Colonial Despatches

Mr Merivale.

Mr Hawes
I presume the answer will be to request Ld Palmerston to inform Mr Adams, that Vancouver's Island will be a settlement entirely under Imperial Government by means of a Governor appointed by the Crown with instructions to call a representative assembly; that the land only is granted* to the H.B.C. and annexing (for the information of intended Settlers) a copy of the recent resolutions of the H.B.C. respecting the sale of land. A copy of this letter & the answer to be also transmitted to the Company?

M 16 *I should say conditionally granted.

In answering [...] this communicatn I do not think it wd be prudent to insert the word suggested by Mr Hawes — it wd be liable to misinterpretatn. — Send as suggested.

Copy, William Pitt Adams to Viscount Palmerston, 12 January 1849, requesting information about Vancouver Island.

Draft, Colonial Office to Eddisbury, 27 March 1849, providing information on the colony at Vancouver Island, with enclosures.

Draft, Colonial Office to Sir John Pelly, Hudson's Bay Company, 28 March 1849, forwarding correspondence with the Foreign Office regarding settlement at Vancouver Island.

The recent discovery of the Gold Region in California, accessible to Individual enterprise and highly remunerative to Personal labour, has created a General movement among British Subjects of the operative Classes who are formed, in considerable numbers, along this Coast.

mediumCompelled by a desire for change, and hopes of rapid prosperity, but doubtful of the advantages of California from the Report (however incorrect) of its lawless population and and unhealthy climate, several Individuals have applied to me for information respecting Vancouver’s Island, believing that by the working of coal and agricultural mediumpursuits, they might realize ready profit from the expected commerce with California, and obtain a permanent settlement with an excellent Market for their produce. The first questions generally put to me are, Is there any Govt established in Vancouver’s Island? Can we depend upon Law and Order? I have been able to give in reply, such information only as could be collected from the Report of the the Debates in Parliament during the last session on the subject, and have found that the idea of living under the Govt of the Hudson’s Bay Company is distasteful to the majority of proposed Immigrants: the best men, skilled Artisans with some Property, seek apparently the Imperial Protection, and desire to settle where they can feel confident of security under Her M’s Govt.

I have thought it right to state these circumstances to Your Lordship because should it be deemed expedient, there would seem to be a probability by advice and information above of directing a certain number of excellent Immigrants to Vancouver’s Island, inin preference to any of the Territories of the United States.