Barfield to Carnarvon

I beg leave to submit for your Lordship's consideration the
following statement of facts.

In the year 1862 arrangements were made by Messrs Stewart Meldrum
 & Co of Victoria Vancouver Island merchants for surveying the
 Mineral lands on the North West Coast of Vancouver Island, with a
view to their development; and a Memorial in writing from these
Gentlemen and Mr MacKean, who was also interested, was presented
to the Governor, praying a Grant from the Crown of the tract of
Country lying contiguous to Koskeemo Sound, with the right of
working the baser metals.

This application was acceded to, and the option of applying for a
prior grant of all the Lands bordering upon the Sound was also
given by His Excellency Sir James Douglas, K.C.B., the then
Governor of the Island; who was favorably impressed with the
undertaking and the enterprise shown by Messrs Steward Meldrum &
Co for developing the resources of the Colony, and an instalment
of about £800, being at the rate of 2/1 per acre, was paid into the
Treasury at Victoria, on behalf of this Firm and Mr MacKean
respectively.

Since that period considerable sums of money have been expended in
surveying and testing the resources of this Sound. The parties
interested are very desirous that the benefit of their past
labours, and the heavy outlay they have thus incurred should not be
lost to them, and on their behalf I have to ask your Lordship to be
pleased to authorize a grant to them of the Lands comprised in
their former application, and to extend the time for their further
survey of this district; and securing a grant of additional Lands.