Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Public Offices document
Hammond, Edmund to Merivale, Herman 5 August 1854, CO 305:5, no. 6812, 154.
Abstract
Public Offices document.
Minutes (6), Enclosures (untranscribed) (1), Other documents (2), Marginalia (1).
Hammond writes to Merivale to forward a copy of Crampton’s despatch, which reports Marcy’s promise to advise
the Presidentto work with Britain to
determine the Boundarybetween
Vancouvers Island and the American Continent.
The minutes acknowledge the
serious characterof the
boundary question,and ask that Douglas and the HBC be notified of
the intentions of the two [governments]to address the matter.
The first of the three documents included in the file is a cancelled draft reply from
Grey to Douglas, which advises that
measures are in progressbetween US and British governments to solve the boundary question; the second is a draft letter, cancelled, from the Colonial Office to Colvile, which sends the same information as the first, but to the HBC; the third is a copy Crampton’s letter to Clarendon, which reports on the progress made, through Marcy, on the boundary question.
Hammond to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary)
August 5th 1854
[Marginal note: This is not intended as an ansr to our Letter of the
preceding day. ABd]
Sir,
With reference to your Letters of the 11th of April 1853, and
the 20th of February and 20th of May last, relative to the
Question of the Line of Boundary between Vancouvers Island and
the American Continent, I am directed by the Earl of Clarendon
to transmit to you, for the Information of Secretary Sir George
Grey, a Copy of a Despatch from Mr Crampton, Her Majesty's
Minister at Washington, statingthat
that the United States' Secretary of State had promised to take steps in order that
the President might be empowered to make the necessary arrangements for proceeding
in concert with Her Majesty's Government to
determine the Boundary in question.
that the United States' Secretary of State had promised to take steps in order that
the President might be empowered to make the necessary arrangements for proceeding
in concert with Her Majesty's Government to
determine the Boundary in question.
H. Merivale Esq.
&c &c &c
&c &c &c
Minutes by CO staff
Inform the Governor accordingly. As there is no object in
preserving secrecy on this subject, and the Hudson's Bay Company are so deeply interested in the welfare of VanCouver's Island I should myself think it advisable to apprize them of the intentions of the two Govts in respect to this boundary question.
preserving secrecy on this subject, and the Hudson's Bay Company are so deeply interested in the welfare of VanCouver's Island I should myself think it advisable to apprize them of the intentions of the two Govts in respect to this boundary question.
ABd
7 Augt
By the latest accounts recd from Mr Douglas and which I presume
although not acknowledged in this letter have been sent to the F.O. [marginal note: Yes. ABd], this question of disputed Boundary has become one of a serious character. The U.S. Customs offices having forcibly entered upon one of our Islands to which the U.S. have set up their pretended claim.
although not acknowledged in this letter have been sent to the F.O. [marginal note: Yes. ABd], this question of disputed Boundary has become one of a serious character. The U.S. Customs offices having forcibly entered upon one of our Islands to which the U.S. have set up their pretended claim.
Send as proposed to the Govr & H.B.C. though other means of
settling the matter may have to be taken than are here reported.
Other documents included in the file
Other documents included in the file
*
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
John F. Crampton to Clarendon, 10 July 1854, reporting his
correspondence with W.L. Marcy, U.S. Secretary of State, who would seek
to obtain an appropriation to appoint a commissioner to settle
the boundary question.