Hart to Secretary of State

I am directed by the Committee of the Colonial Church and School Society
to inform you that the most urgent appeals have been made to them from a
variety of quarters to send Clergymen forthwith to British Columbia, in
order to minister to the spiritual necessities of the English speaking
population, who are now emigrating to that Colony by thousands.

Although the funds of the Society for the current year had been
previously appropriated, yet the Committee have been unable to resist
these applications, and have therefore ventured forthwith to send one
Cleryman and to provide him with a stipend of £300 per annum.

The Committee understand that it is not the present intention of Her
Majesty's Government to send out an Army Chaplain with the force about to
proceed to British Columbia; whilst therefore the primary object of this
Clergyman will be to minister to the general population of the Colony,
they are anxious that the military force which may be stationed there,
should benefit by such spiritual supervision as it may be in
his power to bestow.

Considering the circumstances under which the Committee have adopted
the course in question, they are induced to hope that Her Majesty's
Government will be pleased to forward the object they have in view by
sending the Clergyman about to be appointed (as well as a second, should
the funds at their disposal enable them to send two) to the new Colony of
British Columbia free of expence.