Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Public Offices document
Hill, Frederic
to Merivale, Herman 22 February 1856, CO 305:7, no. 1765, 265.
Abstract
Public Offices document.
Minutes (2), Other documents (1).
Hill informs Merivale that sending letters and newspapers to California, Oregon and the Sandwich Islands will travel faster through New York and Panama rather than Southampton, and asks how Despatches addressed “to the Governor of Vancouver's Island should be forwarded.”
Hill to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary)
General Post Office
22nd February 1856
Sir,
I have the honour to acquaint you, for the information of Mr
Secretary Labouchere, that, in consequence of a representation recently
received from Her Majesty's Consul General at Woahoo, that Letters and
Newspapers from this Country addressed to California, Oregon and the
Sandwich Islands, reach their destination more expeditiously via New
York and Panama, than when forwarded from Southampton by the West India
Mail Packets, the Postmaster General
General has rescinded the regulation which
heretofore existed of transmitting this Correspondence by the latter
Packets, and has directed all Letters and Newspapers for California,
Oregon and the Sandwich Islands to be forwarded, in future,
as a rule, via the United States, and only those Letters &c to be
sent by the West India Packets, which bear a special direction that they
are to be so forwarded.
General has rescinded the regulation which
heretofore existed of transmitting this Correspondence by the latter
Packets, and has directed all Letters and Newspapers for California,
Oregon and the Sandwich Islands to be forwarded, in future,
as a rule, via the United States, and only those Letters &c to be
sent by the West India Packets, which bear a special direction that they
are to be so forwarded.
In consequence of this alteration, it
it becomes necessary to enquire
how the Despatches addressed by the Secretary of State to the Governor
of Vancouver's Island should be forwarded; whether in the Mail for
California via the United States, or by the West India Mail Packet to
Panama, as heretofore, and I request you will have the goodness to
inform me what are the wishes of Mr Secretary Labouchere on this
point.
it becomes necessary to enquire
how the Despatches addressed by the Secretary of State to the Governor
of Vancouver's Island should be forwarded; whether in the Mail for
California via the United States, or by the West India Mail Packet to
Panama, as heretofore, and I request you will have the goodness to
inform me what are the wishes of Mr Secretary Labouchere on this
point.
It is presumed that, in either case, the Despatches pass through
the hands of Officers of the United States
States Post Office.
States Post Office.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Merivale
Answer that in pursuance of the request of the Governor (4064/54 which send to the GPO) we have, since the month of May/54, always addressed the S.S. despatches to V.Couver's Island with the superscription "via Panama", & that we still continue to do so. This route is now recommended by the Consul for Woahoo.
Answer that in pursuance of the request of the Governor (4064/54 which send to the GPO) we have, since the month of May/54, always addressed the S.S. despatches to V.Couver's Island with the superscription "via Panama", & that we still continue to do so. This route is now recommended by the Consul for Woahoo.
ABd
23/F
Annex dt.
HM
F 23
Other documents included in the file
Draft, Merivale to Hill, 1 March 1856, asking the postmaster general
to direct all mail to Vancouver Island through New York and Panama.