Shepherd to Labouchere
Hudson's Bay House
London
31st March 1856
Sir
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Mr Merivale's letter of the 22nd Instant, on the subject of the occupation of the Island of San Juan in the Canal de Arro.
It is satisfactory to the Directors of the Hudson's Bay Company to learn that the proceedings of Governor Douglas have met with your approbation.
I beg leave to assure you that you do the Directors of the Hudsons Bay Company justice, by acquitting them of any intentional suppression of information from the Secretary of State for the Colonies; but I take this opportunity of observing, in explanation of the course pursued by the Company in transmitting all the information they had on the subject to the Foreign Office, that the Queen's AdvocateManuscript imageAdvocate having, by direction of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, communicated with the Company on the subject of the occupation of the Islands in the Canal de Arro, arising out of the encroachments by subjects of the United States of America, and it appearing to the Directors to be an international question, they presumed that they were acting correctly in thus addressing that Department.
The Directors will in future adopt the course indicated by you, and will communicate all the information which they may have to convey respecting the affairs of Vancouver's Island Colony and its dependencies, to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
I have the honor to be Sir
Your most obedt Servant
John Shepherd
Depy Govr

The Right Honble Henry Labouchere
&c &c &c
Colonial Office
Minutes by CO staff
Manuscript image
Mr Merivale
Would you send a copy of this to the F. Office?
ABd 2 A
I think so—for information only.
HM Apl 3
HL A 7