No. 354.
Mr. Drummond to Mr. Evarts.
Sir: In accordance with the instructions of Earl Granville, I have the honor to inform you that the Queen, my august sovereign, has signified her gracious pleasure that, on the occasion of the breaking up of the arctic discovery ship Resolute, at Chatham dock-yard, a piece of furniture constructed from a portion of the timbers of that vessel should be presented to the President of the United States, in grateful acknowledgment of the restoration of the vessel in 1856, as a free gift to Her Majesty by the President and people of the United States. A writing-table has therefore been made for this purpose, with an appropriate inscription.
Whilst bringing this desire of the Queen through you to the President’s knowledge, I have the honor to request that you will inform him also that Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to present to Mrs. Grinnell a writing-table, made from the same vessel, as a memorial of the disinterested kindness and great exertions of her late husband, Mr. H. Grinnell, in assisting in the search after Sir John Franklin.
I shall be obliged if you will inform me of the name of the port in the United States to which it will be most convenient for this piece of furniture, to be presented to the President, to be dispatched.
I have, &c.,