Pitcairn's Island Notes Source Whalesite |
Rear-Admiral Ross to Admiralty enclosing
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[—]resident, Callao
8th February 1839
Sir, In transmitting to you, for the information of their Lordships, the accompanying report and various Letters enclosed, therewith, from Captain Eliott of Her Majesty's Sloop Ey, whom I had directed, by my order of the 15th of May last, to visit the Society, Friendly, and Pitcairn's Islands, agreeably to their Lordships directions as set forth in their Instructions to me, to communicate with those Islands by a Vessel from my Squadron at least once a year; I feel it my duty to express to their Lordships, my entire approbation of the judicious and masterly way Captain Eliott has carried those orders into execution; and as his report is explanatory in every particular, it leaves me only to add my concurrence in the opinion advanced by him, viz. the necessity of Charles Wood Esq. |
having one of Her Majesty's Ships employed upon that Service, who could devote more time and attention to the interests of the British residents at those Islands, than it was possible, during his short stay there, to afford them; I was under the necessity of limiting the absence of the Fly, in the execution of this Service, to a much shorter period than I could have wished owing to the great call I had at the time of my despatching her, and which I still have, for the more active Services of the few Ships under my Command, during the present disturbed state of this Country; — In addition, therefore, to the repeated applications already made by me to their Lordships for an increase to my Force, I beg to offer the present as another instance in proof of the advantages likely to be derived to Her Majesty's Government by such a measure, and which I beg to Note across bottom of page |
submit for their Lordships' consideration.
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Notes.
Pagination of the original autograph has been maintained. Captain Russell Elliott (later Admiral) was commander of H.M.S. Fly who visited Pitcairn's Island in November 1838. His action there instituted the first formal government on the island. Vice Admiral Charles Bayne Hodgson Ross CB (July 1776 – 2 March 1849) was a Royal Navy officer who served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, who later commanded the ship that took Napoleon Bonaparte into his finale exile on St Helena, and who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Station. [Wikipedia] Lord John Russell was Secretary of State for War and the Colonies (30 August 1839 – 30 August 1841). |
Source.
Document no. 61. Feb 8, 1839. "Rear-Admiral Ross to Admiralty enclosing Captain Eliott's report of 25 January 1839." 1244 to 1249.
This transription was made from the collection of documents at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa Library.
Last updated by Tom Tyler, Denver, CO, USA, Dec 16, 2024.
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Pitcairn's Island Note Source Whalesite |