Addington, Henry Unwin to Merivale, Herman 12 July 1851, CO 305:3, no. 6039, 320.

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Public Offices document
Addington, Henry Unwin to Merivale, Herman 12 July 1851, CO 305:3, no. 6039, 320.

Abstract

Public Offices document. Minutes (3), Enclosures (untranscribed) (1), Marginalia (1).

Addington writes to Merivale to pass on an extract of a letter that reports on gold at Haida Gwaii.

In the minutes, Blackwood states that Queen Charlotte's Island is outside HBC limits, and so the company need not be informed of the gold; Hawes adds that it is likely that the Company already knows of the gold.

This file encloses an extract of a letter from Miller to the Foreign Office, which, among things, reports that the master of the Mary Dare claims to have seen a gold piece as large as a Pigeon's Egg, and that somewhat fierce Indigenous people reside on these Islands.

6039. Mis-cellanenous.
Queen Charlottes Island

[…]
H.B.C

Foreign Office

July 12, 1851.

Sir,

I am directed by Viscount Palmerston to transmit to you, for the information of Earl Grey an Extract of a letter from Her Majesty's Consul General at the Sandwich Islands, reporting the existence of Gold at Queens Charlottes Island. ⎯

I am Sir,
Your most Obedient
Humble Servant
HU Addington

Herman Merivale Esqr
﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Minutes by CO staff

Mr Merivale
As Queen Charlotte's Island is not within the limits of the Hudson's Bay Co Territory I suppose a copy of this Letter & of the Enclosure […] need not be communicated to them?.

ABd 14/7.

HM Jy 14

Jy 15
I should infer that the H.B.Cy were aware of it. It is not altogether new information I think?

G. 15

Put by.1

Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)

Miller to Foreign Office, 17 April 1851, extract of letter, reporting that the master of the Mary Dare had seen a gold at Haida Gwaii, where "somewhat fierce" people resided, and were planning to dispatch two vessels to investigate the matter.

Footnotes