Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Public Offices document
Hammond, Edmund to Merivale, Herman 30 May 1854, CO 305:5, no. 4597, 151.
Abstract
Public Offices document.
Minutes (2), Other documents (1).
Hammond writes to Merivale, on behalf of the Clarendon, to request Newcastle's approval that
Her Majesty’s Minister at Washingtonreassert to the United States government the boundary, as proposed in 1848, between
British and American Possessionsin the
Canal de Arro.
The minutes note the Foreign Office’s wishes to postpone the boundary resolution, in light of a Clarendon’s proposal for a boundary commission; Newcastle approves of Clarendon's proposal.
The file includes a letter from the Colonial Office to Hammond, which conveys Newcastle’s approval of Clarendon’s proposal for a boundary commission.
Hammond to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary)
I have laid before The Earl of Clarendon your letter of the
20th instant inclosing a report from the Governor of
Vancouver's island respecting the channel through which the
Boundary between Vancouver's island and the territory of the
United States should properly be laid down; and I am to request
that you will state to the Duke of Newcastle that if His Grace
concurs in the expediencyof
of the measure, Lord Clarendon
proposes to instruct Her Majesty's Minister at Washington again
to bring forward the proposal which, you were informed by Mr
Addington's letter of the 14th of June last, was made to the
Government of the United States in the year 1848 for taking
measures for defining the Boundary between the British and
American Possessions in that Quarter.
of the measure, Lord Clarendon
proposes to instruct Her Majesty's Minister at Washington again
to bring forward the proposal which, you were informed by Mr
Addington's letter of the 14th of June last, was made to the
Government of the United States in the year 1848 for taking
measures for defining the Boundary between the British and
American Possessions in that Quarter.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Merivale
In June last the F.O. were of opinion that it would be better to postpone measures for settling this question with the U.S. Govt but now Lord Clarendon proposes that the proposal in 1848 to appoint a Commission to mark the Boundary in the Canal de Arro should at once be made. As to the appropriateness of the moment for endeavoring to arrange the subject I presume the F.O. will be deemed the Chief Authority.
In June last the F.O. were of opinion that it would be better to postpone measures for settling this question with the U.S. Govt but now Lord Clarendon proposes that the proposal in 1848 to appoint a Commission to mark the Boundary in the Canal de Arro should at once be made. As to the appropriateness of the moment for endeavoring to arrange the subject I presume the F.O. will be deemed the Chief Authority.
Other documents included in the file
Colonial Office to Hammond, 6 January 1854, stating that Newcastle
approves of Lord Clarendon's proposal.