Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch to London
Douglas, James to Pakington, John Somerset 9 December 1852, CO 305:3, no. 3851, 157.
Abstract
Despatch to London.
Minutes (2), Enclosures (untranscribed) (2), Other documents (5), Marginalia (3).
Douglas writes Pakington on his intent to use a forthcoming steamship to pursue the murderers of Peter Brown, and requests “instructions and directions” on how to deal with American traders
in the San Juan Islands, and on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
The minutes mention that sovereignty of the San Juan Islands remains unclear.
The enclosures contain a duplicate of Douglas’ previous letter to Pakington, Douglas’ letter to Kuper regarding the murder of Peter Brown, three draft forwards to Addington, each addressing an issue raised in Douglas’ letter, a draft reply from Newcastle to Douglas, and a draft to the HBC regarding Douglas’ report on illicit trade between Americans and Indigenous peoples on the west coast
of Vancouver Island.
[No. 9]
9th December 1852
To the Right Honble Sir John S Packington
Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State
for the Colonial Department
Sir,
Sir,
I have the honor of transmitting herewith Duplicate of my Despatch
of the 11th November, with the accompanying Documents.
Our relations with the Native Tribes have undergone no material
change since that date, they have been uniformly quiet and friendly in
their intercourse with the settlement and appear to regret the unhappy
event which occurred last month. We have not
yet taken any active
measures to secure the murderers of Brown, owing to the non arrival of
the Hudson's Bay Companys Steam vessel, which except Boats, is the only
means of transport at my disposal capable of conveying an adequate force
to the part of the coast, where the criminals are reported to have taken
refuge; and it would not be advisable, at this inclement season of the
year, to undertake an expedition, of so much importance, in open Boats,
which would neither represent the
the dignity of the Government nor afford
shelter and protection to the men, and might probably end in disaster
and defeat. I have therefore deferred the expedition until it can be
dispatched with all the means at our disposal.
the dignity of the Government nor afford
shelter and protection to the men, and might probably end in disaster
and defeat. I have therefore deferred the expedition until it can be
dispatched with all the means at our disposal.
A question has lately arisen here relative to the sovereignty of
the Islands in the Canal de Arro, situated between Vancouvers Island and
the Continent, to which some American citizens have set up a claim in
the name of the United States.
I think
this point
has been
raised upon
some former
occasion.
this point
has been
raised upon
some former
occasion.
22 in Extract
I would also observe for the information of Her Majesty's
Government that several American Merchant vessels were engaged last
summer in trafficking with the natives and fishing on the west coast of
Vancouver's Island, the produce of those voyages being carried into the
Ports of California. That traffic is not hurtful to any existing
British interest as there are no settlements on that coast, but as it
may soon become
a lucrative branch of British Trade and as it cannot be
carried on by American citizens without a manifest violation of British
Territory, I think it would be advisable to place a check upon such
proceedings, before they acquire, from custom, the force of national
rights.
a lucrative branch of British Trade and as it cannot be
carried on by American citizens without a manifest violation of British
Territory, I think it would be advisable to place a check upon such
proceedings, before they acquire, from custom, the force of national
rights.
If such should be Her Majesty's pleasure I beg to receive such
instructions and directions on the subject as may be requisite
for our guidance.
Minutes by CO staff
Should the Foreign Office be consulted as to the ansr which
should be returned to the Governor's observations as to ‸the claim of the
Americans to the Islds in the Canal De Arro: & to his request for
instructions as to the stopping the trade the Americans are carrying on with
the natives on the West Coast of VanCouver's Isld?
On referring to the Treaty I fear it is doubtful to whom the
Arro Islands belong.
ABd
2 April
The question as to the ownership of the islands has, as Mr
Blackwood correctly surmises, been raised before. Mr Lawrence when
Amn minister here paid some attention to it. but I am not
certain that it was ever officially investigated.
As to the other points: is it unlawful for Americans to trade with
Indians on an unoccupied portion of the coast of British N. America. I
suppose it is, but am not sufficiently familiar with the principles of
international law applicable to the question.
Consult the For. Off. on both points?
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Other documents included in the file
Draft, Colonial Office to Addington, Foreign Office, 11 April 1853, forwarding extracts of the despatch for opinion.
Draft, Colonial Office to Addington, 22 July 1853, requesting
further opinion on the sovereignty question.
Draft, Colonial Office to Addington, 27 October 1853, advising
against any communication being made to the United States government
until further report was received from Douglas.
Draft, Colonial Office to Barclay, Hudson's Bay Company, 27
October 1853, seeking the company's observations on the "propriety of
authorizing freedom of trade with the Indians within the settled parts
of VanCouver's Island."
Footnotes
- This text appears in the upper-left margin of the page, and runs perpendicular to the main text. Part of this text is written over the main content of the despatch. See image scan.
- There are numerous vertical lines in the margins, as well as underlined words, that are presumably directing which sections are to be extracted. See image scan.