Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch to London
Musgrave, Anthony to Wodehouse, John 17 March 1871, CO 60:43, no. 4070, 263.
Abstract
Musgrave, Anthony to Wodehouse, John 17 March 1871, CO 60:43, no. 4070, 263.
Despatch to London.
Minutes (4), Enclosures (untranscribed) (2), Marginalia (2).
No. 25
17th March 1871
My Lord,
I have the honor to forward for Your Lordship's consideration a
Memorial submitted to me by Mr Alexander Caulfield Anderson on
the subject of a debt duefrom
from him to the Government in respect
of certain lands purchased by him in 1859, and a claim which he
urges to compensation for the advantages which the local
government derived from a Map of British Columbia and notes of
Explorations which had been prepared by him.
from him to the Government in respect
of certain lands purchased by him in 1859, and a claim which he
urges to compensation for the advantages which the local
government derived from a Map of British Columbia and notes of
Explorations which had been prepared by him.
2.
2. The original debt due by him Anderson is Eight hundred
and Seventeen Dollars,
but the amount has been nearly doubled by accumulations of interest.
Mr Anderson had hoped that his
Map, and the information which had been derived from the Notes of
his explorations of which use had been made in the early days
of the Colonywould
would be accepted as an acquittance of his liability.
2. The original debt due by him Anderson is Eight hundred
and Seventeen Dollars,
£170.4.2.
would be accepted as an acquittance of his liability.
3. Some correspondence passed between my Predecessor and Mr
Anderson upon this subject in 1867 and 1868, and Governor
Seymour gave authority for allowing the amount of Two hundred
and fifty Dollars
to Mr Andersonfor
for the Map, but this
remuneration he considered inadequate and the matter has
remained in abeyance until Mr Anderson was recently again
called upon to pay the amount due to the Crown Fund.
£52.1.8
for the Map, but this
remuneration he considered inadequate and the matter has
remained in abeyance until Mr Anderson was recently again
called upon to pay the amount due to the Crown Fund.
4. I confess that in my opinion if the Map prepared by Mr
Anderson and theinformation
information and assistance afforded to the
Government when very little was known of the interior of the
Colony were worth anything at all, the sum of Fifty pounds was
not such compensation as he might reasonably expect. And that
the information furnished by Mr Anderson who was anearly
early
explorer has been valuable, and may still be so in opening the
communication between this Colony and Canada, I am satisfied
from the papers which have been under my notice.
information and assistance afforded to the
Government when very little was known of the interior of the
Colony were worth anything at all, the sum of Fifty pounds was
not such compensation as he might reasonably expect. And that
the information furnished by Mr Anderson who was anearly
early
explorer has been valuable, and may still be so in opening the
communication between this Colony and Canada, I am satisfied
from the papers which have been under my notice.
5. I would therefore recommend Mr Anderson's case to Your
Lordship's favorable consideration. If you shouldnot
not think it
proper to remit the whole of Mr Anderson's liability, as I
should be disposed to do, I would submit that he might at least
as an act of favor in consideration of his services, be
discharged from the interest which has accrued on his purchase
money, and also be allowed the amountof
of Two hundred and fifty
Dollars which Mr Seymour had authorized to be paid to him.
not think it
proper to remit the whole of Mr Anderson's liability, as I
should be disposed to do, I would submit that he might at least
as an act of favor in consideration of his services, be
discharged from the interest which has accrued on his purchase
money, and also be allowed the amountof
of Two hundred and fifty
Dollars which Mr Seymour had authorized to be paid to him.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Herbert
Mr Anderson is indebted to the Colony some $1600 for unpaid instalments on Land bought in 1849—$817 original purchase & about a like amount for interest. On the other hand he has a sort of a claim on the Govt for a Map prepared some time ago, which it appears he undertook in the hope of paying his debt for it, & for which it appears the late Govr offered him £50
for
its usefulness to the Public.
Mr Anderson is indebted to the Colony some $1600 for unpaid instalments on Land bought in 1849—$817 original purchase & about a like amount for interest. On the other hand he has a sort of a claim on the Govt for a Map prepared some time ago, which it appears he undertook in the hope of paying his debt for it, & for which it appears the late Govr offered him £50
for
its usefulness to the Public.
Mr Anderson now appeals for mercy.
Mr Musgrave says he is disposed to let Mr Anderson off,
setting the Map agst the debt, or at least to remit the
interest on the debt & give him the $250 Dollars offered by the
late Governor for the Map, still leaving him a Debtor of $817—£250.
CC
26 April
Refer to Land Board—asking them whether if the Governor's second
proposal is accepted the account could not be closed by the
Government resuming possession of a proportionate amount of
land, in the event of Mr Andersonnot
not being prepared to close it
by immediate payment of the cash balance. The system should not
be allowed to run on indefinitely after the Government has made
a considerable abatement of its claim.
not being prepared to close it
by immediate payment of the cash balance. The system should not
be allowed to run on indefinitely after the Government has made
a considerable abatement of its claim.
RGWH
Ap 27/71
At once.
FR
27/4
Answd Ld Bd/4372 May 3, 1871.
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
A.C. Anderson, 12 December 1870, memorandum
relating the circumstances
of his debt and appealing for leniency.
