Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Correspondence (private letter)
Sproat, Gilbert Malcolm to
Leveson-Gower, Granville George 18 June 1869, CO 60:37, no. 6858, 579.
Abstract
Sproat, Gilbert Malcolm to
Leveson-Gower, Granville George 18 June 1869, CO 60:37, no. 6858, 579.
Correspondence (private letter).
Minutes (4), Enclosures (untranscribed) (4).
Sproat to Granville
Farncombe, Godalming, Surrey
June 18 1869
The Right Honourable
The Secretary of State for the Colonies
My Lord,
I respectfully beg leave to place my name before your Lordship,
and under the circumstances hereafter stated, to make
application for the appointment of Governor of British Columbia,
which office has been vacated by the lamented death of Governor Seymour.
1. My direct services under the Crown are having for four
years, been sole magistrate, also Collector of Customs and
Superintendent of Indian affairs on the West Coast of Vancouver Island.
2. Under a commission from Sir Jas Douglas, I organised the
first local military force in that Colony. I was also nominated
a Member of Council.
3. In the performance of my magisterial duties I was, on one
occasion, severely wounded.
4. Having visited the colony on special business, I was unable
to take any greater part in colonial affairs.
5. I have independent means, and should not desire to remain in
the Colonial Service.
6. I am deeply sensible that the above services
are not highly
important, and that under ordinary circumstances I could not
venture to urge a consideration of this application beside that
of other gentlemen of superior official and personal claims.
are not highly
important, and that under ordinary circumstances I could not
venture to urge a consideration of this application beside that
of other gentlemen of superior official and personal claims.
7. British Columbia is however, at present in a peculiar
condition, and many persons think that a special appointment
would be suitable to its circumstances. I enclose, marked A, a
short Memorandum, to illustrate this peculiar condition of the
Colony.
8. The following are the special grounds on which I make the
present application
(1) My appointment is desired by the principal persons in
this country connected with British Columbia.
In proof of this I refer in London to the Bank of British
Columbia; Messrs Anderson, Thomson & C[o], Billiter Court;
Messrs [Copistake?],
Moore & Co, Cheapside; Messrs Findlay & Durham, Great St
Helens, and the other leading merchants and property holders
connected with the Colony.
In Liverpool, to Mr Graves, M.P. In Edinburgh, to Mr
McLaren, M.P.
(2) It is believed my appointment would be acceptable to
the colonists.
On this point, I enclose Testimonials, marked B, from men of
different classes and professions and of position and
reputation, well acquainted with British Columbia and the Colonists.
(3) Circumstances have given me special knowledge of the
native population,
as appears in the above Testimonials, and also in the Press
Notices, herewith sent, marked C, of a book which I published
last year about the Indians.
(4) I am well known in Canada and acquainted with its
institutions.
I have been recommended by influential Canadians to the Privy
Council of Canada for the Lieut Governorship of the North West
Territory, and my application for that office is now before the
Privy Council. I feel, however, that I could aid the
consolidation of the Dominion more effectually in British Columbia.
9. Public opinion in British Columbia is far from ripe as
regards Confederation. A knowledge of the various sectional
interests in British Columbia, and a knowledge of Canada itself,
would probably assist a Governor in guiding British Columbian
opinion in the desired direction, without risking a reproduction
of the Nova Scotian difficulty on the Pacific side of the Continent.
10. In the enclosed paper marked D, I have stated some
additional particulars of my education and history. I refer
thereupon to Mr Maclaurin of Lock & Maclaurin, Great George St.
Minutes by CO staff
Sir F. Sandford
I knew Mr Sproat during his residence in Vancouver Island. As a Merchant he was extremely unfortunate & brought the Company for which he was interested to something like bankruptcy. He had the name of being a clever longheaded man but I had no means of judging. He refused a seat in the Assembly & my only experience of him was in his Commercial capacity & of that he had no reason to be proud.
I knew Mr Sproat during his residence in Vancouver Island. As a Merchant he was extremely unfortunate & brought the Company for which he was interested to something like bankruptcy. He had the name of being a clever longheaded man but I had no means of judging. He refused a seat in the Assembly & my only experience of him was in his Commercial capacity & of that he had no reason to be proud.
The services "under the Crown" to which he refers were merely
nominal, he had a Log cutting Establishment on the West Coast of
the Island & was invested with powers to prevent disturbances
between his employees & the Indians who are the only occupants
of the densely wooded W. Coast.
I agree in much that Mr Sproat writes in regard to the
Condition of the Colony.
I think that the expenses of the Govt might still be largely
reduced & I agree with him that the Governor's salary should not
for the present at least exceed £2,500.
The present Constitution of the Colony works well and a very
large majority are in favour of retaining it—especially as the
Governor has already the power to appoint unofficial members to
the Ex Council.
I think everything should be done to foster confederation with
Canada. The distance from the Navigable waters of the Fraser to
the head waters of the Saskatchewan is about 650 miles of this
some 180
miles of the Upper Fraser are navigable for Steamboats
and 150 miles of road have already been constructed. The
remaining portion has been Estimated to cost 700,000$—say
£150,000. The Highway from Canada once completed I am confident
there would [be] a large increase to the population of B.
Columbia. Mr Sproat is mistaken in saying that B.C. is not an
agricultural Country. It is true that when he left the Colony
there was little agriculture, Mining being the only thing
thought of, & all flour & grain was imported from Oregon or
California. I understand from recent letters that this years
produce will entirely suffice for the wants of the Colony
without importation & as it may be said that the Settlers have
only turned there [their]
attention to farming in the last 4 years the
prospect of B. Columbia becoming a large grain producing Country
is not improbable.
miles of the Upper Fraser are navigable for Steamboats
and 150 miles of road have already been constructed. The
remaining portion has been Estimated to cost 700,000$—say
£150,000. The Highway from Canada once completed I am confident
there would [be] a large increase to the population of B.
Columbia. Mr Sproat is mistaken in saying that B.C. is not an
agricultural Country. It is true that when he left the Colony
there was little agriculture, Mining being the only thing
thought of, & all flour & grain was imported from Oregon or
California. I understand from recent letters that this years
produce will entirely suffice for the wants of the Colony
without importation & as it may be said that the Settlers have
only turned there [their]
attention to farming in the last 4 years the
prospect of B. Columbia becoming a large grain producing Country
is not improbable.
See 7136 withdrawing his application, & expressing satisfaction
at Mr Musgraves appointment.
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Memorandum on British Columbia by Sproat, 18 June 1869, written
under the headings "Condition of the Colony," "British Columbia
Politics," "Representative Constitution," and "Alleged
Americanism of British Columbia."
"Special Testimonials in Favour of Gilbert Malcolm Sproat,"
including testimonials by Samuel Laing,
Captain George Henry Richards, Rear-Admiral Alfred P. Ryder,
Malcolm Cameron, Archdeacon Gilson, Rev. Octavius Glover,
Charles Forbes, Frederick Whymper, David Marshall Lang, Rev.
R.J. Dundas, Captain A.P.H. Helby, Robert Brown, and Rev.
Jonathan Watson, and an extract from the
British Colonist, 3 April 1869 (12 printed pages).
Resume of Sproat's education and personal history, including
testimonial by John Wade, his private tutor; critical
notices of his translations of the Odes of Horace; and an extract
from a speech he delivered at a banquet in honor of Malcolm
Cameron in 1862.
People in this document
Graves, Esquire Samuel Roberts
Leveson-Gower, Granville George