Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Public Offices document
Wodehouse, First Earl of Kimberley John
to Merivale, Herman 19 December 1853, CO 305:4, no. 12135, 195.
Abstract
Public Offices document.
Minutes (3), Enclosures (untranscribed) (2).
Wodehouse, as directed by Clarendon, writes to Merivale, for Newcaste’s information, to forward correspondence from Miller, “Her Majesty's Consul General in the Sandwich Islands.” Wodehouse relates that Miller’s documents provide information on “Queen Charlotte's Island” (QCI) and the navigation between Vancouver Island and the mainland; further, the documents suggest Skidigate as a “Free Port” for “British Subjects,” and suggest the enticement of land at “Six
pence an Acre” to encourage settlement of the area.
In the minutes, Newcaste concludes, following comments from others, that “[t]here seems little encouragement
here for any outlay to found a Settlement” at Skidigate.
Several documents are included in this file, including a letter, from Miller to Addington, which encloses an extract of a letter, from Prevost, that suggests Skidigate as a settlement site; the final document is an extract, from Prevost to Miller, that relates Prevost’s impressions of QCI, and the navigation between Vancouver Island and the mainland.
Wodehouse to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary)
Foreign Office
December 19th 1853
Sir,
I am directed by the Earl of Clarendon to transmit to you, for the
information of His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, the accompanying Copies
of a letter and it's Inclosure, from Mr Miller, Her Majesty's Consul General in the Sandwich Islands, containing information, respecting
Queen Charlotte's Island, and the Inland Navigation between Vancouver's
Island and the Main land, and submitting that the Port of Skidigate on
theEastern
Eastern side of Queen Charlotte's Island might become one of
considerable interest and importance, were it to be declared a Free
Port, and British Subjects encouraged to settle there by the offer of
land in the neighbourhood of the Port at the price of Six pence an Acre.
Eastern side of Queen Charlotte's Island might become one of
considerable interest and importance, were it to be declared a Free
Port, and British Subjects encouraged to settle there by the offer of
land in the neighbourhood of the Port at the price of Six pence an Acre.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Merivale
This is a proposal to form a small settlement on the Eastern Side of Queen's Charlotte's Island & to rent the land to the Settlers at 6d per acre. Capt. Prevost reports that the Gold Seekers have disappeared & the Indians returned to their usual occupations.
This is a proposal to form a small settlement on the Eastern Side of Queen's Charlotte's Island & to rent the land to the Settlers at 6d per acre. Capt. Prevost reports that the Gold Seekers have disappeared & the Indians returned to their usual occupations.
VJ
21 Decr
See the account of the climate in
Capt. Prevost's letter, last
enclosure.
Capt. Prevost's letter, last
enclosure.
There seems little encouragement here for any outlay to found a
Settlement.
N
22
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
1. William Miller, Honolulu, to Addington, 8 October 1853,
enclosing an extract of a letter from Captain Prevost and suggesting the
desirability of founding a settlement at Skidegate in the Queen
Charlotte Islands.
1.1 Extract, Prevost to Miller, 12 August 1853, relating his
impressions of the Queen Charlotte Islands and the inland navigation
between Vancouver Island and the mainland.
People in this document
Pelham-Clinton, 5th Duke of Newcastle Henry Pelham Fiennes