Booth to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary)

I am directed by the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for
Trade to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 4th Instant
transmitting copy of a Despatch from the Governor of Vancouver's
Island recommending that the Lanterns and Lighting Apparatus for the
Lighthouses erecting in Fucas Straits should be sent out by the
Hudson's Bay Company's annual Ship which was to leave London in
September last.

In reply My Lords direct me to state that the Lanterns and Apparatus
in question are in course of construction and will not be ready to
send out to the Colony before the end of November, and as soon as
they are completed and a vessel engaged for their conveyance a
further communication will be made to you on the subject.

As regards the request of the Governor that a competent person may be
sent out to superintend the fitting of the Lanterns and Apparatus,
and two Head Light-keepers to manage the Lights, I am to state that
My Lords will cause inquiries to be made for competent persons who
may be willing to go out to the Colony to undertake these duties.