Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Public Offices document
Hammond, Edmund to Merivale, Herman 1 February 1856, CO 305:7, no. 1008, 162.
Abstract
Public Offices document.
Minutes (2), Enclosures (untranscribed) (2).
Hammond forwards to Merivale a copy of Banister’s letter with information “relative to American designs on Vancouver's Island.”
The minutes direct a copy to the HBC to calm “any apprehensions raised by the writer”;
acknowledge the HMS Trincomalee docking on Vancouver Island and the President’s arrival in October. The minutes agree that “no aggressive proceedings” have “been
adopted” by the First Nations against the Vancouver Island colony.
Enclosed are two documents discussing the “Indian wars” between the First Nations
and American settlers in Oregon and the repercussions on Vancouver Island residents.
Hammond to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary)
Foreign Office
February 1 1856
Sir,
I am directed by the Earl of Clarendon to transmit to you, for the
information of Mr Secretary Labouchere, a Copy of a Letter and of its
Enclosure, which has been addressed to His Lordship by Mr Banister,
relative to American
American designs on Vancouver's Island.
American designs on Vancouver's Island.
H. Merivale Esqre
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Merivale
Send copy, I suppose, of the enclosure to H.B.Co; & it might be mentioned perhaps by way of calming any apprehensions raised by the writer of the enclosure, who puts no date of month to his Letter, that H.M.S. "Trincomalee" was at V.C. Island in Sepr & that the President was Expected there in Octr. The War Dt has moreover, on our solicitation, requested the Admy to
instruct the Senior Naval
Officer on the Station to cause that Island to be more frequently
visited by Men of War.
Send copy, I suppose, of the enclosure to H.B.Co; & it might be mentioned perhaps by way of calming any apprehensions raised by the writer of the enclosure, who puts no date of month to his Letter, that H.M.S. "Trincomalee" was at V.C. Island in Sepr & that the President was Expected there in Octr. The War Dt has moreover, on our solicitation, requested the Admy to
instruct the Senior Naval
Officer on the Station to cause that Island to be more frequently
visited by Men of War.
ABd
4 Feby/56
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
1. Thomas Banister to Clarendon, 29 January 1856, enclosing the extract
below and agreeing that the Americans might attack Vancouver Island to
prevent the Hudson's Bay Company from providing further arms and
ammunition to the Indigenous forces.
1.1 Extract of letter to Banister, no signature, dated San Francisco 1855, discussing "the Indian wars" in Oregon and the possible
repercussions upon Vancouver Island, which is in danger both from the Indigenous forces and from the "hatred and jealousy"
of the American citizens in Washington Territory.