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 24 December 1858, CO 60:1, no. 1527, 520.
Abstract
Despatch to London.
Minutes (3), Enclosures (untranscribed) (1).
Douglas reports that mild weather has reopened the Fraser River and the “Santa Cruz” and “Beaver” have returned from the mining districts with miners and “7340 ounces of gold dust.”
Douglas also announces that the Harrison’s River road “after an endless deal of trouble and anxiety from the want of honest and able
men to carry out the plans of Government” is “fairly open to traffic.”
Douglas relates a general state of tranquility in the mining fields with only one recent
incident of violence and commends Chartres Brew for his “firmness and integrity.”
The minutes find Douglas’s report “satisfactory” and print for Parliament.
No. 52
1. In consequence of the return of mild weather, the ice on
Fraser's River has broken up and vessels are again plying with goods
and passengers between this place and Fort Langley.
The Steamers"Santa Cruz"
2. The Steamers "Santa Cruz"
1
and "Beaver" lately returned from
thence, with upwards of three hundred passengers from the mining
districts, and, as reported on good authority, 7340 ounces of gold
dust, exclusive of the sums in the hands of miners.
3. The passengers who arrived by those vessels suffered much
privation on their journey to Fort Langley, in consequence of the
freezing of the River, about forty miles above that place, where
they were detained by ice, and imprudently attempted to make theirway
way through the woods to Fort Langley without the precaution of
taking guides or food, or in short, providing in any manner for
their own comfort or safety. The poor fellows soon lost their
way, and after wandering for several days through the pathless
forest, were nearly perishing of cold and hunger, before they
could be rescued from their perilous situation.
way through the woods to Fort Langley without the precaution of
taking guides or food, or in short, providing in any manner for
their own comfort or safety. The poor fellows soon lost their
way, and after wandering for several days through the pathless
forest, were nearly perishing of cold and hunger, before they
could be rescued from their perilous situation.
4. Those people who were principally returning miners,
complain bitterly of the cold, and appear physically disqualified
bythe
the enervating effects of a long residence in California, for the
more rigorous climate of British Columbia.
the enervating effects of a long residence in California, for the
more rigorous climate of British Columbia.
5. The reports from the upper Country are favorable; confirming
all our previous opinions of the great mineral wealth of the interior
of British Columbia.
The want of roads and difficulty of access, are still the great
impediments to the development of the mineral wealth of that region.
6. The Harrison's River road is, after an endless deal of
trouble and anxiety,from
from the want of honest and able men to carry
out the plans of Government, fairly open to traffic, and its
advantages will be of incalculable value to the country. We
have had a town site laid out on that road, at Port Douglas, and
have caused town lots of the usual
size,
2
to be issued under leases,
to all persons wishing to build there for the present winter, and
about seventy of those lots are occupied.
from the want of honest and able men to carry
out the plans of Government, fairly open to traffic, and its
advantages will be of incalculable value to the country. We
have had a town site laid out on that road, at Port Douglas, and
have caused town lots of the usual
size,
2
to be issued under leases,
to all persons wishing to build there for the present winter, and
about seventy of those lots are occupied.
7. Some specimens of gold procured by sluicing on Harrison's
River, have lately come into mypossession
possession, adding force to the
opinion that the country in that quarter, is probably not greatly
inferior to Fraser's River itself, as an auriferous district.
possession, adding force to the
opinion that the country in that quarter, is probably not greatly
inferior to Fraser's River itself, as an auriferous district.
8. Bridge River is now the favorite gold district: specimens
of copper and a small specimen of silver now in my possession having
recently been brought from that part of the
country.
3
9. Mr Commissioner Travaillot's last report from "Lytton"
(Forks of Thompson's River) is dated on the 7th of December.
There was then
a very slender stock of food in his District,
and provisions were selling at a high price; but there was a prospect
of speedy relief, as supplies of flour and other articles of food
were beginning to arrive by the Harrison's River road.
a very slender stock of food in his District,
and provisions were selling at a high price; but there was a prospect
of speedy relief, as supplies of flour and other articles of food
were beginning to arrive by the Harrison's River road.
10. Many of the white miners had nevertheless left the country
in despair of being able to get through the winter without suffering
much privation, and those who remained behind were peaceable and
well conducted.Their
Their conduct towards the Indian population, and of
the latter to the whites had been good, and no serious difficulty
had occurred since the month of October.
Their conduct towards the Indian population, and of
the latter to the whites had been good, and no serious difficulty
had occurred since the month of October.
11. The Police had in one instance, met with resistance on a
mining bar above Lytton, from a party of miners who sought to
protect a person named D. Brown, charged with a criminal offence;
but they succeeded after a hard fight, in capturing the criminal,
who withfour
four of his friends, had posted themselves in a log house
for defence. Brown was severely wounded in the struggle and is not yet
recovered.
four of his friends, had posted themselves in a log house
for defence. Brown was severely wounded in the struggle and is not yet
recovered.
12. This is the first and only instance of open resistance to
the Law, that I have had to record in British Columbia, and I am glad
to say the Police did their duty faithfully on the occasion.
13. Mr Travaillot's statement of public receipts and
expenditures, exhibitsa
a deficit of nearly £100 against his District,
and he remarks, that in the present state of things, a more favorable
result could hardly be expected. Food of all kinds has been scarce
and dear, and the sources of supply at a great distance from the mining
bars—the miners were therefore kept continually travelling to and
fro to procure subsistence thereby exhausting their money as well as
their physical energies, in extremely fatiguing journies over a
rugged country,carrying
carrying loads from 80 to 100 pounds on their backs.
a deficit of nearly £100 against his District,
and he remarks, that in the present state of things, a more favorable
result could hardly be expected. Food of all kinds has been scarce
and dear, and the sources of supply at a great distance from the mining
bars—the miners were therefore kept continually travelling to and
fro to procure subsistence thereby exhausting their money as well as
their physical energies, in extremely fatiguing journies over a
rugged country,carrying
carrying loads from 80 to 100 pounds on their backs.
And latterly, the cold weather—the Thermometer having fallen
to 10o Fahrenheit, had compelled the miners to suspend work
altogether. In such circumstances, the licence fees could not be
enforced with advantage to the public revenue.
14. There is nothing further of much importance to communicate
respecting the affairs of Mr Travaillot's District.
15. I have alsolately
lately received satisfactory accounts from
the district of Fort Yale. Mr Hicks, the Assistant Commissioner
having failed in carrying out his instructions for collecting the
Mining Licence fee, and being deficient in nerve for the position he
holds, it is my intention immediately to remove him, and to appoint
Mr Inspector Brew to the office he now holds—as Assistant
Commissioner of Crown
lands.
4
lately received satisfactory accounts from
the district of Fort Yale. Mr Hicks, the Assistant Commissioner
having failed in carrying out his instructions for collecting the
Mining Licence fee, and being deficient in nerve for the position he
holds, it is my intention immediately to remove him, and to appoint
Mr Inspector Brew to the office he now holds—as Assistant
Commissioner of Crown
lands.
4
16. This arrangement will not interfere materiallywith
with
Mr Brew's other duties, while to me it will afford an
incalculable degree of relief, as I can implicitly rely on
Mr Brew's firmness and integrity.
with
Mr Brew's other duties, while to me it will afford an
incalculable degree of relief, as I can implicitly rely on
Mr Brew's firmness and integrity.
17. I forward for your information three numbers
of the Victoria Gazette which contain the latest reports from
the mining Districts, and on that account may be found interesting.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Merivale
It is a satisfactory account of the State of the Colony & should I presume be printed?
It is a satisfactory account of the State of the Colony & should I presume be printed?
Print for Parlt.
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Victoria Gazette, 18, 21??, 23 December
1858.
5
Footnotes
- The Santa Cruz ran from California to British Columbia and Vancouver Island. In 1861, the ship was loaned to the U.S. government, was fitted out as a revenue cutter, and renamed the General Sumner. The government sold it for $40,000, whereupon the owners sold it again in China for $81,000; it was destroyed by fire on the Yangtze River in 1862. (Colonist, 19 April and 9 May 1862; Wright, Lewis & Dryden's Marine History, pp. 69, 100. Owners??
- I.e., 60 by 120 feet. Lots were leased for £10 each. See Douglas to Lytton, 11 October 1858, 12180, CO 60/1, p. 181, par 10 and Douglas to Lytton, No. 44, 13 October 1858, 12718, CO 305/9, p. 197. See also Sage, Gold Rush Days on the Fraser River, p. 161. Leases because land could not be sold until surveyed.
- = copper & silver Specimens of copper and silver; check newspapers before 24 December??
- = dismissal of Hicks For information about Hicks, see entry in Appendix A. Colonist ? OMIT??
- The newspapers remain in the file but because of their size have not been microfilmed. Check??