Powles to Newcastle
Port Phillip & Colonial Gold Ming Co
35 Bucklersbury, Cheapside E.C.
20 March 1862
I am Chairman of the Port Phillip & Colonial Gold Mining Company, established under Royal Charter, & now working in the Colony of Victoria.
This Company is restricted by its Charter to the Australian Colonies, but some of its members are desirous of examining the question of Mining, on a systematic scale in the Colony of British Columbia.
For this purpose, they contemplate sending out a competent person to examine into the exact state of affairs, before incurring the expense of forming an establishment.
But it is essential for us to know the conditions on which Leases of Mineral Ground will be granted in the Colony.
May I therefore take the liberty to ask the favor of your Grace, to be informed on this point.
I should hardly have venturedManuscript image to take this liberty, but that I apprehend that it may be considered desirable, on public grounds, to encourage the formation of establishments which may carry on the business of mining in the regular manner in which it is conducted in this country.
I have etc.
J.D. Powles
Minutes by CO staff
Manuscript image
Sir F. Rogers
Acquaint the writer that the IIId series of Papers relating to B. Columbia which have been laid before Parlt* contains all the informn he requires and that it is procurable at the Queen's Printers—Messrs Eyre & Spottiswode.
ABd 22/3
Yes. (It would be rather desirable that the L & E.C. shd be kept up with infn of thisManuscript image kind—and act as referees).
*Add—"with one which is about to appear."
CF 25
N 26
Other documents included in the file
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Draft, Fortescue to Powles, 28 March 1862, advising that a series of papers had been laid before parliament which contained all the information requested, and providing the address where the papers might be obtained.
Powles, J. D. to Pelham-Clinton, 5th Duke of Newcastle Henry Pelham Fiennes 20 March 1862, CO 60:14, no. 2944, 83. 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/B625MI01.html.

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