Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch to London
Douglas, James to Pelham-Clinton, Henry Pelham Fiennes 25 June 1861, CO 305:17, no. 7744, 261.
Abstract
Despatch to London.
Minutes (5), Enclosures (untranscribed) (1), Other documents (1).
Douglas complains again to Newcastle about mail service to the colonies of
British Columbia and Vancouver Island,
and asks the British government to provide
that aid and support that we so vitally require.
Separate
25 June 1861
With reference to my Despatch No 26 of the 4h April last upon the
subject of the unsatisfactory and uncertain state of the Mail Service
to this part of Her Majesty's Dominions, I have now the honor to
report to your Grace that one of the Steam Vessels which usually
arrive twice a month at thisplace
place from San Francisco has come in
this morning without any Mail, the Owners having positively refused
to receive it from Her Majesty's Consul at San Francisco and to carry
it, without being guaranteed a payment of Two Hundred and Fifty
Dollars for the Service.
place from San Francisco has come in
this morning without any Mail, the Owners having positively refused
to receive it from Her Majesty's Consul at San Francisco and to carry
it, without being guaranteed a payment of Two Hundred and Fifty
Dollars for the Service.
2. This circumstance will prove to your Grace how completely we are
at the mercy of the United States Vessels, and even if our small
Revenue would admit of the demand being complied with—about TwoThousand
Thousand five Hundred pounds per Annum—we have no security for the
continuance of the Service, or for the performance of it in any other
manner than would suit the Owners of the Vessels.
Thousand five Hundred pounds per Annum—we have no security for the
continuance of the Service, or for the performance of it in any other
manner than would suit the Owners of the Vessels.
3. In the present troubled condition of the United States and in the
not improbable contingency of their Mail Service being cut off or
temporarily suspended, I need not dilate upon the evils resulting to
these Colonies from the stoppage of communication with the Mother
Country.
4. Independently, however,of
of these considerations, the injury
inflicted on the mercantile interests of these Colonies, from the
want of direct Steam communication in
English Vessels is very serious. The Vessels leaving San Francisco call at different American Ports en route to this
place—and there are Emigrants for this Colony and British Columbia
enticed away by every description of fraudulent representation; and
the additional risk to the Vessels and freight caused by these
stoppages naturally Entails increased charges for insurance.
I
of these considerations, the injury
inflicted on the mercantile interests of these Colonies, from the
want of direct Steam communication in
English Vessels is very serious. The Vessels leaving San Francisco call at different American Ports en route to this
place—and there are Emigrants for this Colony and British Columbia
enticed away by every description of fraudulent representation; and
the additional risk to the Vessels and freight caused by these
stoppages naturally Entails increased charges for insurance.
5. I write this Despatch hurriedly to save the Steamer just leaving,
but I trust I have said sufficient to induce your Grace to give the
matter Your serious Consideration, and to afford us that aid and
support that we so vitally require.
P.S. At the moment of closingthis
this Despatch, I have had placed in my
hands a Memorial to Your Grace upon the subject of direct Steam
communication which very forcibly and clearly represents the
disadvantages and evils under which we are struggling through our
connection with the rest of the world being so entirely by means of
American Channels. I commend the Memorial and subject to your
Grace's good offices, merely adding that the Signatures Attached to
it, are those of the most substantial BusinessHouses
Houses in the place,
and of some of the most respectable of the Inhabitants, and the
statements made are but a clear recital of actual facts.
James Douglas
this Despatch, I have had placed in my
hands a Memorial to Your Grace upon the subject of direct Steam
communication which very forcibly and clearly represents the
disadvantages and evils under which we are struggling through our
connection with the rest of the world being so entirely by means of
American Channels. I commend the Memorial and subject to your
Grace's good offices, merely adding that the Signatures Attached to
it, are those of the most substantial BusinessHouses
Houses in the place,
and of some of the most respectable of the Inhabitants, and the
statements made are but a clear recital of actual facts.
James Douglas
Minutes by CO staff
Sir F. Rogers
Forward copy for the consideration of the Treasury with reference to our letter of the 11th of June.
Forward copy for the consideration of the Treasury with reference to our letter of the 11th of June.
EB Pennell
29-8/61
Mr Fortescue
Yes.
Yes.
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Memorial to Newcastle appealing for aid to resolve the unsatisfactory
state of communication between San Francisco and the colonies, with
extensive explanation, no date, approximately 100 signatures.
Minutes by CO staff
Sir F. Rogers
You wished to see this correspondence when complete. It is so now. I presume you will suggest a reference to the T[reasur]y. Imperial aid, beyond what these N. Western North American Colonies get from us, so far as you observe, to Chagres, seems very unlikely to be afforded. And yet it is a matter of great moment that we should establish a solid mode of
communication with these Colonies which otherwise must
become, from commerce and approximation with the U States, thoroughly
unenglish. If the VanCouver Isld Merchants will Act up to their
offer of contributing £4000 per annum to any Steamboat which will
bring them their Letters from S. Francisco, I think we might instruct
the Governor to appropriate a sum of money out of the Revenues of B. Columbia
leaving the amount to his judgment. I see no other way of
getting money for this service.
You wished to see this correspondence when complete. It is so now. I presume you will suggest a reference to the T[reasur]y. Imperial aid, beyond what these N. Western North American Colonies get from us, so far as you observe, to Chagres, seems very unlikely to be afforded. And yet it is a matter of great moment that we should establish a solid mode of
communication with these Colonies which otherwise must
become, from commerce and approximation with the U States, thoroughly
unenglish. If the VanCouver Isld Merchants will Act up to their
offer of contributing £4000 per annum to any Steamboat which will
bring them their Letters from S. Francisco, I think we might instruct
the Governor to appropriate a sum of money out of the Revenues of B. Columbia
leaving the amount to his judgment. I see no other way of
getting money for this service.
ABd
6 Sepr/61
Mr Fortescue
I send back to you with this 7741.
I send back to you with this 7741.
I presume all shd go to the Treasy together. Vide 7946.
FR
6/9
Other documents included in the file
Rogers to G.A. Hamilton, Treasury, 19 September 1861, forwarding copies of two despatches and the memorial and asking that a concerted
effort be made to resolve the unsatisfactory situation.