Mr Merivale
We have not kept the Governor of
VanCouver's Island apprized of
our proceedings at home in respect to the payment to the H.B.C.
of the sums &c laid out by them on
the Island, because, as I
conceive, we were not in a condition to tell him anything
definite, inasmuch as the account has not yet been adjusted.
But so long ago as
Feby 1856 Mr Labouchere desired the
Governor to send home, in
anticipation of a final settlement
between the Company and the Crown, an account of what was due.
The Governor having written back to say that he c
d make out no
such account we applied to the H.B.C. and with them only have
we since had any correspondence on the subject.
Mr Fortescue
This seems to me to require very serious & early attention.
In the grant of the soil of
Vanc. I. to the H.B.C. Government
reserved a power to repurchase
Vanc. I. on making payment to the
Co.
2
in consideration of sums expended by them and the value of
their establishments—at the expiration of the Co's exclusive license.
That license expired in
May last.
It has not been renewed, as you are aware.
It seems the Govr had intimation as long ago as Feb 1856 of the
probable exercise of this power of repurchase.
But since that time we have been settling accounts with the
Company, & they are not yet quite settled: & it does not seem
that any positive instruction has been sent to the Governor to
consider the Company's right to the soil as on the eve of extinction.
In this state of things—probably aware, one must suppose, of
the real position of affairs between
Govt & the Company—he
seems, at the very end of the license, to have taken on himself to
commence new buildings on a considerable scale
at the expense of the Company.
One cannot help supposing, he means us to repurchase them.
It seems to me that he ought to be written to by the next mail
(15th) to hold his hand until further instructions.
And that the Company should be written to, sending copy of this
projected despatch, & adding that
Govt are anxious for
immediate information as to what they may know of the Governor's
proceedings, adding, that Government cannot consider themselves
as in any way bound to make
compensation for buildings begun at
the Company's expense at a time when they, the Company, were &
had long been aware that their possession of the soil is about
to terminate, & only exists pending a settlement of accounts.