According to
this despatch, the
Thames City left from England for British Columbia, in 1858, with
119 men of the Expedition,
presuambly these were Royal Engineers. Wymond Ogilvy Hamley, customs collector, was
also aboard, as indicated in
Richards, Charles to Merivale, Herman 29 September 1858, CO 60:2, no. 9929, 15; Reverend James Gammage was aboard, too, as indicated in
this despatch.
Thames City rounded Cape Horn successfully and arrived at Esquimalt Harbour on 12 April 1859,
according to
this despatch.
Corry, Henry Thomas Lowry to Merivale, Herman 5 October 1858, CO 60:2, no. 10184,
21 finds the ship, as well as the
Briseis, entangled in a brokerage dispute, which forced the ship to port at Fraser River,
rather than Victoria. An enclosure in the same despatch argues that the brokers at
Victoria—Shaw, Savill and Company—could not accept lower terms for service to Fraser
River due to risks of crew desertion and added insurance costs.