456 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
Newfoundland which as the Island is not included would be useless. There are 
obvious reasons of convenience why Carnarvon should take this course. It saves 
time and gives the Upper House something to do, and it enables him to state his own 
views, which might not be so accurately given by the Under Secretary. 
It is not etiquette to furnish any body with a Bill to be brought down by the 
Government till it has been laid before the Queen and presented to Parliament. 
We applied for copies as soon as we could and Annand takes out the Bill and the first 
. part of the printed Correspondence. The other has been promised and if it can 
be got from the Printer in time will also go out. 
We have held many anxious consultations upon the present aspect of affairs. 
The outlook at the Peers is discouraging. Carnarvon will of course be supported 
by Derby, and Russell can do no less. Then Monk! will be there, and as the attend- 
ance will probably be thin two or three speeches from the leaders may be decisive. 
Annand will explain to you how we proposed to meet this state of things, and the 
reasons which rather incline us to depend more on our chances to obstruct the Bill 
inthe Commons. We will decide on nothing till after Tuesday, and then act prompt- 
ly if any good can be done in the Upper House. If not we shall prepare for the final 
fight below where we have been promised some powerful aid. 
We shall confine ourselves now to this single point—‘‘Jet the Bill lie on the table 
till after the May elections in Nova Scotia. There will then be two months to pass it 
af they are favorable, and it ought not to pass if they are not.” 
I fear the copy of our case sent out by last mail contained some small errors. 
Annand takes Copies that are correct. 
Believe me 
Truly Yours, 
JOSEPH HOWE. 
London 
25 Saville Row 
March 15, 1867. 
Wm. J. Stairs, Esq. 
My dear Stairs 
The prevalence of strong easterly winds delayed the China so that letters from 
home only reached me yesterday morning. I have yours of the 28th Feb. with letters 
from Boak and Northup.™8 
The reports of Annand and McDonald will have prepared our friends for what 
has occurred here and be assured that I sympathize with you all in what I know will 
be a general and deep disappointment. 
Until the determination of the Cabinet was declared we had well grounded hopes 
of defeating the enemy. You can hardly understand what these were till you have 
an opportunity to inspect the whole correspondence. From the time when Carnar- 
von communicated the decision of the Cabinet I saw that the difficulties would be 
greatly increased, as a measure supported by all the leading men on both sides, and 
actively promoted by the Grand Trunk people was almost sure to carry. I still 
hoped however for something like a fair examination of the question in one House 

122 See note 53. 
13 Robert Boak and Jeremiah Northup. Boak was born 1822. He was a member of the Board 
of Review of Nova Scotia in 1866. Became member of N. S. Legislative Council 1872, president of 
that body 1878-1901, Treasurer of the province 1877-78. Knighted. Died 1904. For Northup see 
Note No. 29. 
