Sproat to Secretary of State

On behalf of the Memorialists who have addressed your Grace on
the subject of a selection of a Capital for British Columbia for whom
Mr D. Fraser of 33 St James Square and I act as honorary
Secretaries, I am asked to refer to a paragraph in Mr Frasers
letter to your Grace dated the 9th August, as that Gentleman is at
present absent from London.

In the paragraph referred to it is stated that Her Majestys Ship
"Malacca" remained for one night aground.

I beg to mention that an account of the accident, published in
the Colony, and received since Mr Fraser's letter was written
varies from the statement in his letter to this extent, namely, that
the "Malacca" passed a night
at anchor, instead of aground, as appears from the enclosed
slip cut from a Victoria Newspaper.

However the ship may have passed the night, whether aground
where she stranded, or at anchor in deep water, the inference which
was drawn from the accident was just and correct.

Either position of the ship would justify the same
inference—viz, that the approach to Fraser River is dangerous to
such vessels, but, nevertheless it is considered proper in candour to
acquaint your Grace with this discrepancy of detail, slight though it
be.

When the Admiral on the Station reports to the Admiralty, the
exact fact will of course be known.

I beg to acknowledge receipt of Mr Elliots letter to Mr
Fraser of the 21st August in reply to Mr Frasers letter of the
16th August.

I am aware of the practise alluded to in Mr Elliots letter in
ordinary cases; but the choosing of a site for the Capital of British
Columbia has been so very publicly discussed in the Colony and in
England, and excites so earnest an interest in persons in this
Country connected with the Colony; and is, besides, fraught with such
grave consequences, that the Gentlemen, who have been moving in this
matter—many of whom are thoroughly conversant with the subject—deem
it important that the Secretary of State should be made aware of
their anxiety, and of their readiness to furnish information with
respect to the question.

They specially mention this, remembering that your Grace's
predecessor in Office, The Duke of Newcastle, informed several of the
present Memorialists who composed a deputation which waited upon the
Secretary for the Colonies in reference to questions connected with
the Union of Vancouver Island and British Columbia that they came too
late, and that if persons in England really interested in the Colony
were themselves apathetic or dilatory, the Colonial Office could not
be blamed for acting on the information that was before them, even
though such information might be partial and imperfect.