Cavan & Co. to Lytton

As Agents in this country for the Pacific Mail Steam Ship Company of New
York as well as of the Panama Railroad Company which forms one of the
links in the same chain of communication, we take the liberty of
requesting your attention to the advantages which would accrue to the new
Colony of British Columbia by forming a postal connexion with the line of
Steamers belonging to the first named company.

Its service now extends from Panama to Puget Sound, embracing
connexion with Ventosa Bay, the Columbia River and all ports on the coast
of California and Oregon, and with the American ports in Puget Sound.

The Company is at present under no obligation to extend its
service to the British Ports in the Pacific, but the advantages
which would accrue to them from being comprehended in the
ramifications of this extensive undertaking (especially as they
are not likely to be able to support an independent line of
communication with the Isthmus of Panama, and Europe for sometime to
come, are very apparent, and should the Government be disposed to
entertain such proposals we shall be prepared to submit for its
consideration on behalf of the Pacific Mail Company terms not only
for the conveyance of the Mails to and from British Ports and the
footing of a limited subsidy but also for the transportation, under
contract, of Government Officers, Troops and Stores.

The Steamers of the Pacific Mail Company with the Panama Railroad
and the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company form a direct and continuous
line of communication between the British dependencies on the Pacific
Coast of North America and Great Britain. In the event of an arrangement
such as we have suggested being brought about, the arrivals and
departures on both sides might no doubt be so timed as to insure the
least possible amount of delay in the transmission of the mails.

Should you desire further information on this subject it will
afford us pleasure to wait upon you at any time you may be pleased
to appoint.

We may mention that we had the pleasure of furnishing Colonel Moody
R.E. with introductions to the President of the Panama Railroad and
Pacific Mail Companies, both of whom he saw at New York, and from
whom he will doubtless have acquired much valuable information,
respecting the different lines of communication.