Colonial Despatches

Write in reply that two detachments of 24 ? and 12 ? men respectively have left for the Colony of B. Columbia—that the Thames City8 has sailed with 119 ? men on board & that the Briseis 9 will follow within the next two days with the stores &c belonging to the expedition. That probably there will be a few more men with their families & some additional stores wh will be sent on by the Euphrates10 wh will sail in about a month's time—& that meanwhile Col. Moody will start by the W. Indian Packet of the 30th.

Then state the different office[r]s who have been appointed and whether & when they left England—and the probably arrival of Admiral Baynes.

That Sir E. Lytton is aware that this is not a very large force—that it is less than he cd have wished in one point of view—but that he believes that they will be sufficient with the local resources wh are available to strengthen the hands of the Govr and to give him the power of effectually organizing all that is essential to the maintenance of Law & Order.

That Sir E. Lytton has seen with very great satisfaction the ability, the resource, and tact & conciliation wh Govr Douglas has displayed under circumstances so difficult & unexpected as to task the highest powers of administration. That Sir E. Lytton doubts not that he will continue to show the same vigour & discretion and that he may rely with confidence upon the support & assistance of H.M. Govt.

Lastly credit might be given to him on the skill wh he has evinced in organizing a corps of pioneers to open up the country, as explained in this desp., and the orderly and satisfactory conduct of the miners.

I wd recommend some such desp. because I think that as yet we have abstained from praising and that now we ought in justice to Govr Douglas to give him credit for great capacity under trying circumstances. Approval especially when discriminately given is not only just in his case but is good policy.

Lord Carnarvon

The two Minutes of Sir Edward, now in my hands, afford the materials for the necessary ansr to this despatch, and in them are comprized your own views as expressed above. These minutes, most full and comprehensive, leave, I really think nothing to add; but if anything should occur to me as having been omitted, I will not fail to repair the omission.

I think that it would be best to mention the fact of the endowment of the Bishopric by Miss B. Coutts in a separate despatch. 11 It is a circe which is entitled to special admiration & gratitude. It should stand alone. What do you say to sending the Govr a copy of the Archbishop of Canterbury's Letter, 12 & Sir Edd's answer? The correspondence would then, probably appear before Parlt. By the way has Sir Edward yet informed the Queen of Miss Coutts' munificence? This point has, I have little doubt, not escaped his attention; only to guard,therefore therefore, against an oversight, do I enquire.

As we have not a minute to lose in the preparation of these drafts, which must receive Sir Edward's approval tomorrow, I will thank you to return this despatch to me at your earliest convenience.

Sir E. Lyttons First Minute to Mr Blackwood

To Govr Douglas—

I wish to explain that part of my last despatch which related to the supply of military force for the Collection of revenue in B. Columbia. The employment of an armed force for the purpose of obtaining Mining licence fees or customs dues would in itself be undesirable, and frought with danger even in a population more submissive than is likely to flock to B. Columbia—but in this instance, we have expressly to consider the imminent probability that ordinary soldiers exposed to constant temptation would desert to the diggings, & thus rather add by the example of their own insubordination to those who defy rather than assist you in enforcing the law; for while an Adequate revenue is not yet actively raised, would it be fair to impose upon the infant Colony the burthen of a larger Sum than is absolutely necessary in the way of extra Colonial pay—a burthen which nevertheless the policy of offering a remuneration that wd in some degree counteract the temptation to desert, would render unavoidable.

I think it of extreme importance to the social peace of this Colony that the Emigration [?] should, at the onset, be impressed with the necessity of providing for the security of their own lives & property & for the maintenance of that order which is the common interest of all, by the establishment of an adequate police, & a sufficient staff of Stipendiary Magistrates.

For this purpose I have sent to you the most experienced & trustworthy person I could select amongst the Irish Constabulary—(a body of men peculiarly distinquished for competence) 13 to serve as Inspector of the Police, & to carry out your instructions for the formation of a civil force of that character.

At the same time, I have not been unmindful of the importance of making it clearly understood by the adventurers that Great Britain extends the protection of her arms, if needed, to this new part of Her Majestys dominions. Hence the presence of a sufficient naval force in your harbour, I held to be indispensable from the first day, it was resolved to erect British Columbia into a Colony, I urged upon the Lords of the Admiralty the imperative necessity of sending a Naval force to Vancouver, & instructions were given to Admiral Baines [Baynes] to regard the securing of the New Colony as a paramount object. I trust the Admiral himself is already in your harbour, & that you have nothing now to complain of in a suitable Naval demonstration. I will beg you to report to me by the first mail, which vessels are now in your waters & whether you require more. And while I must earnestly commend to you the wisdom of training the Colonists to provide for their internal safety & for the peaceful obedience to the law by their own ready organization of a police force &, as settlers increase, by Volunteer Corps—yet on the other hand, should you deem a further British military force than that which has been sent, or is on the way to you, essential, & can perceive the means by which it may be kept from desertion & rendered securely serviceable, your wishes will not fail of prompt attention.

The superior intelligence & discipline of the Sappers & Miners, & their capacity at once to cover themselves in a Country without habitation, & the popularity they are likely to obtain by their services as engineers in expediting the work of civilization, induced me to select them from amongst Her Majesty's troops, as calculated to be of more effective use in imposing respect upon the population than twice the number of ordinary soldiers.

But besides these, I have sent out, under Col Moody, practical & skilful men for Cavalry & Artil[l]ery drill, who are intended to form a nucleus & framework in the Colony itself for such additional military force as may be required.

Colonel Moody agrees with me in assuming that in a population of gold diggers there will be always eno[ugh] disappointed adventurers in the prime of life, who would enlist at need, under the British flag. And thus, eminent officers being secured, recruits could be raised upon the spot, more rapidly & more economically than military aid could be sent to you from England.

It is my object in short to provide for all unforeseen Exigencies in the Colony according as they arise, but on the assumption that the common interest in life & property will induce the emigrants to combine amongst themselves—for ordinary purposes—& when danger needing military force arises will readily gather round and swell the force which will thus expand in proportion as circumstances require. From England we send skill & discipline—the raw material (that is the mere men) a Colony intended for free institutions & on the borders of so powerful a Neighbour as the United States of America, should learn, betimes, of itself to supply.

At the same time, while I request you to keep steadily in view the general principle I have laid down, I repeat that I shall receive with respect the [illegible] of your own practical experience & you may rest assured of such support as the safety & interest of the Colony may actually require.

I have but to urge upon you once more, the expediency of writing to me by every mail, with such information as may guide the measures of the govt & satisfy the eager cabinet which is [anxiously concerned?] in the future of this New Colony.

[Sir E. Lyttons Second Minute]
Govr Douglas/Minute

1st That I hope long ere this date his anxiety with respect to an adequate naval force will be allayed. That even before the Act which constituted B.C. into a Colony had passed, I had urged upon the Lds of the Admiralty the necessity of sending a frigate or Man of War to the preservation of order in the New Colony—that Admiral Baines had been, since the time in which he had replied to Govr D's request, informed that no post on his station was more important than B.C. 14 And that by the last advices 15 I was informed that Ad. Baines would himself leave Cossale 16 for Vancouver the 28th of August in his Flag ship the Ganges& would therefore be at Vancouver long since. That I confidently rely upon the Admiral, according to his instructions, providing for all adequate naval support to that important part of H.M. Dominions. That I request Govr D. to inform me by the next mail what vessels were now in the harbour for the special support of the civil govt & if more naval force was required it should have my immediate attention. That with respect to a military force—I observed with satisfaction that he said the affairs of Govt might be carried on smoothly with even a single Company of Infantry. That I had anticipated his requirements to that extent at the earliest moment—only instead of ordering infantry I had judged it preferable to place at the service of the Colony 150 Sappers & Miners—a force that seemed to me especially suited to the condition of the Country & the service, 1st because they could cover themselves at once in a territory without barracks, 2ndly because from the superior character of the Men, aided by the inducements of high extra Colonial pay, they were the least likely to desert to the Diggings & 3rdly because as they would immediately become instrumental in the work of civilization by the construction of roads and bridges—the foundation of a future city &c—they would probably not only be preserved from the idleness which might corrupt the discipline of ordinary soldiers, but establish themselves in the popular good will of the Emigrants by the civil benefits it would be in the regular nature of their occupation to confer.

I regret that this force has been unavoidably delayed in its departure, notwithstanding the unceasing care & pains I have devoted to the footing of the necessary preparations—but [owing] partly [to] arrangements with the W. office & due care in the selection of officers & men, & principaly the time demanded by the Admiralty & Contracter before the vessells containing the Men & stores were actively on the voyage had occasioned a delay in which I had fully sympathized in his own cause for anxiety. Then state the installment sent via Panama under Capt. Palmers & observe that by that detachment I had sent his own Commn as Govr having the first day I could get it signed by her M. in Council on her return from the Continent, taken it my self on board the vessell. State the forces & stores by "Thames" & Briseis & Euphrates—as Lord C. proposes. Then add, in the sense of the Minute I gave to Mr Blackwood viz Explain what was meant in the last despatch about a force for the mere collection of revenue—note the distinction I drew between internal disturbance & foreign aggression, &c.

You will add to this part, as given to Mr Blackwood, or insert in the midst of it, that we have sent now all the force Govr Douglas says he requires but add that if he needs more soldiers, & will specify the amt & thinks that mere soldiers, especially soldiers of the line can be preserved from desertion, & their Colonial pay defrayed from the Col. Revenues his wishes shall be complied with.

Observe that in our scanty acquaintance with the nature of the climate in winter, & the inexperience as to the native [?] amount of population which may remain during winter at the Diggings, we are unable to judge what degree of activity in mining operations may prevail during that season, what consequences may be the chance during those winters, of armed frays or collisions & to what extent revenue & Colonization may be then making progress. But we are led to anticipate that in the winter there must be that pause in immigration & its concomitant difficulties which may allow the preliminary settlement of Law—& police—enable him to communicate to us the probable wants & probable resources of the Colony so that when, at the return of Spring, Immigration & activity recommence all suitable preparations may be made, & the safety & development of the Colony ful[l]y & deliberately provided for.

It will be very essential for this purpose that he should instruct us by the best conjecture that sagacity of which he has given proof so notable may enable him to arrive at—of the probable revenue on which to calculate since in proportion to that revenue must be the rapidity with which we at home can aid in the growth of the Colony.

Refering to the laudable cooperation in the construction of the road which his energy has found in the good sense & public spirit of the Miners, State that I rejoice to see how fully that instance of the zeal & intelligence to be expected from the orderly efforts of immigrants aiding in furtherance of interests common to them all, bears out the principle of policy on which I desired to construct a Colony that was intended to perpetuate the great qualities of the Anglo Saxon race—the same characteristics which had made these settlers combine so readily in the construction of a road, would, under the same able & cheering influence which he proved he so well knew how to exercize, cause them equally to unite in the formation of a police, in the establishment of Law, in the collection of revenue in short in all which might make individual life secure, & the community prosperous. I trusted he would assure the hardy & spirited Men who had assisted in this preliminary undertaking how much their conduct was appreciated by H.M. Govt. I begged to add that I had conveyed to the Admiralty my sense of the valuable services so effectively rendered by the Satellite & Plumper.

I cannot conclude without a cordial expression of my sympathy in the difficulties you have encountered & of my sense of the ability, the readiness of resource, the wise & manly temper of conciliation with which those difficulties have been encountered & I hope ere this time in a great degree mastered by yourself. I doubt not that you will continue to shew the same vigour & the same discretion in its exercize & you may rely with confidence on whatever support & aid Her M. Govt can afford to you.


My dear C.

I send the draft of a Despatch to Douglas which must be carefully worded, as it will be called for in Parlt.

Do not therefore say you regret not to send more force, on the contrary as I suggest take credit for having anticipated & improved on the exact force he requires. He wants a ship—we have sent the Admls own flag ship. He wants a Compy of Infantry we have sent more than a Compy of Sappers & Miners. Be sure to get my Minute to Blackwood which should be somewhat condensed & its purpose incorporated in this despatch. It embodies the rudimentary policy as to force which cannot be too early made clear to Colonists.

Let me have time to correct the draft of the despatch—either it can be sent express to me (which I shd prefer for I can correct better here) or if desired I will come to town on purpose to correct it. 17

Lord Carnarvon
On this last point please observe what I have said on 10342.