, but work amongst the population laying round & about the stations & who will be keeping the spirit of religion & Moral feeling alive. However, the authorities appear weighing the matter and if you would side with the Chaplain General I think it would secure a great boon for the Colony as well as the Army, which is also concerned so deeply. Our troops everywhere are pioneers of Christianity & civilization [and] it is always to me one of the most striking distinctive features of our Army that they move about the World not for war purposes but for peace—the mere discipline & order of our troops must carry some germ of good and the corrupting even of a small number is a great evil; for in time this small body will carry the germ of evil elsewhere, and in British Columbia it seems likely that an unusual variety of bad influences will surround them. It is clear either they must impress their character on the peculiar population around or be impressed by them, more so than in more heathen Countries whose habits separate us from themselves & whose language alone places a bar[r]ier of intercourse which will not exist in the same degree in the Gold Diggings of Columbia. I have been detained in London by a variety of sad causes but I hope to go to Torquay 2 next week. Mrs Brown whom you probably better remember as Miss Meredith in days long past at my dear Fathers in St James Place 3 has been & is still very delicate and this may delay our departure. It would therefore give me much pleasure if you could call any day as you have kindly proposed before Thursday the 25th. If you would let me know I would be at home.