Hammond to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary)
January 12th 1858
Sir
I have laid before The Earl of Clarendon your letter of the 7th Instant inclosing a copy of a Letter from the Hudsons Bay Company inclosing the Draft of a Despatch which they propose to address to the Governor of VanCouvers' Island on the subject of the expected Emigration of the Mormons from the Territory of Utah to Her Majesty's possessions in Oregon;andManuscript image and I am directed by His Lordship to request that you will state to Mr Secretary Labouchere that he concurs in the terms of the proposed despatch.
I am to add that it will be for Mr Labouchere to consider whether in the event of the Mormons carrying out their supposed intention, the Hudson's Bay Company should not beaidedManuscript image aided by Her Majesty's Naval Forces in resisting the invasion.
I am, Sir,
Your most obedient humble
Servant
E. Hammond
H. Merival Esqre
&c &c
Minutes by CO staff
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Mr Merivale
Approve the draft letter from the Company to Govr Douglas? The question of resisting the invasion of the Mormons by means of a Naval force remains for consideration.
VJ 14 Jan
Mr Merivale
Perhaps we may send to the Admiralty the Company's draftManuscript image Instructions and this letter from the Foreign Office and say that in the event of the Mormons carrying out their supposed intention Mr Labouchere would be very glad that any of HM's vessels which might be within reach should aid the Company in resisting the Immigration of these people?
If the Mormons do cross the frontier—an event on which one can now hardly speculate as probable—it will in all likelihood be by some route far in the interior, out of the reach of the Admiralty. But the presence of a vessel might be useful to give general support & confidence to the Governor of Vancouver's Island on such a contingency occurring.
HM Jan 14
Other documents included in the file
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Draft reply, Labouchere to Douglas, No. 4, 1 February 1858.
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Draft, Merivale to Hammond, 22 January 1858, reporting the need for more detailed instructions to the governor, and forwarding a proposed draft despatch for approval.
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Draft, Colonial Office to John Shepherd, Hudson's Bay Company, 2 February 1858, forwarding copy of the despatch sent to Douglas.
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Draft reply, Labouchere to Sir Edmund Head, Canada, No. 14, 4 February 1858.