I have the honor to acquaint you that it appears from a despatch
dated the
13th of December addressed to
Earl Russell by H.M.'s Minister
at Washington that the House of Representatives on the
5th of that month
adopted a Resolution instructing
the![Manuscript image Manuscript image](https://hcmc.uvic.ca/~coldesp/jpg_scans/jpg_thumbnail/rg7_g8c_10/rg7_g8c_10_00002v.jpg)
the committee on Military Affairs to enquire into the expediency of fortifying the
mouth of
Columbia River and
Puget's Sound.