Hammond, Edmund to Adderley, Charles Bowyer 30 December 1867, CO 60:30, no. 12847, 192.

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Public Offices document
Hammond, Edmund to Adderley, Charles Bowyer 30 December 1867, CO 60:30, no. 12847, 192.

Abstract

Public Offices document. Minutes (10), Enclosures (untranscribed) (1), Other documents (1).

Hammond transmits the Queen’s Advocate’s letter reporting the advocate’s opinion as to the extent to which the United States [is] bound by the Treaty of 1825 between Great Britain and Russia. Cox’s minute suggests sending the advocate’s letter to Seymour. Holland’s minute suggests sending the advocate’s letter to Monck. Further minutes by Adderley, Buckingham, Cox, and Rogers discuss whether a new treaty will be necessary with the US regarding the former Russian territory and British Columbia and what instructions should be sent to Seymour regarding the movement of cattle by US forces to former Russian America. The included document discusses which aspects of the treaty of 1825, between Russia and Britain, devolve upon the US.

Hammond to Under-Secretary of State

Foreign Office

December 30. 1867

Sir,

With reference to your letter of the 3rd instant, relating to the cession of Russian America to the United States, I am directed by Lord Stanley to transmit to you, to be laid before His Grace The Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, a copy of a letter from the Queen's Advocate, reporting his opinion as to the extent to which the United States are bound by the Treatyof

of 1825 between Great Britain and Russia.

I am,
Sir,
Your most obedient
humble servant
E. Hammond

Minutes by CO staff

Mr Holland
With reference to the concluding par: of the D. of Buckingham's despatch No 101 send to Govr Seymour a copy of the letter of the Queens Advocate for his information.

I think it better to pass this thro' you.

CC 31/12

Mr Elliot
Proceed as Mr Cox suggests & ? to Lord Monck for his information.

HTH 31/12

TFE 1/Jan

(Yes)

Will not a Treaty be necessary wth U.S.? & what instructions to Gov Seymour about duties on cattle going to Troops & escorts of them?

CBA 2/1

Govr Seymour must I think have general instructions as to the course to be taken by him with regard to duties on stock passed thru for U.S. and with regard to U.S. escorts—it will probably be better arranged as a matter of agreement between the Govr & U.S. officers in the first instance.

B&C 5/1

Sir F. Rogers
Duties on Cattle &c passing thro' Columbia from Oregon [and] Washington to Sitka for supplying the troops of U.S.

The Governor has been told "that independently of advantage to the Colony

common courtesy requires that the U. States Officers should receive facilities which they desire to obtain for passing cattle thro' B. Columbia."

Will it not be safer to leave the Govr to act

on this under his own arrangement, than to attempt to give him any specific instructions as to the mode of doing it.

The question of escort I suppose to be left to the Govr.

CC 9/1

I shd be disposed to hand it to Mr Seymour —I hardly

see why escorts shd be required—properly so called.

But I suppose the cattle drovers will be armed—& will constitute a body capable of protecting themselves & their property.

Perhaps Mr S shd be cautioned that the passage of cattle across B.C. should not be made the pretext of sending backwards & forwards bodies of armed men—a habit wh wd prove inconvenient hereafter either to permit or to prohibit.

It's the beginning of the end but can't be helped. I leave for Seymour's discretion wth caution.

CBA 11/1

I concur in leaving to the Govr with the [remainder cut off microfilm].

[B&C]

Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)

Travers Twiss, Queen's Advocate, to Lord Stanley, 26 December 1867, stating that only the geographical limits of the treaty of 1825 between Britain and Russia devolve upon the United States.