Hudson's Bay House
                     
                  
               15th July 1858
               
               Sir
                
            
            
               I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of 
Mr Merivale's
               letter of the 
6th Instant, requesting me to furnish the
               Colonial Department with a Return (from the earliest period of
               the possession of 
Vancouvers Island Colony by the Hudsons Bay
               Company) of all land in 
Vancouver's Island sold to any individual
               or Company, with the names of such person or Company, the extent
               to which such lands are under cultivation, and the localities in
               which they are situated.
               
               In compliance with this request I beg to enclose a Return
               setting forth the quantity of land sold, the names of the
               several purchasers, and the Districts in which such Sales
have
 
               have
               been effected, made up to the 
10th October 1857, being the
               latest date to which the Hudson's Bay Company have received
               returns of Land Sales from the Colony.
               
               I beg at the same time to state that the Company have no
               information as to the extent of land which has been brought
               under cultivation.
               
            
            
               I have the honour to be Sir
               Your obed
t humble Servant
               
H.H. Berens
               Deputy 
Govr
               
               Minutes by CO staff
               
                
                  
                  
                     Parly Clerk.
                     
                  
                  
                  
                  
                  
                     Return presented to Parlmt 30 July 58.
                     
                  
                  
                     Put by.
                     
                  
                  
                  
                   
               
                
                  
                  Lord Carnarvon
                     This return seems to shew the sale of about 16000 acres to
                     private persons, omitting those entered as "Hudson's Bay
                     Company" "Puget Sound Company" and "
James Douglas" which are
                     considerable.  
Mr Douglas seems to have received a pretty good
                     stake in the island.
                     
 
                  
                  
                   
            
            
               Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
               
                
                  
                  
                     Return of land sales on 
Vancouver Island, no date, showing
                     names of purchasers, amounts purchased, and localities where the
                     lands are situated (four pages).