Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch from London
Russell, John to Douglas, James 20 June 1855, LAC RG7:G8C/1, 242.
Abstract
Despatch from London.
Enclosures (untranscribed) (7).
Russell writes to Douglas in response to Douglas's earlier despatch on
the defenceless state of Vancouver's Island.Russell sends on documents to address Douglas's concerns, and points to a
reciprocal neutralitybetween
the Hudson's Bay Company and the Russian American Company on the North West Coast of America.
The file includes seven enclosures, which address the territorial neutrality, along
the west coast of North America, between the HBC and the Russian American Company .
No. 2
Downing Street
20th June 1855
Sir
I have to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 49 of the
1st of February last representing the defenceless state of
Vancouver's Island.
I transmit for your information the copy of a letter with its
enclosures addressed by the Earl of Clarendon to the Lords Commissioners
of the Admiralty relative to the arrangemententered
entered into with the
Russian American Company for the reciprocal neutrality of the two
Nations as regards the Possesion and Ships of the Hudson's Bay Company
and the Russian American Company on the North West Coast of America, and
from these papers Her Majesty's Government are induced to hope that
there is no reason to apprehend any danger of attack on Vancouver's
Island.
entered into with the
Russian American Company for the reciprocal neutrality of the two
Nations as regards the Possesion and Ships of the Hudson's Bay Company
and the Russian American Company on the North West Coast of America, and
from these papers Her Majesty's Government are induced to hope that
there is no reason to apprehend any danger of attack on Vancouver's
Island.
The Lords Commissioners of the
Admiralty have however been
requested to instruct the senior Naval Officer on the Station to cause
the Island to be more frequently visited by one of Her Majesty's Ships
of War.
Admiralty have however been
requested to instruct the senior Naval Officer on the Station to cause
the Island to be more frequently visited by one of Her Majesty's Ships
of War.
Governor Douglas
&c &c &c
&c &c &c
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
1. Clarendon, Foreign Office, to Lords Commissioners of the
Admiralty, 22 March 1854, requesting that the Royal Navy not commit
hostilities on Russian territory on the coast of North America.
1.1 Colvile, Hudson's Bay Company, to Clarendon, 28 February 1854,
enclosing a letter from the Russian American Company regarding
neutrality.
1.1.1 W. [Politseowisey?], President, and N. Konsow, Count Etholin,
and Baron Wrangel, Russian American Company, to the Hudson's Bay Company,
14 February 1854 (in French), suggesting a state of neutrality be
observed between the HBC and RAC.
2. Clarendon to Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, 29 April
1854, enclosing 2.1 below, with subenclosures.
2.1.1 W. Politseowisey, L. Khipffell, Etholin, and Wrangell to
Directors of the Hudson's Bay Company, 17 April 1854 (in French),
enclosing an authenticated copy of 2.1.1.1 below.
2.1.1.1 Leon Seniavine, l'adjoint de le Minist`ere Imp±eriale, to
Politkvioski, no date, contained in ? Clarendon to Directors of the HBC,
22 March 1854. The letter is duly sealed and authenticated by Etholin.