Moody to Irving (Junior Clerk)
Topographical Office, War Dept
4 New Street, Spring Gardens
11th Octr 1858
My dear Sir,
Will you kindly take an opportunity of mentioning to Lord Carnarvon that on my return to this office I find that under any circumstances the balance of the ammunition and 3 or 4 boxes of Books for the men (the whole a trifle of tonnage say 5 or 6 tons quite at the outside) must go with the men in the Euphrates. I have left instructions thatifManuscript image if anything beyond the Provisions would have to be left out of the Briseis it must be left behind altogether, and to provide for such a contingency I have ordered that the 2 Pontoons (small) with their apparatus shall be selected for that purpose.
I hope sincerely that the twelvemonths provisions may not have to be left behind. Experience has taught me the grave importance of having Provisions in advance well secured—we ought to keep a twelvemonth ahead. Security of food is of the first importance in all enterprises.
Yrs Faithfully
R.C. Moody
Manuscript image P.S. If Boydell's Traction Engine be taken it would have to go on the Euphrates. (They would like to take it in the Briseis as they want dead weight, and they are now taking in Iron & Bricks and other things not belonging to us because our foods are light and they must have weight. It would not be well however to detain the loading of the Briseis until it was ascertained whether we could have the Engine and whether it could be taken in her without displacing other goods.)

Minutes by CO staff
Manuscript image
I have referred the matter privately to the W.O. & they will not lend us the Engine but insist on our buying. So this disposes of the proposition of Col. Moody.
Answer accordingly declining.
C Oct 13
Other documents included in the file
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Draft, Elliot to Moody, 18 October 1858, advising that the traction engine could not be taken.
Moody, Colonel Richard Clement to Irving, Henry Turner 11 October 1858, CO 60:3, no. 10409, 333. The Colonial Despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871, Edition 2.0, ed. James Hendrickson and the Colonial Despatches project. Victoria, B.C.: University of Victoria. https://bcgenesis.uvic.ca/B586M18.html.

Last modified: 2020-03-30 13:22:16 -0700 (Mon, 30 Mar 2020) (SVN revision: 4193)