Colonial Despatches

I have to acknowledge your Despatches No 5 of the 18th May last and No 7 of 12th June last on the subject of an outrage committed by American Citizens in the Canal de Arro; which I have communicated to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, with a request that theircontents contents may be taken into immediate consideration.

2. I wish, however, to call your attention to a question of some importance which appears to arise on these papers.

3. In your Despatch of the 24th November 1853, on the subject of the boundary question in the Canal do Arro, you expressed it to be your intention that these Islands should remain a de facto dependency of Vancouver's Island unoccupied by any Settlement of Whites, except a Fishing Station, whichwas was established some years ago by the Hudson's Bay Company on the Island of San Juan, an intention which appears to Her Majesty's Government judicious; the question of boundary being still unsettled, however just the ground which you might have for asserting the British right.

4. But Mr Griffin in his letter, accompanying your present despatch of May 18th, says When I first established myself here, 15th November 1853, I was given explicitly to understandby by your Excellency, that this was British Territory, and that I should be protected by my Country from all Foreign aggressors. And he appears to have entered on agricultural operations on the Island of San Juan accordingly.

5. I cannot reconcile these two statements, and have to instruct you to furnish a more detailed report of the circumstances and date of the British occupation of the Island of San Juan.