Hammond to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary)

With reference to Mr FitzGerald's Letter of the
31st of August
last,

I am directed by the Earl of Malmesbury to transmit to you herewith, for the information
of Secretary Sir Edward Lytton, a copy of a Despatch from
Mr Booker, Her Majesty's Consul at San Francisco,
announcing the arrival of Captain Parsons and 20
Non-commissioned Officers and Men of the Royal Engineers
on their way to British Columbia.