I beg again to trouble your Lordship on the subject of the
               Postal Contract between 
British Columbia and 
San Francisco.  I arrived
               in this Country 
1st February last for the purpose of endeavouring
               to carry out this undertaking.
               
               My sole detention at present is in the hopes, and expectation,
               of being able to secure the Postal Contract between 
British Columbia
               and 
San Francisco in terms of my tender and to which I was led to
               believe I should receive a favorable reply early this month, for the
               conditions as originally stated therein were modified and amended to
               meet the views of the authorities, from whose expressions I gathered,
               without being binding upon them, that, with the exception of a matter
               of etiquette with the United States Post Office, my offer would be
               acceptable and myself and friends considered responsible and
               competent for the fulfilment of the Contract.  May I beg not simply
               in my own name, but in 
that
that of the Colony whose important interests
               are in the meantime so much neglected and injured by want of regular
               Mail Communication that you will kindly press this matter to a prompt
               and favorable decision.