Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch to London
Douglas, Sir James to Lytton, Sir Edward George Earle Bulwer 27 October 1858, CO 60:1, no. 12726, 320.
Abstract
Despatch to London.
Minutes (9), Enclosures (transcribed) (0), Enclosures (untranscribed) (1), Other documents
(2), Marginalia (1).
Douglas submits requisitions for public seals, twenty copies of Burn’s Justice and meteorological equipment.
The minutes “see no objection” to Douglas’s request but argue that the costs must “be first ascertained.” Peter Smith outlines the situation concerning the public seals.
No. 8
I have the honor of forwarding a requisition of various articles
referred to in the 4th paragraph of my despatch of yesterday's date.
for the use of the Law Courts and other public office[s] in British
Columbia, and also in the 6th paragraph of my despatchNo. 7
No.7 of even
date, for making meteorological observations in the same
Colony.
1
No.7 of even
date, for making meteorological observations in the same
Colony.
1
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Merivale
Before Mr Begbie, the Judge, went out he called attention to the formation of a law Library & was told the question must be reserved. The specify the Books & Statutes. Govr asks for a "Supply of Law Books & Statutes for the Civil & Criminal Courts," but in instructing the Agent it will be necessary
to
Before Mr Begbie, the Judge, went out he called attention to the formation of a law Library & was told the question must be reserved. The specify the Books & Statutes. Govr asks for a "Supply of Law Books & Statutes for the Civil & Criminal Courts," but in instructing the Agent it will be necessary
to
The Meteorological Instruments the Agent may I presume be directed
to procure, first reporting the cost of them—and with respect to the
Seals perhaps Mr Smith can offer advice. One small seal has been sent
out?
VJ
14 Decr
I see no objection to the articles enumerated but the cost sd be
first ascertained and in the next place care sd be taken not to send
out instruments &c with wh Col. Moody is already provided. The
requisition sd be compared with the lists of articles already sent
out.
C
D 15
The instruments have already been sent with the Royal Engineers.
Other documents included in the file
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Requisition, 27 October 1858, for public seals, twenty copies of
Burn's Justice and meteorological equipment.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Merivale
1. As for the public Seal, it has been delayed by the illness and death of Mr Wyon the official Engraver. I have told his successor, (a month ago,) that the seal was urgently required. 2
1. As for the public Seal, it has been delayed by the illness and death of Mr Wyon the official Engraver. I have told his successor, (a month ago,) that the seal was urgently required. 2
2. As for the Seals of the Supreme Court and of the Officers of
Customs, I can order
them,
if I am desired to do so, as in the case of Vancouver's island.
If you please. HM.
3. But as for seals for the Law Offices, it would have been better
if the Governor had afforded some little explanation. This is the first
time that I have seen such an application; but I shd suppose there
would not be much risk in ordering a seal for the Attorney General.
Something of this
sort
3
with the words Attorney General engraved on the Motto Scroll.
PS
22 Jan
Mr Merivale
In instructing the Agent to supply the "Law Books and Statutes for the Civil and Criminal Courts" required by Govr Douglas, it will, I apprehend, be necessary to specify them. I annex the list of books which we sent to Mr Douglas in 1853. Will it be sufficient to send the same works to him again for the use of B. Columbia, adding thereto, "Burns Justice" of which he asks for 20 copies?
In instructing the Agent to supply the "Law Books and Statutes for the Civil and Criminal Courts" required by Govr Douglas, it will, I apprehend, be necessary to specify them. I annex the list of books which we sent to Mr Douglas in 1853. Will it be sufficient to send the same works to him again for the use of B. Columbia, adding thereto, "Burns Justice" of which he asks for 20 copies?
VJ
29 Decr
Mr Jadis
Will you have the goodness
privately to shew these papers to Mr Reynolds or to Mr Greenwood of the Treasury, with this minute from
me—& ask them whether they have any other books which they would kindly
suggest.
Will you have the goodness
privately to shew these papers to Mr Reynolds or to Mr Greenwood of the Treasury, with this minute from
me—& ask them whether they have any other books which they would kindly
suggest.
HM
D 29
Mr Merivale
I have seen Mr Reynolds and he has suggested some additions to the list of Law Books. See outline.
I have seen Mr Reynolds and he has suggested some additions to the list of Law Books. See outline.
VJ
31 Decr
Documents enclosed with the main document (transcribed)
Books for British Columbia
| Supplied to Govr Douglas in Augt 1853 5 | |
| Public General Statutes 14 and 15 Vict. 1851 to 1858ߞ | 1 Vol. Fo. |
| Tomlins Law Dictionary by Grainger [Granger] | 2 Vol. qto. |
| Regulations of the Vice Admiralty Courts abroad | 1 Vol qto. |
| Clark's Colonial Law | 1 Vol. do |
| Snowdon's Magistrates Assistant by Keane | 1 Vol. 12 mo |
| Archbolds Law of Commitments and Convictions | 1 Vol. 12 mo |
| Archbolds Peels Acts of the Criminal Statutes | 2 Vol. 12 mo |
| Archbolds Justice of the Peace and Forms of Proceedings | 3 Vols 12 mo |
| Blackstone's Commentaries 6 | |
| Archbolds Criminal Pleading & Evidence | |
| Archbolds New System of Criminal Procedure and Foreign Laws | |
| P.M. Taylor's Law of Evidence | |
| Burn's Justice [20 crossed out] 6 copies (see Begbie 1259)7 | |
| See additional List of Books in Begbie 1259 |
Footnotes
- I.e., Douglas to Lytton, 26 October 1858, 12724, CO 60/1, p. 245; Douglas to Lytton, 27 October 1858, 12725, CO 60/1, p. 301.
- = official engraver Benjamin Wyon was succeeded by his son,Joseph Shepherd Wyon.
- = Sketch of Seal A freehand sketch of a seal is inserted here. Cf. Douglas to Lytton, 5 November 1858, 538, CO 60/1, p. 370. Add sketch?? CO 60/1/ 327r.
- This reference is possibly to Burn's Justice; see footnote in Douglas to Lytton, 26 October 1858, 12724, CO 60/1, p. 245, and enclosure to this despatch.
- = Books sent to Douglas This line has been crossed out. In 1853, after commissioning Douglas as lieutenant governor of the Queen Charlotte Islands, the Colonial Office sent copies of the first eight items on the list—except for the statutes from 1853-58. See minutes in 5417/53, Douglas to Pakington, No. 41, 7 March 1853, CO 305/4, p. 14. Full citations for these items are as follows: The Statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. 14 & 15 Victoria. 1851 (London: Her Majesty's Printers, 1851), and ?? George Kettilby Richards, The Statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 21 & 22 Victoria, 1857-58 (London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1858); Thomas Edlyne Tomlins, The Law Dictionary, Explaining the Rise, Progress, and Present State of the British Law; Defining and Interpreting the Terms or Words of Art, and Comprising Also Copious Information on the Subjects of Trade and Government, ed. Thomas Colpitts Granger (London, J. and W.T. Clarke, 1835); Great Britain, Admiralty, Rules and Regulations Made in Pursuance of an Act of Parliament Passed in the Second Year of the Reign of His Majesty King William the Fourth, Touching the Practice to be Observed in Suits and Proceedings in the Several Courts of Vice-Admiralty Abroad, and Established by the King's Order in Council (London, no publisher, 1842); Charles Clark, A Summary of Colonial Law, the Practice of the Court of Appeals from the Plantations, and of the Laws and Their Administration in All the Colonies; with Charters of Justice, Orders in Council, &c. (London: S. Sweet, 1834); David Deady Keane, ed., Snowden's Magistrate's Assistant, and Police Officer and Constable's Guide; Being a Plain and Practical Summary of the Duties of Magistrates and Peace Officers, in the Various Branches of the Criminal Law Usually Coming under Their Cognizance; Including Full Forms of Bills of Costs for the Use of Constables; with an Abstract of the Criminal Law and its Sentences; and a Comprehensive Table of Penalties under the Penal Statutes, 2d ed. (London, Shaw and Sons, 1852); John Frederick Archbold, The Law Relative to Commitments and Convictions by Justices of the Peace, with Forms, to Which are Added Lord Lansdowne's Acts (London: W. Benning, 1828); Archbold, Peel's acts, and Other Criminal Statutes from the 1st Year of George IV, 3d ed. (London, no publisher, 1835); Archbold, The Justice of the Peace and Parish Officer, Comprising the Law Relative to Their Several Duties with all the Necessary Forms of Commitments, Convictions, Orders, &c. (London: Shaw and Sons, 1840), and The Forms of Indictment, with the Evidence Necessary to Support Them; Including the Statutes Which Make Many Valuable Regulations Relative to Criminal Proceedings; Containing Also, a Table Showing Those Statutes Which Have Been Repealed (New York: Treadway & Bogart, 1828).
- This list, in different handwriting, thus represent additions to the books supplied in 1853. Sir William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1765-69); Use pre-1853 edition?? or Chitty's, referred to in 6B02? John Frederick Archbold, Pleading and Evidence in Criminal Cases, with Precedents of Indictments, &c., and the Evidence Necessary to Support Them (London, no publisher, 1822); Archbold, The New System of Criminal Procedure, Pleading and Evidence in Indictable Cases, as Founded on Lord Campbell's Act, 14 & 15 Vict. c. 100, and Other Recent Statutes; with New Forms of Indictments and Evidence (London: Shaw and Sons, 1852); John Pitt Taylor, A Treatise on the Law of Evidence, as Administered in England and Ireland; with Illustrations from the American and Other Foreign Laws (London: A. Maxwell & Son, 1848). For Burn's Justice, see footnote in Douglas to Lytton 12724, CO 60/1.
- Begbie 1259/59 ?? FIND??