Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch to London
Seymour, Frederick to Grenville, Richard 28 September 1867, CO 60:29, no. 11765, 288.
Abstract
Despatch to London.
Minutes (5), Other documents (1).
Seymour states that
the Colony cannot afford to renewthe
arrangementSeymour made with the
American Company for the conveyance of…mails.Seymour discusses other, less reliable, methods for conveying mail between British Columbia and Britain. Cox’s minute summarizes Seymour’s despatch and suggests using British ships. Rogers’s minute informing the Post Office of the situation with British Columbia and requesting an answer regarding the postmaster general’s proposal to the US postmaster general. Buckingham’s minute requests the preparation of a report showing the financial statement of British Columbia and asks for it to be sent the Post Office. Blake’s minute states that no record exists of
the Post Office report of 14 Novr 1863.
No. 135
Victoria
28th September 1867
My Lord Duke,
I have had the honor to receive Your Grace's despatch No. 48
of the 1st August, informing me that no subsidy can be given by
the Imperial Government towards theconveyance
conveyance of the mails to this
Colony, but that the Postmaster General has written to the Postmaster
General of the United States requesting to be informed whether some
arrangement cannot be made for the transmission of the British mails
by the steamers which it is understood have lately been established
under contract with the American Government between San Francisco
andthe
the ports north of it.
conveyance of the mails to this
Colony, but that the Postmaster General has written to the Postmaster
General of the United States requesting to be informed whether some
arrangement cannot be made for the transmission of the British mails
by the steamers which it is understood have lately been established
under contract with the American Government between San Francisco
andthe
the ports north of it.
2. Finally Your Grace is pleased to approve of an arrangement
I made for six months with an American Company for the conveyance
of our mails.
3. I will advert to the last topic first and state that this
despatch will be conveyed by the last vessel which will run under
the contract and that the Colony cannot afford to renew it.From
From
this date until better times may come I must give up hope of any
regular communication with Your Grace.
From
this date until better times may come I must give up hope of any
regular communication with Your Grace.
4. The suggestion proposed by the Duke of Montrose would
leave our letters at Portland in the State of Oregon, high up the
Columbia River. From thence they would have to be conveyed at
irregular intervals by steamer to Monticello on the Cowlitz, and
then againtrust
trust to chance for carriage in the "stage" to Olympia
on Puget's Sound. Once there their conveyance to Victoria would
be pretty certain.
trust to chance for carriage in the "stage" to Olympia
on Puget's Sound. Once there their conveyance to Victoria would
be pretty certain.
5. Our best chance of communicating with the Mother Country
for the future will be, it appears to me, in the kindness of
Officers commanding American Ships of War which may touch at this
port on their way to and from Sitka.
I
Minutes by CO staff
Sir F. Rogers
This is not a creditable thing that our communication with B. Columbia shd be left to chance—& the best chance the kindness of Comrs of U. States Men of War. Govr Seymour says nothing of our Ships of War, but as Columbia is the Naval Head Quarters I
should think the Admiral would take care that he could send & receive
his own despatches.
This is not a creditable thing that our communication with B. Columbia shd be left to chance—& the best chance the kindness of Comrs of U. States Men of War. Govr Seymour says nothing of our Ships of War, but as Columbia is the Naval Head Quarters I
should think the Admiral would take care that he could send & receive
his own despatches.
CC
4 Dec
I shd be disposed to send this to the P.O. and request to be
informed
whether any answer has been received to the proposal wh the D. of
Montrose was to make to the U.S. P.M.G. respecting the conveyance of
letters from S. Francisco to V.C.I. It will be seen by 4981 B.C. that
the English Naval Officers are as much put out as the Gov. of V.C.I.
by the absence of regular communication.
The importance to the Fleet of such communication in time of
an incipient quarrel with the U.S. is obvious. The want of it might
lose a fleet. But communication thro' S. Francisco wd be but an
imperfect security agst this danger.
FR
4/12
It is very important, but I do not see how we can get out of the
U.S. any way not even for commns by Telegraph.
CBA
7/12
Prepare statement shewing financial position &c of B. Columbia—&
annex P.O. report of 1863.
B&C
8/12
Other documents included in the file
Rogers to Secretary to the General Post Office, 20
December 1867, forwarding copy of the despatch for information and
asking whether there had been any answer to the enquiry submitted
to the American postmaster general.