Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Public Offices document
Bridges, W. to Colonial Office 1858, CO 305:9, no. 7920, 488.
Abstract
Public Offices document.
Minutes (4), Other documents (3), Marginalia (1).
This memo from the Mitre Life Insurance Office suggests the formation of a land company
based in London to promote emigration to Vancouver Island.
The minutes recommend that the CO make themselves ready for when the HBC relinquishes
control of land disposal on Vancouver Island and to enquire from Douglas what land is available. Merivale expresses his concern and lack of confidence in “London Land Companies.”
Enclosed is a draft from Carnarvon to Carlyle advising that the proposal would receive careful consideration; a draft from Carnarvon to the Emigration Commissioners forwarding a copy of the memorandum for their report;
and Carlyle to Lytton introducing “The Bearer, Mr. W. Brydges, of the Mitre Life Assurance Office,” testifying to his character and intellect.
Memorandum, [Bridges] to Colonial Office
Memorandum
It is proposed to form a Company to establish a settlement in
Vancouver's Island on the following basis:
1st. A block of land of one Million of Acres to be assigned to
the Company by the Government, to be paid for as & when disposed
of to settlers, at 10 per Cent of the selling price—the fund so
accruing to be applied towards the expenses of local government.
2nd. The lands to be disposed of to actual settlers, in town,
suburban & country allotments: the town lands in not larger
sections than one acre at £10 per section: the suburban lands
in sections of 25 acres at £100 per Section; and the outlying
lands at £1 per acre.
3. The price to be paid either in cash down or by say ten
annual instalments of £13 for each £100 worth of land.
4. Forty per Cent of the price of the lands to be expended by
the Company in the transmission of labourers to the settlement
and their employment in preliminary works, such as surveying,
draining, road making, and laying out the site of a town and
such other operationsas
as may be deemed necessary for
facilitating the profitable employment of labour & capital by
individual enterprise.
as may be deemed necessary for
facilitating the profitable employment of labour & capital by
individual enterprise.
5'th. A capital of £100,000 to be created immediately in
anticipation of the labour fund, to be raised from the sale of
land, to be applied at once in the preliminary adaptation above
specified.
6th. A reserve of [blank] acres of country land to be set apart,
to be granted free in moderate allotments, during the first year
of preliminary operations, to emigrants of the labouring class,
being British born subjects, on such conditions as may be
determined.
7th. Such reserves of town, suburban and country lands, as may be
agreed on between the Company and the Government to be set apart
for public purposes.
8th. An upset price, not exceeding 20 shillings per acre, of
which 50 per Cent shall be expended in labour or adaptation, to
be fixed by Government on all lands in the Island to be
henceforth disposed of by the Crown.
[No signature]
Minutes by CO staff
Sir Edward Lytton
After ackg Mr Carlisle's [Carlyle] Letter I should suggest that this memorandum from the Mitre Life Insce Office suggesting the starting of a Land Company to be managed in London should be referred to our ordinary & proper place of reference for all land questions, viz: the Land Board—where this project will be sifted, and a full report afterwards made to you upon it. I conclude that the object is to make ready the way so that when VanC. Isld reverts to the Crown next May this Company may commence operations. If there is any thing solid in this proposal we ought to know from the Governor whereabouts the land already granted is situated. Otherwise we may be selling land which is disposed of.
After ackg Mr Carlisle's [Carlyle] Letter I should suggest that this memorandum from the Mitre Life Insce Office suggesting the starting of a Land Company to be managed in London should be referred to our ordinary & proper place of reference for all land questions, viz: the Land Board—where this project will be sifted, and a full report afterwards made to you upon it. I conclude that the object is to make ready the way so that when VanC. Isld reverts to the Crown next May this Company may commence operations. If there is any thing solid in this proposal we ought to know from the Governor whereabouts the land already granted is situated. Otherwise we may be selling land which is disposed of.
ABd
9 August
Land Board, in my opinion, asking for general advice. I have no
confidence whatever in London Land Companies.
HM
Augt 10
Send to Land Board, & reply meanwhile, very courteously to Mr
Carlyle, to say that an answer will be sent—that apart from all
other objections to London Land Companies, land at Vancouver has
become so suddenly valuable in places, that it is expected that
land sold last year at 1£ an acre has been lately sold at more
than [cut off microfilm] an acre. And the [refnce] that in all
probabilty that it is only on the [spot]
[must lead An be sold] when the Island reverts to the Crown.
EBL
12
Other documents included in the file
Draft, Carnarvon to T. Carlyle, 20 August 1858, advising that
the proposal would receive careful consideration and
"an answer will be returned to Mr Bridges."
Draft, Carnarvon to Emigration Commissioners, 17 August 1858,
forwarding copy of the memorandum for their report.
Other documents included in the file
T. Carlyle to Lytton, 4 August 1858, introducing "The
Bearer, Mr W. Brydges, of the Mitre Life Assurance Office,"
and testifying to his character and intellect.
Minutes by CO staff
Sir Edward begs me to send you the enclosed minute
suggesting a desph to Gov Douglas by the next mail—Also a mem.
from Mr Bridges upon wh your opinion is visited.
Yours W.F. Higgins