No. 6
Downing Street
28th February 1856
Sir,
In connexion with my despatch of this day's date, respecting the calling to-gether of a General Assembly, I wish to call your attention to the present state of affairs between Her Majesty's Government and the Hudson's Bay Company with reference to Vancouver's Island.
2. The grant of the LandofManuscript image of the Island to the Company is subject to the condition that the Crown may repurchase and take it from the Company at the expiration of the Company's License for trading with the Indians (that is to say in 1859) on payment to the Company of "the sums heretofore laid out and expended by the Company in and upon the said Island and premises, and the value of their Establishments property and effects then being therein."
3. In order that both the Company and Her Majesty's Government may be prepared for the contingency of this final settlement, I wishtoManuscript image to be furnished with a specification of the present state of the account: that is to say, of the sums hitherto expended by the Company in the manner described in the Grant, and also of the sums realized by the Company by the sale of Land and applied from time to time "towards the Colonization and improvement of the Island." This account should be separate from the biennial "Return" to be made as farther specified by the Grant, of the Colonists settled and land disposed of. And having been once furnished, it should be continued for eachensuingManuscript image ensuing year.
4. I have communicated the contents of both these despatches to the Hudson's Bay Company.
I have the honor to be Sir
Your most obedient humble Servant
H. Labouchere

People in this document

Douglas, Sir James

Labouchere, Henry

Places in this document

Vancouver Island

Labouchere, Henry to Douglas, Sir James 28 February 1856, LAC :, 369. 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/V567006.html.

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