Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Public Offices document
Hammond, Edmund to Rogers, Frederic 22 April 1862, CO 305:19, no. 4073, 352.
Abstract
Public Offices document.
Minutes (3), Enclosures (untranscribed) (1), Other documents (1).
Hammond, acting on the direction of Russell, forwards Rogers
a copy of a letter from the Hudson's Bay Company relative to their claim for compensation, on account of the losses alleged to have been incurred by that Company through the maintenance of their Establishment on the island of San Juan.He asks that Newcastle be informed that Russell
apprehends that the question is one entirely for the consideration and decision of the Colonial Office, and the Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company has been informed that a copy of his letter has been sent to that Department.The minutes review the arguments for and against compensation. Newcastle characterizes the HBC's claim as
one of the most extraordinary demands I ever heard of.
Hammond to Rogers (Permanent Under-Secretary)
22 April 1862
With reference to my letter of the 21st of January 1861, I am
directed by Earl Russell to transmit to you a copy of a letter from
the Hudson's Bay Company relative to their claim for compensation, on
account of the losses alleged to have been incurred by that Company
through the maintenance of theirEstablishment
Establishment on the island of San
Juan, and I am to request that in laying this Paper before the Duke
of Newcastle, you will state to His Grace that Lord Russell
apprehends that the question is one entirely for the consideration
and decision of the Colonial Office, and the Governor of the Hudson's
Bay Company has been informed that a copy of his letter has been sent
tothat
that Department.
Establishment on the island of San
Juan, and I am to request that in laying this Paper before the Duke
of Newcastle, you will state to His Grace that Lord Russell
apprehends that the question is one entirely for the consideration
and decision of the Colonial Office, and the Governor of the Hudson's
Bay Company has been informed that a copy of his letter has been sent
tothat
that Department.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Elliot
If Mr Berens should address this Office, in consequence of the reference made to it by Lord Russell, I think that no other ans: can be returned than that which was given to him on the 26 Jany/61.
If Mr Berens should address this Office, in consequence of the reference made to it by Lord Russell, I think that no other ans: can be returned than that which was given to him on the 26 Jany/61.
ABd
24 Apl
The Duke of Newcastle will probably recollect this subject, into
which His Grace entered at some length in his minute on 11771. The
Hudson's Bay Company have been told by the Foreign Office that their
letter is referred here. We must therefore send them an answer.
I would suggest that this time it might be of advantage to make some
such remark as follows:
In your present letter and in a former one from you to this Dt on
the same subject, you affirm that the H.B. Company, formed their
Establishment on San Juan, not with a view to their own advantage,
but at the instigation of HM's Govt. I am desired to remark to you
that not the slightest trace of any such instigation is recorded in
this Office. On the contrary, the subject is referred to in a letter
from this office to the Company dated the [blank], in the following
terms: "correspondence relating to the occupation
for the benefit of the Company of the Island of San Juan." The
Duke of Newcastle is sure that you must perceive that when you
advance a pecuniary claim on the Queen's Government upon the plea
that the Company had formed one of it's trading Establishments for
the benefit and at the request of the Govt, it is incumbent on you
to produce some evidence of so material a fact. Neither is such a
fact one upon which indefinite allegations of supposed conversations
would suffice. In order to make good such a claim, it would be
necessary that the Company should produce some written and official
application to them to render the alleged service which they now
desire to make the ground of a demand on the public Treasury.
advance a pecuniary claim on the Queen's Government upon the plea
that the Company had formed one of it's trading Establishments for
the benefit and at the request of the Govt, it is incumbent on you
to produce some evidence of so material a fact. Neither is such a
fact one upon which indefinite allegations of supposed conversations
would suffice. In order to make good such a claim, it would be
necessary that the Company should produce some written and official
application to them to render the alleged service which they now
desire to make the ground of a demand on the public Treasury.
TFE
24 April
This will be the proper way to answer one of the most extraordinary
demands I ever heard of.
N
25
Other documents included in the file
Elliot to Berens, 30 April 1862, advising
that the government could not consider compensating the company for
the expense of establishing a settlement on San Juan Island unless
evidence could be given proving that the settlement was established
at the instigation of the government.
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
H.H. Berens, Hudson's Bay Company, to Russell, 11 April 1862,
explaining the company's claim to compensation for expenses incurred
in the settlement of San Juan Island.