Churchill to Cardwell
No 11 George Yard,
Lombard Street, E.C.
London
6 Jany 1866
The Right
Honble E. Cardwell
Secretary of State for the Colonies
Sir
I have the honor to call your attention to my letter of
the
15th Ulto. respecting the
Bute Inlet Road
British Columbia, and to inform you that it is absolutely necessary
certain arrangements connected therewith should be made by
me in England before my return, which I am desirous should
be as early as possible. The several memorials sent in on
this matter will show you how desirous the Colonists are that
this
important undertaking should be completed without delay,
as until the country is opened out by good roads, and capital
invested in it, no material progress can be expected, either
in population mines or agriculture.
British Columbia stands in a most unfavorable position
in the money market, as instanced by the last loan for
£100,000 which was advertised by the Crown Agents for about
six months, shewing that unless great inducements are offered
Capitalists will not invest their money in the Country, and I
am advised by Gentlemen of large financial connections in the
City that unless some such arrangement as proposed in my
letter is carried out, it is useless to bring any British
Columbian project forward.
I trust you will see the importance of this undertaking,
and kindly grant all the support in your power, as in the
case of the
Vancouver Island Graving Dock C
o (of which I
am Manager) where the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty
have granted valuable concessions and a loan to the maximum
amount allowed by their Act.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Elliot
See draft sending
Mr Birch's report to
Mr Seymour.
Perhaps
Mr Churchill may be at once told that the S. of
S. is in communication with the
Govr (who is in this
Country) on the subject of his letter?
Draft to that effect. I will write privately to
Mr Seymour. Better Send off without delay the letter
forwarding to
Govr Seymour Birch's despatch.
Other documents included in the file
Elliot to
Churchill,
13 January 1866, stating that
Cardwell was
in communication with the governor on the subject of his former letter.