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Public Offices document
Parker, John to Hawes, Benjamin 27 February 1851, WO 1:549, no. 1801, 545.

Abstract
Public Offices document. Minutes (4), Enclosures (untranscribed) (8).
Please note that the following transcription has not yet been vetted against its corresponding image scan, which was not available at the time of this writing.
Parker writes to Hawes, for Grey's information, to pass on correspondence on the subject of the murder of three British seamen—and the resulting military response—at Fort Rupert.
In the minutes, Smith observes that the Daedalus left the Island when it seemed most needed, while Merivale speaks to the great distance from Fort Victoria that the "outrage" took place. Hawes adds that the redress for the murders was unwise. Grey questions Blanshard's view of the events, and dismisses notions that the Fort is in danger; he asks that a despatch be sent to Blanshard, which expresses doubt on the appropriateness of attacks on the Nahwitti, and declares that, essentially, settlers who "go to the distant parts of the island" do so at their own risk.
All eight of the enclosed documents, from several authors, discuss various aspects of the multiple murders, and related events, at and around Fort Rupert.
1
Admiralty
27th Feby 1851
Sir,
I am commanded by my Lord Commissioners of the Admiralty to transmit to you, for the information of Earl Grey, the copy of a letter from Rear Admiral Hornby, dated 23rd December last, No 138, together with copies of one from Captain Wellesley of HMS Daedalus and its enclosures respecting the murder of three British Seamen and the proceedings of that Ship at Vancouver's Island.
I am Sir
Your very obedient humble Servant
J. Parker
B. Hawes Esq.
Colonial Office
Minutes by CO staff
This will be read in conjunction with a report received this morning
from Sir John Pelly.
The Daedalus seems to have left Vancouver's island at a moment when her continued presence would have been most acceptable to the Governor.
PS 1 March
Where this outrage took place is the extreme N.W. and more than 150
miles from Victoria where the Govr & H.B.Cos' establishment are: therefore I do not suppose there is any pressing difficulty arising from the hostile spirit of these distant Indians.
HM Mh 5
The accounts are I think alarming I think. I do not feel
confident that the redress taken so summarily was wise.
BH M. 6.
I much doubt whether the view taken of the subject by the Governor is as just as that of the Company. There seems to be no danger near Ft Victoria & it is impossible to attempt maintaing order over the whole of this extensive island. A despatch must be written to the Govr pointg this out to him, saying that from the informatn before me I greatly doubt the propriety of the step that was taken in attacking the Indians, & that if individual settlers or others think fit to go to the distant parts of the island they must understand that they do go at their own risk.
Write to the Compy sayg that I am glad to find that they do not consider any additional force requisite near Ft Victoria & that H.M.'s Govt do not propose sendg any.
G. 6/
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
1. Copy, Hornby to Parker, 23 December 1850, transmitting copy of letter from Wellesley, with enclosures.
1.1 Copy, Wellesley to Hornby, 30 October 1850, reporting on the proceedings against the Newitty Indians, with subenclosures 1-6.
1.1.1 Copy, Blanshard to Wellesley, 28 September 1850, requesting him to proceed to Fort Rupert to assist the civil power and allow him to go as a passenger.
1.1.2 Copy, Statement of the "circumstances attending the murder as detailed by Mr. Beardmore of the Hudsons Bay Company's Service, who was sent to ascertain the particulars."
1.1.3 Copy, Blanshard to Wellesley, 12 October 1850, requesting him "in the name of the Queen, to use such means as you may think fit, to apprehend the murderer, and should they not be surrendered on the first demand, or should any resistance be offered, to burn and destroy their village."
1.1.4 Copy, Burton to Wellesley, 14 October 1850, reporting that he had landed at the deserted Indian village and "completely burnt and destroyed their Houses and everything they had left."
1.1.5 Copy, Blanshard to Wellesley, 14 October 1850, requesting him to send a boat to a second Newitty camp and "burn and destroy any vestiges of their camp that may remain."
1.1.6 Copy, Burton to Wellesley, 16 October 1850, reporting his inability to reach the second camp because of constraints of time and weather, and the wounding of three of his men during a brief attack by some Indigenous men they tried to overtake. Wellesley 553-67, Blanshard, 569-70; Statement, Blanshard 575-8; Burton 579-80; Blanshard 581-2; Burton 583-6.
Parker, John to Hawes, Benjamin 27 February 1851, WO 1:549, no. 1801, 545. The Colonial Despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871, Edition 2.0, ed. James Hendrickson and the Colonial Despatches project. Victoria, B.C.: University of Victoria. https://bcgenesis.uvic.ca/V515ADW1.html.

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