Woodcroft to Elliot (Assistant Under-Secretary)

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of
the 9th inst., enclosing the copy of a Despatch from the
Governor of British Columbia, inquiring if the Commissioners of
Patents would grant a set of their publications for the use of the
Public Library at New Westminster, the Capital of the Colony.

In reply I am directed to acquaint you for the information of
the Secretary of State for the Colonies that the Commissioners of
Patents are willing to present a complete set of their publications
to the Government of British Columbia for the use of the Public
Library at New Westminster. A complete set of the Commissioners'
Works consists (at the present date) of more than 2,200 volumes;
and it increases at the rate of upwards of 100 volumes
annually—principally Specifications. In the grant to Vancouver Island,
to which reference is make in your Letter and the Despatch, the
Specifications (then nearly 2,000 volumes) were not included, as
the Registrar General of the Island stated that they were not
required. If it be considered desirable that the same course
should be followed in this instance, the Commissioners of Patents
will be equally willing to present copies of all their Works except
the printed Specifications.

I beg to add that in the early grants made by the Commissioners,
the Specifications having been sent from this Office unarranged and
unbound were found to be quite useless for reference. For this
reason and on account of the great value of the Works (the cost of
printing each set being nearly £2,000) and the large number of
Publications comprised in each set (the Specifications now
amounting to 57,769, with an annual increase of about 3,300)
the Commissioners decided that the Specifications must either be
bound or placed in cardboard cases (as used at this Office) at
the expense of the Donees. The cases can be obtained of a
Firm in London at 2s6d each. More than 2100 cases would be
necessary.

The Commissioners of Patents expect that their Works will be
insured when sent abroad, in order that if any are lost, they may be
replaced by purchase.

On receipt of your reply, I will give instructions for the
selection of the Publications required.