1900
United States, Canada
May 16th, 1900
The Driard Hotel, Victoria, B.C.
My Beloved Angee,
I was very glad to receive your dear letter on arrival y'day morning dated April 27 from Bristol which your previous letter had prepared me for. It will be a nice little change for you and a mutual cheer to you all – glad to hear the dear children are all well and the rest. Well I am plodding on and am not sorry to be under the English flag once more as far as this world is concerned although I have had a good time for the business in America and at Seattle my last place of call in the States I got hold of a very good order. The activity here is wonderful – young men from all parts of the world on their way to the new gold fields of Cape Nome – for the moment Klondike is eclipsed and the Canadians are not much pleased with it as this new field is in American territory and they will not allow a Canadian vessel to land passengers within a hundred miles of it. The Canadian government have spent a lot of money at Klondike on railways &c. and now all the people are rushing off to Cape Kome – in a little time they will all rush back again.
Was glad to hear that you had seen Mr. Shapland and hope he may soon recover his strength again.
Received letters from P.F.&Co. today – they regret that I was unable to go to China &c. fearing the climate and say that as I had expressed a wish to go when last at the office they gave me the first offer but have now arranged with another traveller called Upton who is at present in New Mexico to go and he will start from San Francisco early in June and they suggest my writing to him if anything to communicate. I much prefer a climate where I can wear some clothing that won't get wet through in an hour or two. Here this morning I have been glad to put on a flannel shirt again. Arundel seems to be sent to Merthyr frequently – have sometimes thought the firm there may employ him permanently – his house in Bristol is a very comfortable one I thought and cheap rent too.
I am getting on nicely with the work here – took good orders y'day and hope to get the same number today. D.V. I leave here tomorrow morning for Vancouver by steamer and expect to arrive about noon – it will be an early start 7am but it is a beautiful trip. There is a solitary bro. and his wife here and hope to spend the evening with them for a reading – they are from Edinburgh. God Bless you and all our loved ones and believe me my beloved Angee ever.
Being very affectionate Husband