Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Correspondence (private letter)
Grant, Captain Walter Colquhoun
to
Hawes, Benjamin 8 November 1848, CO 305:1, no. 2091, 547.
Abstract
Correspondence (private letter).
Minutes (4), Other documents (2), Marginalia (2).
Grant writes Grey to confirm that Grant's various and recent investments, both monetary and labour, are valid in light of
Pelly and the HBC's level of granted power in the colony of Vancouver Island.
1Ackd 8. Nov
2Ansd 15 Nvo / 48.
I
shall feel much obliged if you will be kind enough to inform me whether
the island is so far made over to the Hudson's Bay Coy as to justify
my purchasing land from them, & being at the expence (for I am to be at
the sole expence) of sending out emigrants to cultivate that land. The
price paid for land is £1 pr acre, nine tenths of which Sir J. Pelly
informed me wd be spent on the colony for its benefit, he further
fixed a charge of 2/6 pr ton on such coal as shd be exported
by
Colonists, also a charge of 10/ pr load on whatever Wood shd be
exported, allowing colonists the use of whatever wood they required for
domestic purposes.He further gave me the appointment of Surveyor of the island, leaving salary amts of surveys to be made &c. to be fixed on arrival
in the island. Sir J. Pelly also informed me that the island sd at
present be governed by a governor & ten councillors, one of which
councillors, he gave me to understand he had appointed me, as also a
magistrate, justice of the peace &c. May
I take the liberty of
enquiring from you as under Secretary for the Colonies, whether it is in
the powers of the Governor of the Hudson's Bay Compy to make all
these appointments, conditions &c, concerning the sale of land in
Vancouver's island, & whether I as a private individual anxious to go
out to that part of the world, should apply myself to the Hudson's Bay
Coy or to Her Majesty's Government.
I take the liberty of
enquiring from you as under Secretary for the Colonies, whether it is in
the powers of the Governor of the Hudson's Bay Compy to make all
these appointments, conditions &c, concerning the sale of land in
Vancouver's island, & whether I as a private individual anxious to go
out to that part of the world, should apply myself to the Hudson's Bay
Coy or to Her Majesty's Government.Other documents included in the file
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Hawes
I am inclined to think this gentleman might be answered by shortly explaining the actual state of the case, viz. that the land is actually granted to the HBC and Sir J. Pelly they have consequently power to make grants: That their recommendations of persons to fill situations of trust in the colony would merit every attention on the part of Govt although they have not the direct power of making such appointments: That the H.B.C. have suggested instructions to the be given to the Governor which have not as yet been fully considered & approved in this
office, but that
although the negociations between the Company & Government cannot, on
that account, be said to be wholly at an end, yet Ld Grey has you has no Lord Grey has no do reason to doubt that the colonization of the island will proceed under the Company's auspices?
I am inclined to think this gentleman might be answered by shortly explaining the actual state of the case, viz. that the land is actually granted to the HBC and Sir J. Pelly they have consequently power to make grants: That their recommendations of persons to fill situations of trust in the colony would merit every attention on the part of Govt although they have not the direct power of making such appointments: That the H.B.C. have suggested instructions to the be given to the Governor which have not as yet been fully considered & approved in this
office, but that
although the negociations between the Company & Government cannot, on
that account, be said to be wholly at an end, yet Ld Grey has you has no Lord Grey has no do reason to doubt that the colonization of the island will proceed under the Company's auspices?HM
N 9
Other documents included in the file
Draft, Hawes to Grant, 15 November 1848, advising that the grant of
Vancouver Island to the Hudson's Bay Company was all but formally completed.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Merivale.
Can the land be said to have been actually granted to the Company as the Letters Patents have not yet passed the Council?
Can the land be said to have been actually granted to the Company as the Letters Patents have not yet passed the Council?
Footnotes
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