No. 72, Separate
23rd August 1865
Sir,
I have the honor to transmit the copy of a correspondence which has passed between Governor Seymour, the Colonial Secretary of Vancouver Island and myself on the subject of a claim made by this Government for a reimbursement for conveying the Mails of British ColumbiafromManuscript image from San Francisco to New Westminster accompanied by the copy of a Memorandum of Agreement between the Attorney General of Vancouver Island acting on behalf of the Government of British Columbia and Vancouver Island and Benjamin Holladay the Mail Contractor.
I waited the return of Mr Young, the Colonial Secretary, from leave of absence before making this claim to enable me moreclearlyManuscript image clearly to state the facts of the case, and to this cause my apparent delay in doing so is attributable.
I fear that no satisfactory result can accrue from a continuance of the correspondence between Governor Seymour and myself, and it seems a subject on which your decision becomes necessary to prevent local discussions and possible ill feelingwhichManuscript image which I am sure Governor Seymour would deprecate as much as I do.
I think it is unnecessary that I should trouble you with any further remarks beyond directing your attention to the Despatch of my Predecessor No 4 dated 6th February 1862 and the Duke of Newcastle's reply thereto.
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant
A.E. Kennedy
Governor
Minutes by CO staff
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Sir F. Rogers
Unless Governor Seymour can adduce, on his arrival in England, any reasons, or grounds—at present I see none offered by him—for refusing to pay this claim of V.C.I. I should say that B.C. cannot escape this obligation.
ABd 12 Oct
Refer to B Columbia informing Mr Kennedy that we have done so.
I apprehend B Columbia's case to be this. TheManuscript image arrangement of 1862 was a job—in favour of the contractors or of V.C.I.—at any rate at the expense of B Columbia. We were made parties to it for that year & therefore could not help paying out 2500£—however exorbitant. But as V.C.I. without consulting us or letting us even have an opportunity of protest chose to carry on the bargain for 3 or 4 years, V.C.I. must take the consequences. We will not pay a farthing.
FR 12/10
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
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Kennedy to Seymour, 11 August 1865, forwarding copy of a letter from the Colonial Secretary discussing the cost of conveying the mail from San Francisco to Vancouver Island and British Columbia.
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W.A.G. Young, Colonial Secretary, to Kennedy, 7 August 1865, explaining the agreement made with Holladay and Flint in 1862 and the circumstances which saw continuance of their service after the agreement expired, and commenting that British Columbia were no longer paying any share of the cost of mail transportation to the colonies.
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Memorandum of Agreement laying out the terms by which mail would be transported to Vancouver Island and British Columbia from San Francisco, signed by G.H. Cary, Acting Attorney General, and Messrs. Holladay and Flint, 6 January 1862.
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Schedule of mail delivery for the six month term of the agreement as noted above, covering the period from 7 February to 24 July 1862.
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Seymour to Kennedy, 17 August 1865, declining to reimburse the the colony for conveying mail from San Francisco to New Westminster, but expressing a readiness to consider a claim for the conveyance of mail between the two colonies and to discuss the establishment of regular steam communication with San Francisco and Panama.
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Young to Kennedy, 22 August 1865, discounting the arguments put forward by Seymour and again asserting the fairness of the claim submitted by Vancouver Island, with extended explanation.
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Draft reply, Newcastle to Douglas, No. 100, 31 May 1862, approving the arrangement made with Holladay and Flint for conveyance of the mails to Vancouver Island and British Columbia.
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
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Forster to Seymour, 12 December 1865, forwarding copy of despatch and enclosures for his observations.