mes McGill had been again
informed of the definite intention of the authorities to proceed with
the erection and endowment of a College at Montreal, and on May 13th,
1816, John Richardson, one of the surviving executors, acknowledged on
behalf of himself and his colleagues receipt of the information in the
following letter, in which, remembering perhaps Lord Bathurst's letter
of December 30, 1815, they emphasised the conditions imposed in the
will:

"We have the honour of receiving your letter of the 9th inst., written
by command of His Excellency, the Administrator in Chief, to acquaint us
that His Majesty's Government have it in contemplation to erect and
endow a College at Montreal and that it is their intention as soon as
the plan of this establishment shall be definitely settled, to call upon
us as Trustees of the Will of the late Mr. McGill for the application of
the lands entrusted to us for that purpose.

"And further desiring to be acquainted for His Excellency's information,
what are the extent and advantages considered with reference to the
object proposed of the House and property of the late Mr. McGill in the
vicinity of Montreal and whether the grounds are sufficiently extensive
to have an adequate space for the formation of walks and gardens,--in
compliance with His Excellency's desire, we have to acquaint you that
the grounds above mentioned contain about forty-six superficial arpents
in a very healthy, moderately elevated, and pleasant situation, well
watered, at a convenient distance from the city towards the mountain,
and consequently appear to be sufficiently extensive and well calculated
for every purpose of the contemplated establishment. There are already
upon the premises a good stone house of two and a half stories, a barn,
office, and a large garden, which may be applied to the residence of the
President or some of the Professors or to other useful purpose connected
with the object in view.

"We have further to acquaint you for His Excellency's information that
the devise by the late Mr. McGill is upon several conditions, one
whereof is that 'one of the Colleges be named McGill College, or if only
one College should be selected, then that the said one shall be called
McGill College!' Another of the conditions is 'that it be erected upon
the tract so devised.'

"We therefore take the liberty of suggesting that it will be needful in
forming the plan of the establishment to attend to these con