Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Public Offices document
Hawes, Benjamin to Fitzgerald, William Robert Seymour Vesey 9 March 1859, CO 60:6, no. 2619, 262.
Abstract
Public Offices document.
Minutes (4), Other documents (1).
Hawes informs the Colonial Office that the stores lost in the sinking of the Briseis were not insured.
The minutes argue that the War Office has done them
illand the CO should endeavour to save the colony from the
double expenseof replacing the lost cargo.
Enclosed is a draft from Merivale to Under-Secretary, War Office, 23 March 1859, advising that Lytton felt the stores should be replaced immediately at the expense of the War Department.
Hawes to Under-Secretary of State Foreign Office [sic]
With reference to your Letter of the 4th Inst.
inquiring for the information of Sir E. Bulwer Lytton
whether the Stores for R. Engineer Detachment British Columbia,
lost in the "Briseis," had been insured; I am directed by
Secretary Major General Peel to state that these Stores were
not insured by this Department.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Merivale
I contend that the War Office has managed very ill in this transaction for us, & that we ought to try & rescue the Colony from the double expense. The War Office, when it sends out Stores, forwards them in Govt transports. These are as secure as they can be, risks at sea considered, & are not insured. The War Office is it's own insurer. But that was not our position. We told the Office to provide & send out the Stores to Columbia. A Vessel, & a bad one I have heard, was hired. The goods were not insured, nor were we asked the question whether they shd
be so insured—which, as the Colony
was supposed to be the ultimate repayers of the expense, the
W. Office, if they had used any proper precaution, might have
done—And the vessel was burnt.
I contend that the War Office has managed very ill in this transaction for us, & that we ought to try & rescue the Colony from the double expense. The War Office, when it sends out Stores, forwards them in Govt transports. These are as secure as they can be, risks at sea considered, & are not insured. The War Office is it's own insurer. But that was not our position. We told the Office to provide & send out the Stores to Columbia. A Vessel, & a bad one I have heard, was hired. The goods were not insured, nor were we asked the question whether they shd
be so insured—which, as the Colony
was supposed to be the ultimate repayers of the expense, the
W. Office, if they had used any proper precaution, might have
done—And the vessel was burnt.
The Colony is clearly not in the same position as the
Government—which was it's own insurer; and my view, considering
the circumstances of the case, is that we should tell the War Office
that the Stores must be replaced with the least possible delay,
but that we cannot impose the charge of doing so on the Colony,
& that it must devolve on the War Office to find the money.
I have gone over the List, & made a few remarks which
perhaps Lord Carnarvon or yourself will notice.
Sir Edward Lytton
I agree with Mr Blackwood as to the justice of imposing the repayment upon the W.O. but whether the W.O. will concur is another question. Please to decide upon the omission from the new list of the articles wh are pencilled.
I agree with Mr Blackwood as to the justice of imposing the repayment upon the W.O. but whether the W.O. will concur is another question. Please to decide upon the omission from the new list of the articles wh are pencilled.
C
Mch 12
For convenience I wd give up the iron houses and appendages
as Ld C proposes.
EBL
M 15
Other documents included in the file
Draft, Merivale to Under-Secretary, War Office, 23 March 1859,
advising that Lytton felt the stores should be replaced immediately
at the expense of the War Department.