I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint you, for the
information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that passage from Southampton
to Colon has been provided for one Officer and 20 Men of the Royal Engineers in the
Mail Steamer of the
2nd Sept. next, en route to
Vancouver's Island, but there is probably no vessel
of War at
Panama to convey them to their destination. Nor could any of Her Majesty's Ships be diverted
from their present duties for the purpose of conveying so small a party of men such
a long distance. Probably some arrangement might be made for having the party conveyed
by a Merchant Vessel.