<persName ref="prs:trutch_jw"><surname>Trutch</surname>, <forename>Joseph</forename> <forename>William</forename></persName> to <persName ref="prs:carnarvon"><surname>Carnarvon</surname>, </persName> 8 October 1858, CO 60:3, no. 10354, 653. Trutch addressee Carnarvon (Parliamentary Under-Secretary)

Published by Jim Hendrickson and the University of Victoria.

Trutch, Joseph William to Carnarvon, 8 October 1858, CO 60:3, no. 10354, 653.The Colonial Despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871, Edition 2.6, ed. James Hendrickson and the Colonial Despatches project. Victoria, B.C.: University of Victoria. https://bcgenesis.uvic.ca/B586T01.html. CO 60:03 CO 60 3 10354 653 B.C. 1858 registered 11 October co_60_03_00653r.jpg Transcribed from microfilm archives, marked up in Waterloo Script, then transformed into TEI P5 XML.

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Correspondence (private letter). Minutes (3), Enclosures (untranscribed) (6).

Trutch offers his services to survey British Columbia for the allotment of lands to settlers and purchasers.

The minutes regret that there is not enough money to employ Trutch but feel that he would be very useful.

Enclosed are six favourable testimonials for Trutch including one from Colonel Moody.

 Trutch, Joseph William
Soho Square, London
Carnarvon, Inserted revisionDesc with @status="unproofed". Changed idno @type="received" into a date element. Gave existing date an @type="sent" and reordered bibl contents.
Trutch to Carnarvon 10354, CO 60/3, p. 653; registered 11 October
Soho Square, London
Oct 8 1858 My Lord,

Being informed that it is the intention of Government to obtain a correct survey of the Colony of British Columbia with a view to the allotment of lands to settlers and purchasers, I venture to offer my services in carrying out such a survey. I have been for 7 years employed by the U. States Government on a similar survey of the adjoining Territories of Washington and Oregon, the result of which experience is the belief that the system there practised of rectangular surveys by the Solar Compass or some modification of such system is peculiarly adapted for the New Colony, the requirements of which are materially the same as of Washington & Oregon; the nature of the country, climate &c being similar.

By this system under which the public surveys have been executed on Contractby by sworn surveyors at a rate not exceeding three pence per acre, an allotment of the public lands has been obtained, with most desirable despatch, mostly in advance of the settlement and so correct as to prevent any litigation as to boundaries—full particulars as to nature of soil, quality of timber and general values of lands being also furnished. In the execution of these surveys the Solar Compass was found indispensable, the local attraction being so great as to render the Magnetic Needle quite unreliable; in fact without the Solar Compass these surveys would have been practically impossible. Many other advantages belong to this system of Land Surveys, which however cannot be explained in this application.

As to my capability for carrying out such a survey I refer your Lordship to my Map of Oregon & Washington executed by me whilst in the U. States Land Office, also to testimonials from the gentlemen under whom I was employed in those Territories, and from the late Chief Commissioner of the U.S. Land Department herewith included. Governor = testimonials for Trutch. Lytton to Douglas, 16 September 1858, CO 398/1, p. 101. Add enclosures pp. 659-63: Wilkes, Preston, Gardner, and Gocking. ??

I have the honor to be, My Lord Your lordships obt Servant Joseph W. Trutch The Right HonbleHonourable The Earl of Carnarvon
Mr Elliot Mr Trutch has already received a letter of introduction to the Governor. I believe that Sir E Lytton has no intention to appoint a Surveyor from this Country, and that the answer to Mr Trutch must be that Sir E Lytton regrets that he has no opportunity of employing his services. HTI 11 Oct TFE 11 Oct
Sir Edward Lytton I had a long conversation with Mr Trutch the other day and was much struck with the intelligence & information whwhich he showed. He knows the whole of the surrounding country though he has not been in B. Columbia and I wdwould recommend that you sd—when you have leisure—see him yourself. Had he offered himself earlier when there were vacancies to be filled up I think he might have been very useful—& even now I wdwould suggest that a special note of his name be taken. C Oct 11
Write to Col. Moody that the GovrGovernor is at quite eno[ugh] expense employing him & his men for survey & that it was expressly understood there were to be no other expenses for that object saddled on the Coly. EBL Oct 12
Colonel R.C. Moody to Colonial Office, 8 October 1858, stating that he had met Trutch, was favourably impressed, and urging his appointment to office in British Columbia.
John Wilson, Land Commissioner, Illinois Central Railroad Company, to "Sir," 15 September 1858, testimonial for Trutch.
John Edward Wilkes, British consul, Chigago, 15 September 1858, certifying that John B. Preston had declared the following testimonials for Trutch to be genuine:
John B. Preston, Lockport, Illinois, 25 August 1858;
C.K. Gardner, Late surveyor general of Oregon, Washington, D.C., 30 August 1858;
William Goding, late chief engineer, Illinois and Michigan Canal, Lockport, Illinois, 14 September 1858.