Churchill to Cardwell

Referring to my letters of Decr 15th, Jany. 6th
and 19th I have the honor to inform you that some months
since I wrote Mr Waddington requesting him to communicate
 with Mr Birch, the Acting Governor of British Columbia, with
the view of constructing a railway in lieu of an ordinary
wagon road. Since that time the money markets here have
become so unsettled that the parties who were desirous of
carrying out the project have deemed it desirable to abandon
the railway scheme and in lieu of that they propose to
construct an extra heavy wagon road capable of carrying the
largest description of Traction Engine.

On the 9th Ulto. I had an interview with Governor
Seymour on the subject, when His Excellency requested me to
put the tenor of our conversation in the form of a letter, a
copy of which I have the honor to enclose.

On the 20th Ulto. His Excellency wrote me "I have no
 power to grant Charters in British Columbia when not in the
actual administration of the Govenment. I will however bring
several of your proposals favorably under the notice of the
Colonial Office." From the above you will see that my
proposals have met with a favorable reception by His
Excellency, and I may also state that General R.C. Moody
who arranged the present Charter, having considered it very
fully, is strongly in favor of my present proposals; therefore,
I trust you will grant me what is necessary to carry out this
important undertaking as it is desirable that it should be
completed as soon as possible.