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 30 November 1858, CO 60:1, no. 1055, 468.
Abstract
Despatch to London.
Minutes (2), Other documents (1).
Douglas reports several murders “by white men engaged in mining pursuits.” He regrets that
with “no penal settlement within reach” he does not know how to dispose of the convicts.
Douglas enquires about permission to send convicts to penal colonies in Australia and how
the expense would be defrayed.
The minutes recommend punishment of imprisonment with hard labour in the country where
the offences were committed.
No. 39, Judicial
Several murders having been committed in British Columbia, by white
men engaged in mining pursuits, and it having been foundexpensive
expensive,
not only to bring them to trial, which has nevertheless been in every
case accomplished, but also impossible to carry out the sentence of
the law in cases where criminals are sentenced to transportation for
life, for the reason that there is no penal settlement within reach,
and that I have no means of forming a settlement for that purpose on
this coast.
expensive,
not only to bring them to trial, which has nevertheless been in every
case accomplished, but also impossible to carry out the sentence of
the law in cases where criminals are sentenced to transportation for
life, for the reason that there is no penal settlement within reach,
and that I have no means of forming a settlement for that purpose on
this coast.
I am therefore much perplexed about the disposal of convicts of
that class, and wish to learn if HerMajesty's
Majesty's Government will permit
their removal to any penal settlement in Australia, and how the
expense of their removal is to be
defrayed.
1
Majesty's Government will permit
their removal to any penal settlement in Australia, and how the
expense of their removal is to be
defrayed.
1
Minutes by CO staff
This despatch has accidentally remained unanswered. The reply
however rests on the general established practice of the
Country. It is that no British Colony remains available for
the reception of offenders sentenced to Penal Servitude or
Transportation in any places out of the United Kingdom and
that the only resourse available for their punishment is
imprisonment with hard labor in the Country where their
offences are committed.
Footnotes
- = sentence for transportation Cf. footnote in Douglas to Lytton, 12 October 1858, No. 3, 12721, CO 60/1, p. 213.