Brown to Lytton
Steampacket Office
Fort William
28th Sept 1858 To the Right Honble
Sir E. Bulwer Lytton Bart
Secretary of State for the Colonies
London
Sir,
I take the liberty of writing you this letter to ask a few questions respecting the New Colony of British Columbia. I observe from a pamphlet issued by Messrs Effingham & Wilson of London that inducements are held out to Emigrants of a better class than those who of late years left our shores for the other Colonies. May I therefore ask at what rate per acre land can be purchased within easy distance of the sea either on the mainland or on Vancouvers Island; does the whole price of the land require to be paid before possession is got or can part of it remain [out?] for a term of yearsandManuscript image and is there a limit to the purchases of each individual. Apologising for this intrusion.
I have the honour to be Sir
Your most obet Sert
Alex Brown
Minutes by CO staff
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Mr Merivale
Ansr that application should be addressed to the Hudson's Bay Co for information as to the price of land in V.C. Island, that Co having the disposal of land there until 30 May 1859—& that with regard to B. Columbia, where the Land belongs to the Crown, H.M. Govt are not yet in possession of sufficient infn from the Governor enabling them to fix any price.
ABd 1 Oct
Annex dt.
HM O 1
Other documents included in the file
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Merivale to Brown, 14 October 1858, referring him to the Hudson's Bay Company for information on Vancouver Island, and advising that for British Columbia, no terms had yet been decided upon.