Henson to Rogers (Permanent Under-Secretary)

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of
the 11th Instant, together with enclosure dated
Quebec 9th June.

I have also received from St Pauls and Red River letters
from our Agents on the Spot informing me that 150 emigrants (not forwarded by this Company) have started this year Overland for
British Columbia by the Saskatchewan route and that others are following.

So fully impressed were the Company with the importance of
their passengers getting through safely, that we wrote to our Agent Mr Hime
at St Pauls, that should he find any real, or
serious difficulty presented, he was authorised to send our
passengers via the United States Overland Route, or the Panama
Route notwithstanding the heavy expense which would be incurred
thereby. We advised our Agent on receipt of letter from Colonial
Office enclosing extract from Red River respecting the Cereal Crops,
and instructed him to well enquire into the matter before letting
the passengers start by that route.

Mr James Hayward whom we sent as through Agent, received
similar instructions, and our Agent at Quebec has also had
instructions forwarded to him, that in the event of apprehended
danger on the route to send the passengers per "United Kingdom
Steamship," via Panama, and to draw upon the Company for such
extra expenses.

We are fully cognisant of the importance of this question,
and have given by every Mail very careful instruction to our
Agents. We must remark at the same time that the most
contradictory, and conflicting accounts respecting this route
have reached us. The Red River Newspapers and a portion of
the Canadian Press represent the route as the most advantageous
and practicable on the Continent, while other Newspapers give a
contrary opinion.

We have in our possession letters from Mr Dawson offering
to Amalgamate his Company "The North West Navigation &c Compy"
with the "British Columbia Overland Company" and eulogising the route
in the most confident terms. What are we to believe with such
facts before one?