Colonial Despatches

I have laid before My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty your Letter of the 9th Instant, enclosing Copies of two Despatches from the Governor of British Columbia, accompanied by a Resolution passed by the Legislative Council, praying that some further protection might be furnished to the Colony by the Naval Squadron in the Pacific.

In reply, I am to acquaintyou you for the information of Mr Secretary Cardwell, that My Lords have referred back to the correspondence of 1858-9, alluded to in Governor Seymour's Letter of the 13 March 1865, and They find that the orders given by the Admiralty were for two Gun Boats to be fitted for Service in British Columbia. Their Lorships believe that, at that time, British Columbiaincluded included Vancouver's Island, and the undoubted intention of the Admiralty was to place those two Gun Boats under the orders of the Admiral, for the protection of British Territory, whether on the Mainland, or the adjacent Islands.

Esquimalt has now been made the Naval Head quarters, and My Lords consider thatit it would not be advisable to give any orders that would remove any of the vessels from under the Admiral's immediate control. That Officer is instructed to give every support in his power to the Governors of the respective Colonies, and My Lords think that it would be most unwise to limit his discretion by sending orders from England, to so distant a Station, as to the disposition of his Squadron.My Lords My Lords would further observe that the presence of two Gun Boats in the Fraser River would afford but little protection from any attack that might be made from the interior, or from inroads by the Indians, while their absence from the straits would materially weaken the power of the Admiral to meet any attack from without, and his means of affording protection to the settlers in the various creeksand and Bays both of the Islands and Mainland.