Smith to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary)

I am directed by the Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company to
acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday's date, with the
accompanying Bag of Documents to the address of the Governor of
Vancouver's Island, and to acquaint you that the Bag will be forwarded
as requested, to Governor Douglas by the Hudson's Bay Company's first
vessel for Vancouver's Island.

I beg however to mention that the Company will not dispatch any
vessel to that quarter before the end of July.