Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Correspondence (private letter)
Trutch, Joseph William to Carnarvon, Earl 8 October 1858, CO 60:3, no. 10354, 653.
Abstract
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 to Carnarvon
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.
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.
1
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.
1
Minutes by CO staff
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.
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.
Sir Edward Lytton
I had a long conversation with Mr Trutch the other day and was much struck with the intelligence & information wh he showed. He knows the whole of the surrounding country though he has not been in B. Columbia and I wd 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 wd suggest that a special note of his name be taken.
I had a long conversation with Mr Trutch the other day and was much struck with the intelligence & information wh he showed. He knows the whole of the surrounding country though he has not been in B. Columbia and I wd 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 wd suggest that a special note of his name be taken.
C
Oct 11
Write to Col. Moody that the Govr 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
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
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;
William Goding, late chief engineer, Illinois and Michigan
Canal, Lockport, Illinois, 14 September 1858.
Footnotes
- = testimonials for Trutch. Lytton to Douglas, 16 September 1858, CO 398/1, p. 101. Add enclosures pp. 659-63: Wilkes, Preston, Gardner, and Gocking. ??