Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Public Offices document
Ramage, John to Pelham-Clinton, 5th Duke of Newcastle Henry Pelham Fiennes 29 November 1861, CO 60:12, 168.
Abstract
Public Offices document.
Minutes (1), Enclosures (untranscribed) (7).
Ramage writes to Newcastle, on behalf of the Municipal Council of New Westminster, to forward correspondence related to a memorial that requested the government to
subsidize an “Ocean Line of Mail Steam communication” between Britain and British Columbia, and complained of inadequate governance.
The seven documents included in the file follow a conflict between New Westminster's municipal council and Douglas over the misplacement, or not, of a memorial, which requests the government to subsidize
direct steam-communication to the colony, and expresses dissatisfaction over what
it sees as an absentee government in the BC colony.
Ramage to Newcastle
The Municipal Council of New Westminster, British Columbiaby
by a resolution passed at a large public meeting, held here
on the 14th of October, were requested to forward to Your
Grace, A Memorial adopted by that meeting, praying Her Majesty's
Government, to consent to the grant of a subsidy, out of the
revenue of the Colony of British Columbia, as an aid, to
establish an Ocean Line of Mail Steam communication with this Colony.
by a resolution passed at a large public meeting, held here
on the 14th of October, were requested to forward to Your
Grace, A Memorial adopted by that meeting, praying Her Majesty's
Government, to consent to the grant of a subsidy, out of the
revenue of the Colony of British Columbia, as an aid, to
establish an Ocean Line of Mail Steam communication with this Colony.
The Memorial was forwarded to His Excellency the Governor
for transmission to Your Grace on the 25 of October, and a copy
of the Memorial, was at the same time forwarded by Express,
which no doubt Your Grace will receive.
There being no reply, from His Excellency theGovernor
Governor, of
the Memorial having been forwarded to Your Grace, the
enclosed correspondence ensued relative thereto, to which the
Municipal Council beg most respectfully to call the attention
of Your Grace, shewing as itdoes,
does, some of the difficulties
that often occur, in not having a resident Governor; by whom
the feelings of the people, and the interests of the Colony,
would be properly understood, and fairly represented to Her
Majesty's Government.
Governor, of
the Memorial having been forwarded to Your Grace, the
enclosed correspondence ensued relative thereto, to which the
Municipal Council beg most respectfully to call the attention
of Your Grace, shewing as itdoes,
does, some of the difficulties
that often occur, in not having a resident Governor; by whom
the feelings of the people, and the interests of the Colony,
would be properly understood, and fairly represented to Her
Majesty's Government.
On behalf of the Municipal Council
I have etc.
John Ramage,
President
Municipal Council,
New Westminster
I have etc.
John Ramage,
President
Municipal Council,
New Westminster
Minutes by CO staff
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
John Ramage, President, Municipal Council of New Westminster,
to Newcastle, 18 November 1861, forwarding copy of resolution
disputing the explanation of the governor with regard to a memorial
previously forwarded and mislaid in Vancouver Island, and expressing
dissatisfaction with the absentee government in the colony.
W.E. Cormack, Chairman of Municipal Council, to Douglas,
23 October 1861, forwarding a memorial asking the imperial
government to subsidize a direct steam communication to the colony.
V. Hall, Clerk of Municipal Council, to W.A.G. Young, Colonial
Secretary, 7 November 1861, advising that a memorial had been
previously forwarded to the governor, and asking whether it had
been received and forwarded to the Secretary of State.
Young to Municipal Council, 12 November 1861, asking on
behalf of the governor when and how the memorial was forwarded.
Hall to Young, 14 November 1861, advising the memorial was
forwarded on 23 October in the care of Captain Mouat who placed
the communication in the Victoria post office.
Young to Municipal Council, 19 November 1861,
stating the governor had not received the memorial, and requesting
that a second copy be prepared and sent.
