April 25th. 1900:
Following letter from Lord Strathcona to Sir Evelyn Wood:-
"I am much obliged for your letter of the 21st. inst., in which you make me acquainted with the terms of the telegram sent to the General Officer commanding lines of communication, Cape Town, authorising him to replace from army remounts the horses lost in the "Monterey" on her passage to Cape Town.
Kindly convey my acknowledgments to the Marquis of Lansdowne for the consideration he has extended to the matter, and my appreciation of the generous action which his lordship has sanctioned. At the same time, however, I was quite prepared to pay the value of the horses, if my proposal had been approved. My difficulty, having no direct communication with Cape Town, was to know how to purchase additional horses in South Africa in time to be of any use.
I do not like to think the loss occurred through the cause you apprehend, but you may have more information that is in my possession. We shall, however, know more shortly, when I receive a report from the Veterinary Surgeon on the ship. As a matter of fact, however, there are few countries in which more experience has been obtained of the shipment of cattle and horses than in Canada."
