Board of Fisheries in Royal Institute

Edinburgh 6^th January 1847

My Lord,

The Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty’s Treasury having come to the resolution to place Funds in my hands for the improvement of Certain Creeks on the West Coast of Scotland with the view of furnishing work for the People who are suffering from destitution, on the following conditions viz. that the Proprietor of the Estate where each haven is situated shall be required to come forward with one half of the Expense of constructing it, and that he shall allow the Works to be carried on under the Superintendence of the Board. I beg to inform you that I have caused the Creeks of Kilmaluag, Port Drishaig, Ballymarten and Caolis in the Island of Tiree, belonging to His Grace the Duke of Argyll, to be inspected, the Report on which I have inclosed for your Lordship’s information, as from which you will observe that the Estimated Expense required for their improvement amounts to £1,381 Stg.

I now request to know whether your Lordship will be disposed to advance the sum of £690 10/-, being your Moiety of the said Expense, and to acquaint you that on my being informed that the above sum has been lodged in the Royal Bank in my Name as Secretary of the Board of Fisheries in the Account “for aiding in the relief of destitution in the Highlands by the Improvement of Creeks & Havens”, I shall immediately take measures for carrying on the Works.

I have the honor to be

My Lord,

 Your Most Obed. Ser.

Mr. Dick Lauder

Secretary Board of Fisheries

To the Most Honble

The Marquess of Lorne

Stafford House