Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch from London
Grey, George to Douglas, James 18 December 1854, LAC RG7:G8C/1, 227.
Abstract
Despatch from London.
Grey writes to Douglas to report that the reciprocity treaty with the United States will not extend
to the possessions of the two Countries on the Pacific side of North America,and that Douglas’s request for Vancouver Island’s inclusion in the treaty was received too late.
No. 8
Downing Street
18th December 1854
Sir,
I have received your Despatch No 39 of the 3rd of October
last, and regret to learn that the prospects of the labouring population
of the Settlement are in your opinion so unsatisfactory.
With respect to including Vancouver's Islandin
in the Reciprocity
Treaty with the United States, I have to inform you that it was not
found practicable to extend that Treaty to the possessions of the two
Countries on the Pacific side of North America, and that in any case
your despatch of the 13th May in which you proposed that this should
be done, did not reach me until after the Treaty had been concluded.
in the Reciprocity
Treaty with the United States, I have to inform you that it was not
found practicable to extend that Treaty to the possessions of the two
Countries on the Pacific side of North America, and that in any case
your despatch of the 13th May in which you proposed that this should
be done, did not reach me until after the Treaty had been concluded.