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 20 January 1863, CO 305:20, no. 3140, 11.
Abstract
Douglas, Sir James to Pelham-Clinton, 5th Duke of Newcastle Henry Pelham Fiennes 20 January 1863, CO 305:20, no. 3140, 11.
Despatch to London.
Minutes (2), Enclosures (transcribed) (2), Enclosures (untranscribed) (3), Other documents
(1), Marginalia (3).
No. 2, Legislative
20 January 1863
My Lord Duke,
I have the honor of transmitting herewith a copy of my speech to the
Legislature of this Colony on opening the Chambers upon the second
day of the present month, and also copies of the addresses of the
Legislative Council and LegislativeAssembly
Assembly in reply thereto.
Assembly in reply thereto.
2. In opening the Session I strongly recommended that steps should
be immediately taken to expedite the passage through the Legislature
of the preliminary measures affecting the construction of the
Victoria and Esquimalt rail-way, that no time may be lost in
commencing so important a work; And I propose in the course of a fewdays
days to bring forward the Estimates for the service of the year 1863,
and to introduce a Bill intended to modify the procedure and reduce
the cost of collecting small debts which will complete the programme
of Government business for the present brief session which, as I
announced in a former despatch, willclose
close by limitation on the 28th
day of February next.
days to bring forward the Estimates for the service of the year 1863,
and to introduce a Bill intended to modify the procedure and reduce
the cost of collecting small debts which will complete the programme
of Government business for the present brief session which, as I
announced in a former despatch, willclose
close by limitation on the 28th
day of February next.
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Copy of speech given by Douglas at the opening of the Legislative
Assembly, no date, as per despatch.
Copy of Address from the Legislative Council to Douglas, 26 January
1863, signed by Roderick Finlayson, President, as per despatch.
Copy of Address from the Legislative Assembly to Douglas, 6 January
1863, signed by J.S. Helmcken, Speaker, as per despatch.
Other documents included in the file
Documents enclosed with the main document (transcribed)
Honourable Gentlemen of the Legislature Council and of the House of Assembly:
The requirements of the Public Service have rendered it necessary to call you again
together at this time after an unusually brief respite from your legislative duties.
The business which I have to press upon your attention is the consideration of the
Estimates intended for the 
service of the current year;- and also of certain bets for enabling compromises, properly
Constituted, to acquire the land necessary for their operations.
service of the current year;- and also of certain bets for enabling compromises, properly
Constituted, to acquire the land necessary for their operations.The importance of such measures in their present bearings on the employment of labour,
and on the prospective interests of the Colony, is so well known and so generally
recognized that I feel assured no unnecessary delay will occur in their passage through
the Legislature -
Government will have to 
extend its fostering care of the recently formed settlements at Cowichan and Comox - to provide for their protection and securily and to furnish such aid as may be
deemed advisable for the secular and religious instruction of the settlers in those
Districts_
extend its fostering care of the recently formed settlements at Cowichan and Comox - to provide for their protection and securily and to furnish such aid as may be
deemed advisable for the secular and religious instruction of the settlers in those
Districts_It affords me great satisfaction to state that the returns received from the Land
office show that there is a rapidly increasing demand within the Colony for the acquisition
of public land,- the areas conveyed by sale and occupied under the pre-emption get
without purchase, for the year 1862, being about 90 per cent in excess of the quantities sold, and otherwise conveyed,
in 1861_
of public land,- the areas conveyed by sale and occupied under the pre-emption get
without purchase, for the year 1862, being about 90 per cent in excess of the quantities sold, and otherwise conveyed,
in 1861_I may also allude to the gratifying circumstance that a highly respectable English
Association is about to form a settlement at “Questions on the West Coast of Vancouver Island- they propose to open 
Mines of Coal, to establish Fisheries, to embark largely in the Export of Deals and
Ships Spars; and in other branches of trade that Promise remunerative employment for
capital-
Mines of Coal, to establish Fisheries, to embark largely in the Export of Deals and
Ships Spars; and in other branches of trade that Promise remunerative employment for
capital-I will make no comment on the character of an enterprize of such obvious importance
to the progress of the Colony- I shall not fail to extend to it all the protection
and encouragement in my power, and I trust it may prove completely successful, and
fully realize the hopes 
of its spirited projections-
of its spirited projections-I will again call the attention of the Legislature to the great importance of providing
for a Geological survey of the Colony- a measure well calculated to develop its true
interests and resources. The mountain ranges which now so unprofitably occupy a large
portion of the Island are, with good reason, supposed to abound in valuable minerals. When that feet is
demonstrated by carefully conducted scientific explorations a new era will 
dawn upon the Colony, and sources of wealth will be laid open which must eventually
place it at the summit of material prosperity.
dawn upon the Colony, and sources of wealth will be laid open which must eventually
place it at the summit of material prosperity.Assistance will be asked from the House for the purpose of carrying that object into
effect; and also for encouraging that taking of cod and other fish on the coasts of
the Island: and as a means of stimulating trade and settlement, I shall propose a small grant,
to be employed in subsidising a steam vessel to ply, at stated intervals 
at Cowichan, Salt Spring, Nanaimo, and other intermediate settlements. Gentlemen of the Legislative Assembly. The estimates
for the year will shortly be laid before you, wherein I have provided for the various
services before alluded to, and for otherwise not herein specially noticed.
at Cowichan, Salt Spring, Nanaimo, and other intermediate settlements. Gentlemen of the Legislative Assembly. The estimates
for the year will shortly be laid before you, wherein I have provided for the various
services before alluded to, and for otherwise not herein specially noticed.Honourable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council and of the House of Assembly _
A Bill to legalise the 
collection of small debts, and to reduce the costs, and modify the present procedure,
will together with other measures, be introduced and submitted in course of the session
for your consideration_
collection of small debts, and to reduce the costs, and modify the present procedure,
will together with other measures, be introduced and submitted in course of the session
for your consideration_
To His Excellency James Douglas Esquire, Companion of the most Honourable order of the Bath, Governor and Commander
in Chief of the Colony of Vancouver Island and its Dependencies, Vice Admiral -
&c &c &c
The Humble Address of the Legislative Council of the Colony of Vancouver Island _
&c &c &c
The Humble Address of the Legislative Council of the Colony of Vancouver Island _
May it please your Excellency The Legislative Council begs to acknowledge your Excellency’s
Speech on the occasion of the opening of the fourth session of this present Parliament_
Speech on the occasion of the opening of the fourth session of this present Parliament_The Council begs, respectfully, to congratulate your Excellency on the continued prosperity
of the Colony arising out of the increase of Governance and Trade; the increase of
population and capital; and the increased demand for agricultural lands.
and
The Council desires to assure Your Excellency that the business which
which your Excellency has been pleased to submit to the Legislature will be carried
through this Branch of the Legislature with all possible Dispatch consistent with
the importance of the measures.
and
The Council desires to assure Your Excellency that the business which
which your Excellency has been pleased to submit to the Legislature will be carried
through this Branch of the Legislature with all possible Dispatch consistent with
the importance of the measures.(signed) Rodk Finlayson
President
President