Colonial Despatches

I have just received a Communication from Mr Stafford, Colonial Secretary, informing me that Her Majesty's Government cannot comply with my request for a Grant of Land in New Zealand. Indeed, it is now so long since I sent the Memorial, that I have forgotten the name of the person to whom it was confided, & cannot assign any reason for the long period that appears to have elapsed between its arrival in London and its receipt by the Secretary of State in April last.

I now take the liberty of writing your Grace upon a most important subject that at first I intended to desire my friend, Judge Goodwin, of Shanghai to correspond with the Cabinet about.

The transfer of the Russian Possessions in North American to the United States must in some measure affect our hold of British Columbia, & if the sale of the latter to the States would lower our prestige, I would most respectfully suggest that arrangements should be made to increase the population of the Colony, by fostering Emigration, & grant every facility to the inhabitants for the developement of their local resources.

In New Zealand, I must confess I am a Monarchist; if ever this Colony is to be the "Britain of the South," it will most rapidly become so, either as a Monarchy, under one of Her Majesty's Children, or separated into Provinces, each being left to develope its own resources. The prosperity of this Province, at least, will be much retarded by the rejection of the "Shores Bill" in the General Assembly through the jealousy of the Provincial Superintendants. And yet Mr Stafford appears to be the only politician with enlarged general views on the Colony.

Now, what New Zealand will be in the South Pacific, British Columbia, in my humble opinion, may, by judicious management, be made in the North—a great Naval Power, or the seat of a future great Naval Power; and I do most respectfully entreat your Grace to bring the matter before the Cabinet, that such measures should be taken as would tend to consolidate and strengthen that Colony.

If my experiences in the United States & New Zealand would be of any service to Her Majesty's Government in the formation of Special Settlements in British Columbia, I shall willingly place them at the Command of the Cabinet, or go to the Colony & report on the best means of promoting its prosperity in connection with the Mother Country.