Colonial Despatches

With reference to your letters of the 14th August and 1st October last directing us to provide passages (viâ Cape Horn) to British Columbia, for the Wives and families of the 7 Men belonging to the detachment of Royal Engineers stationed in that Colony, I have to report for the information of the Secretary of State that the "Marcella," in which vessel passages were engaged as mentioned in Mr Walcott's letter of the 20th ultimo, sailed on the 12th instant from Gravesend for Vancouvers Island having on board the 3 Women & 4 Children named in the margin.

2. All the women comprized in the List which accompanied your letter of the 14th August last except Mrs Holroyd (who stated that she preferred to remain where she was a little longer) accepted the offer of a passage when made to them—but subsequently Mrs Goskirk, Jane Bingley, and Catherine May declined to proceed—the first alleging that she had not the means to travel from Scotland to London to join the vessel— the second that she had been informed that she was to go out as an Emigrant and not as a passenger—and the last because she was an Indoor patient at the Dover Hospital with but little prospect of recovery.

3. A passage warrant was sent to Mrs Goskirk to enable her to reach London without expense—and the nature of the arrangements were explained to Jane Bingley but in neither case with any change in the result.

4. Bingley and May appear to be young women who were probably going out to be married to the men who sent for them.

5. The Secretary of State may perhaps deem it advisable to notify to Colonel Moody the sailing of the "Marcella," and the reasons why Catherine May, Mrs Holroyd, Mrs Goskirk and Jane Bingley have not proceeded in her.

6. As the two former gave us notice of their intention to remain at home, before the preparation for their accommodation on board the ship were completed, we shall not be required to pay any forfeit for their passages, but in the cases of Mrs Goskirk and Jane Bingley we shall have in justice to the Shipowner, to pay the usual forfeit of half the passage money, as their change of mind was not communicated until all the expense of fittings and provisioning for their accommodation had been incurred.