Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Correspondence (private letter)
Moody, Colonel Richard Clement to
Carnarvon, Earl 9 October 1858, CO 60:3, no. 10315, 317.
Abstract
Correspondence (private letter).
Minutes (4), Enclosures (untranscribed) (1), Other documents (2).
Moody requests that “Twelvemonths Rations and reserve Ammunition” be sent by the “Euphrates” to British Columbia.
The minutes understand that men cannot be conveyed by the “Briseis” and therefore must board the “Euphrates” but the CO does not understand why cargo must go by the “Euphrates” as well. They order that the “Briseis” should be filled first before putting stores on the “Euphrates.”
Enclosed is Shaw, Savill & CO. to Moody stating they could not accommodate both stores and passengers on the “Briseis,” and recommending the passengers proceed on the “Euphrates;” a draft from the CO to the Admiralty forwarding a copy of letter from Shaw, Savill
and Company and asking that directions be given to ship the stores on board the “Briseis” and the passengers on board the “Euphrates;” and a draft from Carnarvon to Moody expressing concern at the serious miscalculation in the amount of stores being sent
to British Columbia, and directing that the stores should go on the “Briseis,” and the passengers await transport on the “Euphrates.”
Moody to Carnarvon (Parliamentary Under-Secretary)
Very Pressing
Topographical Office, War Dept
4 New Street, Spring Garden
9th Octr 1858
4 New Street, Spring Garden
My Lord,
I have the honor to enclose a letter I have received from
the Brokers of the Briseis conveying stores to B. Columbia.
It is paramount that all parts of the Temporary Houses now
in the Lighters alongside must be taken on board, no subdivision
of parts in reference to them should be allowed on any account. And
while on board doing all in my power to remove difficulties
I satisfied myself this is impracticable except either by
arrangements which would not be sanctioned by the Rules of the
Admiralty and Horse Guards or else by transferring to the
"Euphrates" (referred to in the enclosed letter) the few men it
was contemplated to send in the Briseis.
I would recommend this course and beg that the Admiralty
may be communicated with to sanction it. I would also recommend
that the Twelvemonths Rations and reserve Ammunition be sent by
that Vessel, the authorities at
Woolwich
1
constructing on board the
proper magazine for the latter.
It is probable that the quantity of stores to go in the Euphrates may amount to 250 tons. I cannot
state the exact quantity until the Briseis is filled.
In the above I am assuming that the Admiralty
Surveyor will approve of the "Euphrates."
The short delay in receiving these particular stores,
Twelvemonths' Provisions and Reserve Ammunition, will be an advantage
as we shall be better prepared to receive and house them. I should
not like the delay to exceed one month. On board the Thames City
I have shipped 6 months Provisions and a fair proportion of ammunition.
May I request an early sanction of the above arrangement as I
am most anxious to get away the "Briseis" with the Temporary Houses
immediately.
The Earl Carnarvon
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Merivale
On Colonel Moody's assurance that it would be practicable, we directed that twelve months more rations should be put on board the Briseis and that she should also take out 5 non: com: officers & their families.
On Colonel Moody's assurance that it would be practicable, we directed that twelve months more rations should be put on board the Briseis and that she should also take out 5 non: com: officers & their families.
It now appears that the Briseis would be able to take all the
stores but could not take the men also.
It is therefore proposed to transfer the men to the "Euphrates."
The rate of passage appears moderate and I suppose this must be
approved on Col Moody's recommendation.
But I do not quite understand why it is necessary to send 250 tons
of Stores in the Euphrates. The owners distinctly say that if the
men are not sent in the "Briseis" that vessel will hold all the
stores. It is not Col Moody's proposal that the Admiralty should
charter the Euphrates, but merely that the men shd go out in her
as passengers and it looks either as if Col: Moody intended to make
this an excuse for increasing the Stores to accompany the R.
Engineers, or has altogether miscalculated the capacity of the "Briseis"
in making his proposals to send the men & extra rations in her.
HT Irving
9th Oct
Mr Irving
I am not familiar with this subject. It must either be left for Ld Carnarvon & Mr Elliot on Monday, or, if absolutely pressing, we must rely on Col: Moody, for which I give my authority.
I am not familiar with this subject. It must either be left for Ld Carnarvon & Mr Elliot on Monday, or, if absolutely pressing, we must rely on Col: Moody, for which I give my authority.
HM
O 9
Lord Carnarvon
I thought it best to keep this for you. It appears to me
I thought it best to keep this for you. It appears to me
1. That the men cannot go in the Briseis, and that the owners of
that Vessel should be ordered to fill her up with stores.
3d As regards the Stores, that the Admiralty might be told
that there will probably be some amount of tonnage required in the
Euphrates and that we will let them know the amount without delay,
asking Col Moody for an explanation in the meantime.
The additional expense of sending probably 300 tons (Col Moody's
Estimate of 250 is no doubt within the real amount) of stores by
this 3d ship will create a formidable item in the costs of the
expedition. And it might be a question whether the advantage ofsending
sending the extra rations is worth this expense.
sending the extra rations is worth this expense.
Sir Edward Lytton
Mr Irving has been good enough to go to the City in person and to see the Brokers, & he has greatly facilitated the arrangement of this matter. I annex a draft of letter to Col. Moody.
Mr Irving has been good enough to go to the City in person and to see the Brokers, & he has greatly facilitated the arrangement of this matter. I annex a draft of letter to Col. Moody.
C
Oct 11
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Other documents included in the file
Draft, Carnarvon to Moody, 11 October 1858, expressing concern at
the serious miscalculation in the amount of stores being sent to British
Columbia, and directing that the stores should go on the
Briseis, and the passengers await transport on the Euphrates.
Footnotes
- The Royal Army Ordnance Corp was located at Woolwich, on the south bank of the Thames about 15 kilometres east of London, as were also the headquarters of the Royal Arsenal, the Royal Regiment of Artillery, and the Royal Naval Ordnance Corps. Source??