Despatches from William Robinson, Governor of Trinidad, dated December 1886 together...

Despatches from William Robinson, Governor of Trinidad, dated December 1886 together with correspondence from 'offices' (Government departments and other organisations) and from individuals sent during the year. Despatches are described at item level; other correspondence is not and correspondents and subjects are as follows:

Offices:

• House of Commons (British grievances against Venezuela especially in the cases of the illegal seizure of the Henrietta and the Josephine);
• Crown Agents (enquiries concerning Mr J E Tanner's sureties, Pitch Lake appeals, termination of Sir C H Gregory's appointment as consulting railway engineer, proposed jetty in Port of Spain harbour [2 items], Trinidad Government Railway [2 items]);
• Privy Council Office (petition regarding reserved lot in Pitch Lake, further petitions concerning Pitch Lake, dismissal of Pitch Lake petitioners);
• Board of Trade (complaint of seamen of the Gaerwen);
• Treasury (case of the SS Justitia [2 items]);
• Foreign Office (murder of former consul for Sweden and Norway [with letter in French], the SS Justicia Nacional, cases of the Henrietta and Josephine [9 items], reference to British colonial governments in a speech by the President of Venezuela [2 items], Governor's proposed visit to Caracas, charges made by Venezuelan Government against colonial authorities [3 items], Venezuelan differential duties, petition concerning Pitch Lake from the New York and Trinidad Asphalt Company, depredations on Venzuelan Coast by the 'revolutionist' Pulgar, claims of British subjects against Venezuela, violation of British territory of Patos or Goose Island by Venezuelan officials [2 items], petition of Thomas Watson & Sons concerning Pitch Lake, treatment of the RMS Avon by Venezuelan authorities [5 items], Venezuelan questions, smuggling between Trinidad and Venezuela);
• War Office (employment of detachment of Royal Artillery at Trinidad, arms for Police and Volunteers, increased allowances to troops in Trinidad, supply of rifles to colonial volunteers, proposed conversion of barracks into a lunatic asylum);
• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (report on tobacco samples, coconut industry, Indian corn grown in and imported into Trinidad, introduction of minor agricultural industries, services of Mr Prestoe as Government Botanist, seed of the Musk Mallow and Cardamom, vegetable products included in export returns, samples of fibre made from Sansevieria guineensis and other plants [3 items], appointment of Mr J Hart as Government Botanist, transmission of Herbarium to Kew, salary of Government Botanist, report on fibre made from red banana, report on the Botanic Gardens);
• West India Committee (Pitch Lake Reserve [2 items], Venezuelan duties, Mr O'Connor's paper on cane sugar);
• Colonial Bank (branch at San Fernando);
• London Guarantee and Accident Company (Mr J E Tanner's bond).

Individuals:

• Dr C G Brown, Colonial Office medical adviser (Mr A Telfer's health, Mr H Prestoe's health, Mr C Elms's health);
• Edwin Gerald Blanc (application for a medical appointment);
• Miss M Buckingham (Mr J F A Redhead's claims to promotion);
• W E Cleaver (Pitch Lake Reserve [2 items]);

• Leonard Crane, Surgeon General of Trinidad (enquiry into hospital administration [with printed copy of rules and regulations for defining the duties of the Colonial Storekeeper with regard to hospital stores]);
• John Gordon Douglas (Pitch Lake: application for grant);
• Mrs Dowland (requests information about the estate of the late Mr R H Cruickshank on behalf of his daughter Helen Cumming Cruickshank);
• Charles Elms (pension form);
• H E W Grant (application for a permanent colonial appointment);
• J Livingbird (appeal respecting his dismissal from the Police Force);
• Henry Prestoe, Government Botanist (pension form, his retirement, botanical matters, the Herbarium);
• Sir William Robinson, Governor of Trinidad (arrival in London on leave, working of the Railway, grant of a commission as lieutenant governor to Mr J S Bushe, railway scheme of Mr Theodore C Pile);
• G Rudolphsen (payment of house and cab allowances during leave);
• G S Seccombe (recommends appointment of Miss Margaret Flood as matron of Lunatic Asylum);
• A B Stollmeyer (application for promotion);
• Arnott Telfer (his resignation from the Excise Department, application for commutation of pension [2 items]);
• George Nelson Tanner (Mr J Edward Tanner's bond);
• Edgar Tripp (British claims against Venezuela [with printed copy of a letter addressed to The Times);
• Arthur Wortley (Pitch Lake [2 items]).

Topics

Shipping

International

Labour

Mental illness

Railways

Army

Taxation

Trade and commerce

Caribbean

Europe and Russia

Pay and pensions

Policing

Food and drink

Nationality

Crime

Americas

Armed Forces (General Administration)