No. 18
14th August 1856
Sir
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt on the 26th Ultimo, of your Despatches of the numbers and dates given in the margin.
No. 7, 26 April, to No. 10, 14 May 1856.
I observe by the first of those Despatches, concerning the forwarding of the Secretary of States Despatches, that it is your intention hereafter to cause all documents exceeding sixteen ouncesManuscript imageounces in weight, to be sent to the Hudson's Bay Company for transmission, or to require the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to have them conveyed by any of Her Majestys ships proceeding to the Pacific.
I have duly received the order in Council for establishing a Supreme Court of Civil Justice in Vancouver's Island, transmitted with your despatch No 8 of the 26th of April, and the same was made known in this Colony by proclamation issued on the 8th day of the present month.
I have also received the Warrant under the Royal sign manual, authorising me to pass letters Patent, appointing Mr David Cameron, to the Office of Chief Justice of Vancouvers Island, and in obedience to your instructions I herewith transmit an order
Order with Mr Smith.
AA 28/10/56
on the Hudson's Bay Company for the sum of one pound ten shillings, being the value of the stamp on the Warrant.
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Immediately on the receipt of your Despatch No 10, I issued a public notice, announcing the steps, which you had resorted to, for the protection of the Colony from attack, and that in consequence of your watchful care, the "President" Frigate had been ordered to repair to Vancouver's Island, a measure that has given the utmost satisfaction to the inhabitants of this Colony.
A public seal being wanted for the service of the Supreme Court, as directed by Her Majestys order in Council establishing that Court, I have taken the liberty of forwarding to you a Requisition for that object, and also for a public seal for the Department of the Collector of the Customs, and a copy of the Act of Parliament, constituting the County Courts, with the latest and best authority on the practice of those Courts.
ThisManuscript image
This application may probably be irregular; if so I trust you will be kind enough to excuse the trouble, as there is no other department of the public service, to which I feel at liberty to apply for such wants, as cannot elsewhere be procured. I am therefore under the necessity of throwing myself for aid, on your good offices.
I have the honor to be Sir
Your most obedient humble Servant
James Douglas
Governor

The Right Honble Henry Labouchere Esqre
Her Majesty's principal Secretary of State
For the Colonial Department.
Minutes by CO staff
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Mr Merivale
I do not know who is to pay for these Seals—supposing that we provide them. A public Seal for the Colony has been issued by the Crown, & paid for out of Imperial funds. The Act of Parlt &c should I conclude, be procured & sent out.
ABd 29 Octr
These seals I believe are cheap enough—we can procure them &
send in an account.Manuscript image Also the books.
HM O 29
Other documents included in the file
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Draft reply (memo), Labouchere to Douglas, 6 November 1856.
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Draft, Colonial Office to John Shepherd, Hudson's Bay Company, no date, forwarding extract of the despatch and asking the company to procure and forward the public seals requested by Douglas.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Merivale
As the H.B.Co. will have to pay for these Seals they may as well be desired to provide them.
ABd 5
Mr Blackwood
I do not think we ought to ask the HBC. The Colony now raises its own revenue.
Other documents included in the file
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Draft reply, Labouchere to Douglas, No. 21, 13 December 1856.
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
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Proclamation issued by Douglas, 8 August 1856, announcing the establishment of a Supreme Court of Civil Justice.
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Requisition, 14 August 1856 requesting public seals for the Supreme Court and the Customs Department, and the Act of Parliament constituting county courts.