"Yours faithfully,
"(Signed) O. S. WOOD.
"EDWD. W. WATKIN, Esq."
My official letter to Sir Edmund Head from Montreal, 24th July, 1863, summarized all my proceedings up to its date.
"MONTREAL,
"July 24_th_, 1863.
"SIR,
"I have the honour to acknowledge your official letter of the 6th July, requesting me to proceed to the Red River Settlement, for the purpose of reporting upon the state and condition of that Settlement, of the condition of the adjoining territory, the prospects of settlement therein, and the possibility of commencing operations for an electric telegraph line across the southern district of Rupert's Land; and associating with me in this inquiry Governor Dallas, of the Red River Settlement, with whom you request me to communicate at once.
"I observe that the Committee consider the lateness of the season will preclude me from doing more than procure such information as will enable them to commence further inquiries at the opening of the next season.
"In consequence of verbal communications received before leaving England, and suggestions unofficially received from members of the new Committee, I have deemed it my duty, though unofficially, to communicate with the Canadian Government, and with those gentlemen likely to form the Government of Canada, should any change of ministry take place on the opening of Parliament, so as, as far as possible (unauthorized as I was), to prevent antagonism to the operations of the new organization pending official communication and explanations from the Governor and Committee.
"No one can be better aware of the state and views of parties in Canada than yourself. The leader of the present Government expresses a strong opinion in favour of the settlement of a separate Crown Colony in the Hudson's Bay district, and this also is the view taken by Mr. Cartier and Mr. J. A. Macdonald, and is strongly concurred in by Mr. Cazeau, the Vicar-General, who, as you are aware, leads the Catholic party in Lower Canada. On the other hand, the feeling of Mr. Geo. Brown and the 'Grits,' as heretofore expressed, has been in favour of annexing the Hudson's Bay territory to Canada, thereby securing that preponderance which would practically settle the question of the future government of the whole country.
"The views of the Duke of Newcastle, and also, so far as I understand them, the views of yourself and your colleagues, being in favour of the establishment of a separate colony unconnected with Canada, I consider the discussions which have taken place have now put the question in its right position here; but at the same time I shall endeavour to see Mr. George Brown, and give such explanations, unofficially, as may at all events prevent his considering that he has not been consulted in this important transaction.
"I have also placed myself in communication with many of those who have advocated the settlement of the North-west, including Professor Hind, who has explored much of the district; and, at my request, Professor Hind has written a memorandum, and letter upon the gold discoveries in the Hudson's Bay territory, which I now enclose.