Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch to London
Douglas, Sir James to Pelham-Clinton, 5th Duke of Newcastle Henry Pelham Fiennes 7 May 1861, CO 305:17, no. 6109, 175.
Abstract
Douglas, Sir James to Pelham-Clinton, 5th Duke of Newcastle Henry Pelham Fiennes 7 May 1861, CO 305:17, no. 6109, 175.
Despatch to London.
Minutes (3), Enclosures (transcribed) (0), Enclosures (untranscribed) (3), Other documents
(3).
No. 34, Ecclesiastical
7 May 1861
I have the honour to transmit a Memorial to Your Grace from the
Reverend Edward Cridge B.A., District Minister of Victoria, praying
forthe
the fulfilment of the agreement with the Hudson's
Bay Company under which he was appointed District Minister of
Victoria; and also for the conveyance in trust of a portion of about
23 acres of land near the Victoria Church, known as the Church
Reserve.
the fulfilment of the agreement with the Hudson's
Bay Company under which he was appointed District Minister of
Victoria; and also for the conveyance in trust of a portion of about
23 acres of land near the Victoria Church, known as the Church
Reserve.
2. In forwarding these papers, I beg to apprize Your Grace that I
have laid the Memorialbefore
before the Attorney General, who is of opinion
that Mr Cridge has no legal rights as against either the Hudson's
Bay Company, or Her Majesty's Government.
before the Attorney General, who is of opinion
that Mr Cridge has no legal rights as against either the Hudson's
Bay Company, or Her Majesty's Government.
3. The Local Legislature in their last Session declined to make any
provision to meet Mr Cridge's Salary, and I am unable to see any
method whereby such provision can be made from any Funds undermy
my
controul. I nevertheless forward the memorial, and trust it may be
within the power of Her Majesty's Government to administer to the
relief of the Memorialist, whose case has excited much sympathy in
this Colony.
my
controul. I nevertheless forward the memorial, and trust it may be
within the power of Her Majesty's Government to administer to the
relief of the Memorialist, whose case has excited much sympathy in
this Colony.
4. With regard to the conveyance of the Church Reserve, which
certainly was intended solely as an endowment for the Victoria
Episcopal Church, andwill
will in all probability, become, in due course,
its possession, I would advise Her Majesty's Government not to move
in the question at present; because their interference could not
forward the object in view, and would give rise to dissatisfaction
whatever course may be taken; and I am of opinion that the decision
of the question may be safelyleft
left to the local tribunals.
will in all probability, become, in due course,
its possession, I would advise Her Majesty's Government not to move
in the question at present; because their interference could not
forward the object in view, and would give rise to dissatisfaction
whatever course may be taken; and I am of opinion that the decision
of the question may be safelyleft
left to the local tribunals.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Elliot
Mr Cridge has no claim on H.M. Govt whatever he may have in equity on the H.B.Co and I am acquainted with no source from which a salary can be provided for him. There is not a single Clergyman of the Church of E., or of any other Church that I know of in Van C. Isld & B. Columbia, Bishop included, who receives emolument from public funds. I apprehend Mr Cridge
cannot be made an exception to what
seems to be the rule in those Colonies.
Mr Cridge has no claim on H.M. Govt whatever he may have in equity on the H.B.Co and I am acquainted with no source from which a salary can be provided for him. There is not a single Clergyman of the Church of E., or of any other Church that I know of in Van C. Isld & B. Columbia, Bishop included, who receives emolument from public funds. I apprehend Mr Cridge
cannot be made an exception to what
seems to be the rule in those Colonies.
See 5176/59 and minutes thereon.
Duke of Newcastle
I annex a letter on this subject wh. I have received from the Bishop of Columbia—but I do not see what we can do.
I annex a letter on this subject wh. I have received from the Bishop of Columbia—but I do not see what we can do.
Direct the Govr to inform Mr Cridge that as it rested entirely with
the Legislature of V. Id to renew his engagement with the H.B.Co.
wh. had expired, and as they have declined to vote the necessary
salary, you regret that it is not in your power to comply with his
request—and that with respect to the "Church Reserve", no step can
be taken by the Govt, pending the settlement of the questions at
issue between them & the H.B. Co.—with respect to Lands claimed by
the Co. at Victoria.
CF
10
This is the only answer that can be given.
N
11
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Documents annexed to memorial, relative to Cridge's
original appointment and his request for renewal (11 pages), as
follows:
A. Barclay, Secretary, Hudson's Bay Company, to Cridge, 13
September 1854.
Memorandum of Agreement, signed on 12 August 1854 by A. Colvile,
Governor, HBC, and on 13 September 1854 by Cridge.
Cridge to Douglas, 24 February 1859.
H.H. Berens, Governor, HBC, to Lytton, 20 May 1859.
Merivale to Berens, 3 June 1859.
Douglas to House of Assembly, 10 September 1859.
Thomas Fraser, Secretary, HBC, to Cridge, no date.
Resolution of the House of Assembly, 20 September 1859.
Douglas to House of Assembly, 21 October 1859.
Resolution of the House of Assembly, 29 October 1859.
William A.G. Young, Acting Colonial Secretary, to Cridge, 8 August 1860.
Map of Victoria, 1861, by Surveyor General J.D. Pemberton.
Proceedings of the House of Assembly, 20 September 1859 (printed in
unnamed Victoria newspaper dated 22 September 1859).
Other documents included in the file
Memorandum by Reverend James Skinner, no date, transcribed below.
Documents enclosed with the main document (transcribed)
"Church Reserve" Vancouver's Island
The question is concerning certain land surrounding Christ
Church Victoria, given to that Church by the Hudson's Bay Co.—but
never formally & legally conveyed. At present, a movement is going
on in the Colony, to
evict the Church of Engd out of this land & to make it a second Public Park there being one such Park already.
2. In consequence of certain pending
questions between the H.B.Co &
H.M. Government, the former declines to affix its seal to the legal
conveyance of this land, lest such a step shd prejudice their other
claims.
questions between the H.B.Co &
H.M. Government, the former declines to affix its seal to the legal
conveyance of this land, lest such a step shd prejudice their other
claims.
3. Meantime, the inconvenience to the Church is most serious—
(1) The Church cannot be consecrated.
(2) The Burial ground cannot be consecrated.
(3) The Land cannot be let or turned to account.
4. The Bishops residence—built on this land with a view to Ch[rist]
Ch[urch] being
his Cathedral—is placed under dispute. A Lawsuit has been commenced
agst the [Bishop?] with the object of disturbing his possession.
5. The Church is in danger of continual annoyances & persecutions at
the hands of men, newly arriving in the Colony, who refuse to
acknowledge the Church's
prescriptive right of possession to w[hi]ch
the old established residents willingly yield. The Colonial Office
& the H.B.C. have the power of settling the question, without
entangling it with the other subjects in dispute.
prescriptive right of possession to w[hi]ch
the old established residents willingly yield. The Colonial Office
& the H.B.C. have the power of settling the question, without
entangling it with the other subjects in dispute.
7. The C.O. & H.B.Cy might
combine to take this land devoted to religious purposes
& involving the future welfare of the Ch. of E. in the Colony, from
the Category of other lands in a similar state of suspense. And it
might, at once, be conveyed legally, by their common consent, to
Trustees [marginal note: Who?], for the purposes to wch
it was originally destined.
& involving the future welfare of the Ch. of E. in the Colony, from
the Category of other lands in a similar state of suspense. And it
might, at once, be conveyed legally, by their common consent, to
Trustees [marginal note: Who?], for the purposes to wch
it was originally destined.
8. Should the fact of the
Cemetery having hitherto
been used by all Denominations of
religion in Victoria, be raised into a difficulty, it would be easy
to establish the same rule wch prevails at home—to
divide the ground into a consecrated & an unconsecrated part.
been used by all Denominations of
religion in Victoria, be raised into a difficulty, it would be easy
to establish the same rule wch prevails at home—to
divide the ground into a consecrated & an unconsecrated part.
Other documents included in the file
*
Bishop of Columbia to Fortescue, 15 May 1861, transcribed below.
Documents enclosed with the main document (transcribed)
By this mail the Governor has forwarded a Memorial from the Rev. Ed.
Cridge, Minister of Victoria District Church.
I beg earnestly to recommend him as an estimable clergyman, and his
case as one of hardship.
He rests his claim on an agreement with the Hudsons Bay Cy to the
responsibility of which the Govt succeeded in resuming the Island.
He would consider an equitable adjustment to be the sanction of H.M.
Govt to the payment of such amount as [may not be?] provided by the
land surrounding his Church.
This land called the Church Reserve was set apart several years ago
to that Church. The legal tenure is retained by the H.B.C. pending
their settlement with Govt.
An application has been made to them
to withdraw this from the dispute, and allow it to be conveyed to the
purposes for which it has been already given.
An application has been made to them
to withdraw this from the dispute, and allow it to be conveyed to the
purposes for which it has been already given.
We trust H.M. Govt will permit this arrangement & allow the formal
appropriation to be made.
At present much inconvenience and injury is caused. Several
important measures of our Church organization are obstructed. I am
unable to designate the Cathedral Church. Both the Church and Burial
ground are unconsecrated. The land cannot be leased.
[Illegible]
Moreover want of the Legal title threaten to produce difficulties and
contention in a country
where land is so exciting a subject.
where land is so exciting a subject.
Permit me to thank you for the kind and valuable assistance you have
rendered the cause of one Mission by your advocacy at the [Mansion?]
House Meeting.
Believe me my dear Sir
Very faithfully yours
G. Columbia
Very faithfully yours
G. Columbia
C. Fortescue Esq.