4 New Street
                     
                  
                     Spring Gardens
                     
                  
               28th Octr 1858
               
               Sir,
                
            
            
               I do not know, whether it may be in the power of any
               department to furnish the enclosed list of Parliamentary Blue Books
               for H.M. Service in 
British Columbia, but I beg to submit that if
               such a boon could be granted, it would be of very great service
               in the Colony.  Much useful information could be extracted from
               them, which would be of material assistance, and they would form
               the commencement of a Legislative Council Library.
               
               Possibly they could be supplied on the Secretary of State's
               order, from Her Majesty's Stationery Office.
               
            
            
            
            
               I have the honor to be
               
               Your most obedient humble Servant
               
               
R.C. Moody
               
               Col. R.E.
               
               
               
               
The Under Secretary
               
               of State for the Colonies
            
            
            
            
               Minutes by CO staff
               
                
                  
                  Mr Elliot
                     There are a few of these works that it seems to me might be
                     omitted; otherwise it 
wd be very desirable to Comply with 
Colonel Moody's suggestion.  If 
Sir E. Lytton approves write to the
                     Treasury to request that the Books may be procured at once and sent
                     on board the 
Euphrates addressed to 
Governor Douglas.
                     
 
                  
                  
                  
                  
                  
                  
                  Captn Moody's requisition is of reckless magnitude.  Had he
                     been

 more moderate in his demands, they might have been more
                     readily complied with.  As it is, there can be no prospect that
                     such voluminous documents can be collected and packed in time for
                     shipment by a vessel now getting ready for sea.
                     
 
                  
                  
                     I have been through the list and have struck out numerous
                     parliamentary papers which are either of too old date, or too
                     irrelevant to the immediate wants of a new Colony, or too bulky and
                     expensive to be fit to be granted.   Even with these omissions the
                     cost and difficulty of supply will probably be very great.
                     
                  
                  
                     I would suggest that the abridged list be sent to the Treasury with
                     a request that the Comptroller of Stationery be called on to state
                     whether these documents can be furnished within a short time, and
                     at no immoderate expense, for shipment to 
B. Columbia.
                     
 
               
               
               
               
                
            
            
            
               Other documents included in the file
               
               
                   
                     
                     
                        Draft, 
Elliot to 
C.E. Trevelyan, Treasury, 
18 November 1858,
                        forwarding copy of 
Moody's letter and amended list as per minute,
                        and asking whether the materials requested could be readily and
                        inexpensively procured.
                        
                        
                     Minutes by CO staff
                     
                     
                        
                        
                           Send to the Treasury a reduced list, leaving out all those which
                           are marked for omission in the margin of the list submitted by 
Coll
                              Moody.
                           
 
                      
                   
               
                
            
            
            
            
               Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
               
                
                  
                  
                     "List of Parliamentary Papers required by 
Col. Moody R.E. for
                     the use of the 
British Columbian Expedition," eleven pages with
                     deletions and amendments by colonial staff noted in the margins.