Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Public Offices document
Hardy, Gathorne to Merivale, Herman 26 October 1858, CO 60:2, no. 10983, 124.
Abstract
Public Offices document.
Minutes (4), Other documents (1).
Hardy forwards a memorial from a number of people in Glasgow offering to form a militia or police force for five years in British Columbia.
The minutes regret that the
stagnation of tradehas made emigration so desirable. The CO will lay the petition
at the foot of the throne.
Hardy to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary)
Whitehall
26 October 1858
Sir
I am directed by Mr Secretary Walpole to transmit
to you the accompanying Memorial to the
Queen
1
from a number
of persons belonging to different Trades and Occupations
in the City of Glasgow and its Neighbourhood, offering to
serve Her Majesty for five years as a Militiaor
or Police
Force or Pioneer Band in the new Colony of British
Columbia; And I am to request that you will submit the
same to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
or Police
Force or Pioneer Band in the new Colony of British
Columbia; And I am to request that you will submit the
same to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Elliot
I fear we have no option but to express the great concern felt by H.M. Govt at the stagnation of trade which renders it unavoidable for so many of Her Majesty's Subjects to desire to emigrate; and to explain that however desirable it would be to see B. Columbia reinforced by so many and such industrious persons Parlt has
in the first place, not
provided HM Govt with the funds requisite for defraying the expense
of a large, or indeed of any Emigration from this Country to the B.
Colonies; and secondly that, as regards B. Columbia it is the hope and
confident belief of H.M. Govt that such Police force as may be
necessary for the preservation of order, or any Militia force will
be raised in the Colony itself, and maintained out of its own funds.
I fear we have no option but to express the great concern felt by H.M. Govt at the stagnation of trade which renders it unavoidable for so many of Her Majesty's Subjects to desire to emigrate; and to explain that however desirable it would be to see B. Columbia reinforced by so many and such industrious persons Parlt has
in the first place, not
provided HM Govt with the funds requisite for defraying the expense
of a large, or indeed of any Emigration from this Country to the B.
Colonies; and secondly that, as regards B. Columbia it is the hope and
confident belief of H.M. Govt that such Police force as may be
necessary for the preservation of order, or any Militia force will
be raised in the Colony itself, and maintained out of its own funds.
ABd
27 Octr
I should acknowledge the Petition and say that it has been laid
at the foot of the throne; and I should then inform
the Petitioners that Sir E.B. Lytton much regrets that it has been out
of his power to advise a compliance with the prayer of their
Petition, because there are no funds at the disposal of H.M's Govt
for granting free passages to British Columbia, and because it has not
been considered requisite for the interestsof
of that Settlement to
create either a Militia or a Police force to be fil[l]ed up by
persons conveyed for that purpose from this Country.
of that Settlement to
create either a Militia or a Police force to be fil[l]ed up by
persons conveyed for that purpose from this Country.
TFE
27 Octr
C
Oct 28
[Added to preceding minute:]
Such force it is expected that the Colony will raise itself, & maintain out of its own funds. EBL Oct 29
Such force it is expected that the Colony will raise itself, & maintain out of its own funds. EBL Oct 29
Other documents included in the file
Footnotes
- = Glaswegian militia The memorial has been removed from the file. Memorial to Queen from Glaswegians offering to be in militia. FIND ?? HO??