Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Correspondence (private letter)
Martin, Robert Montgomery to Colonial Office 4 September 1848, CO 305:1, no. 1723, 571.
Abstract
Correspondence (private letter).
Minutes (3), Other documents (1), Marginalia (1).
Martin informs the Colonial Office of his intentions to prepare a report on the HBC and Vancouver Island; he asks to have access to public documents on the subject.
In the minutes, Blackwood asks if Martin's request should be denied. Next, Merivale states that since the debates on HBC's colonization of Vancouver Island are pending, Grey cannot allow the documents related to Martin's request to go public. Finally, Grey asks that Martin declare upon which points, exactly, he wishes information.
This file encloses a draft from the Colonial Office to Martin, one that reflects Grey's call for Martin to identify the specifics of his request.
1723 { N. America
{Vancouvers Isld
{Vancouvers Isld
Mem
I am preparing a report on the Hudson Bay territories & Vancouvers island — in the hope that it may be of some use to Lord Grey.
I shall feel obliged by
being permitted to refer to any public documents there may be in this office on the
subject.
1Ans"d 13 Sept / 48
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Merivale
Should this request be declined?
Should this request be declined?
ABd
5/9.
MrHawes
There is always a certain amount of difficulty in dealing with this class of applications from fear of involving the office in the danger of being regarded as patron of […] a library work. I presume from this memorandum that Sir J. Pelly has declined to countenance Mr M. Martin's work & he now wishes to write on his own account. Perhaps he may be informed that any specific application for common the inspection of particular documents will be attended to,x but that while an enquiry into the conduct of the H.B. Co. in its settlements is pending, Lord Grey cannot allow the documents relating to that enquiry to be made public.
There is always a certain amount of difficulty in dealing with this class of applications from fear of involving the office in the danger of being regarded as patron of […] a library work. I presume from this memorandum that Sir J. Pelly has declined to countenance Mr M. Martin's work & he now wishes to write on his own account. Perhaps he may be informed that any specific application for common the inspection of particular documents will be attended to,x but that while an enquiry into the conduct of the H.B. Co. in its settlements is pending, Lord Grey cannot allow the documents relating to that enquiry to be made public.
Omittg the latter part the proposed ansr will be quite — he must state distinctly on what particular proposals points he
requires informatn. —
G.
7/
Other documents included in the file
Draft, Colonial Office to Martin, 13 September 1848, stating he could examine papers in the Colonial Office provided he first specified
on what points he required information.
Footnotes
- This text runs perpendicular to and within main body text; see image scan.