Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch to London
Douglas, Sir James to Lytton, Sir Edward George Earle Bulwer 9 May 1859, CO 60:4, no. 6507, 354.
Abstract
Despatch to London.
Minutes (1), Enclosures (untranscribed) (1), Other documents (3).
Douglas forwards to Lytton a copy of Moody’s letter, which discusses the “loss of the ‘Briseis’” and the related destruction of “Houses, Storehouses, and Stores.” Douglas notes his instructions to the Treasurer to cover the sum of £5,000 to replace lost
stores.
In the minutes, Blackwood notes an earlier, private letter to Moody on the subject of “fresh stores” and, in seeing no alternative, asks Merivale to forward Douglas’s request to the Treasury, in order “to pay the bills which are threatened.”
The first of the four documents included in the file is a draft reply from Newcastle to Douglas, which addresses Douglas's request for £5,000; second is a draft letter from Merivale to Hamilton, which forwards a copy of Douglas’s despatch and recommends that the bills be paid and added to British Columbia’s account; third is a draft reply from Newcastle to Douglas, which notes the Treasury’s approval for the payment; fourth is a copy of a report
on the loss of the Briseis.
No. 151, Military Expenses
I have the honor to enclose to you herewith the Copy of a
Letter addressed to me by Colonel Moody, commanding the Troops in
British Columbia, representing that in consequence of the loss of
the "Briseis", it would be necessary for him to take immediate
measures to meet
meet the difficulty arising from the loss of the Houses,
Storehouses, and Stores which were destroyed with that Vessel, and
that the Sum of Five Thousand Pounds will be required for the Service.
meet the difficulty arising from the loss of the Houses,
Storehouses, and Stores which were destroyed with that Vessel, and
that the Sum of Five Thousand Pounds will be required for the Service.
2. In consequence thereof I have instructed the Treasurer to
endeavour to provide the necessary Funds, by Bills upon the Imperial
Treasury.
3. The Bills shall be duly advised to Her Majesty's Paymaster
General whenever they may be negociated.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Merivale
As it has only lately been settled to send out the military stores to this Colony in substitution of those unfortunately burnt in and with the Briseis we have never told the Governor of the determination come to. But we should now lose no time in doing so. In a private Letter of my own to Col. Moody, which I wrote some time ago, I mentioned my hope that fresh stores would be sent out excepting always the Iron houses & the hay.
As it has only lately been settled to send out the military stores to this Colony in substitution of those unfortunately burnt in and with the Briseis we have never told the Governor of the determination come to. But we should now lose no time in doing so. In a private Letter of my own to Col. Moody, which I wrote some time ago, I mentioned my hope that fresh stores would be sent out excepting always the Iron houses & the hay.
We have no alternative except to forward this to the T-y,
saying that it will be necessary to pay the bills which are threatened.
Other documents included in the file
Draft, Merivale to G.A. Hamilton, Treasury, 9 July 1859, forwarding
copy of the despatch and recommending the bills be paid and added to
the account of the colony.
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
People in this document
Fortescue, 1st Baron Carlingford Chichester
Lytton, Sir Edward George Earle Bulwer