<persName ref="prs:seymour_f"><surname>Seymour</surname>, <forename>Frederick</forename></persName> to <persName ref="prs:grenville_r"><surname>Grenville</surname>, <forename>Richard</forename></persName> 18 August 1868, CO 60:33, no. 11064, 276. Seymour addressee Buckingham

Published by Jim Hendrickson and the University of Victoria.

Seymour, Frederick to Grenville, Richard 18 August 1868, CO 60:33, no. 11064, 276.The Colonial Despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871, Edition 2.6, ed. James Hendrickson and the Colonial Despatches project. Victoria, B.C.: University of Victoria. https://bcgenesis.uvic.ca/B68102.html. CO 60:33 CO 60 33 11064 276 102 B.C. 1868 received 10 October co_60_33_00276r.jpg Transcribed from microfilm archives, marked up in Waterloo Script, then transformed into TEI P5 XML.

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Despatch to London. Minutes (4), Enclosures (untranscribed) (4), Other documents (1), Marginalia (1).

This document contains mentions of Indigenous Peoples. The authors of these documents often perpetuate a negative perspective of Indigenous Peoples and it is important to look critically at these mentions. They sometimes use terminology that is now considered hurtful and offensive. To learn more about modern terminology pertaining to Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous ways of knowing, and decolonization, please refer to the Glossary of terms.

Seymour forwards the financial Returns up to 18 August 1868 for British Columbia. Seymour relates why there was a delay in sending the returns to Buckingham, and Seymour encloses a statement of the reductions made in British Columbia to bring the revenue in line with expenses and lay[s] before Buckingham a schedule of all the positions Seymour has discarded since Seymour has been governor of British Columbia and the united colony. Seymour describes why revenue decreased before the union of Vancouver Island and British Columbia and discusses the current state of the colony’s revenue. Seymour asks for a loan from the Home Government to pay the amount owed to the Bank of British Columbia. Robinson’s minute suggests sending the despatch to the Treasury. Rogers’s minute summarizes what Seymour asked for in the despatch. Adderley minutes that Sending the R.E. was a mistake. Included documents describe changes to British Columbia’s financial situation and public office positions.

Seymour, Frederick
Victoria
Grenville, Richard Added abstract. Inserted revisionDesc.
No. 102 11064, CO 60/33, p. 276; received 10 October
Victoria
18th August 1868 My Lord Duke,

Referring to my despatch No. 59 of 8th June, I have now the honor to forward the financial Returns called for in YourGrace's Grace's despatch of the 10th April, No. 22, replying to my despatch enclosing the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for 1867 and the Appropriation Ordinance No. 13 of 1867, and to that of the 30th November, enclosing Ordinance No. 27 of 1867, to confirm an Expenditure of $96,918 11/100 for the Service of 1866 not authorized in the Grant for that year.

2. Your Grace regrets thatthese these Estimates and the Ordinances founded upon them have been detained so long in the Colony. I would plead as an excuse for the delay in transmitting the supplementary Supply Ordinance for 1866, that I did not receive the Auditor's report upon the Supplementary Estimates with the details in full, until the 27th of November. * My despatch of the same month transmittedit it to Your Grace.

3. As regards my despatch of the 27th of September, I would venture to state that at the date of the Auditor's detailed report I was engaged on Public business in the neighbourhood of Queen Charlotte's Island. A few days after my return to Victoria I received a telegram with intelligence which appeared to my Council absolutely to require my presence atthe the mines of Cariboo, 600 miles from hence.

4. Your Grace directs me to furnish a definite and detailed report upon the retrenchments which have been made in order to meet the difficulties of the Colony, showing the periods at which they were made, whether by way of reducing Salaries and Offices or by way of stopping Public Works.

5. I

5. I enclose a detailed statement of the reductions we have made drawn up by the Acting Colonial Secretary. Union found the storehouses in Victoria filled with Cigars, Tobacco, Wines, Spirits, Silks, and all the Articles we depend most on for our Revenue, brought in while the Port was still free, and which passed untaxed to the mainland.

6. I do not see how inthe the present state of the Colony we could resort to additional taxation. The people who still remain are in a wavering state and the slightest Grievance would drive hundreds away, and add to the already large number of empty houses in New Westminster and Victoria. The Engineer Camp Buildings for which we had to pay to the Imperial Government £10,700 are totally desertedand and I have to pay an ex-Sapper to prevent the Indians occupying them or setting them on fire.

7. In connection with this subject I would call Your Grace's attention to Mr Young's Minute transmitted in my despatch No. 72 of 28th July.

8. I lay before Your Grace a schedule of all the Offices that I have abolished since I assumed the Government of the Mainland and of allthose those abolished since Union with Vancouver Island. It shows that I have had no easy or agreeable task in my administration of the Government.

9. The supply of dutiable articles in Victoria is however gradually being used up. The mines are prosperous. The almost cruel reductions I have made will, at great individual suffering, ultimately relieve the expenditure. Confidence seems to be returning.The The Revenue is increasing and if we could but be assisted with a loan at a moderate rate of interest by the Home Government to pay off the Bank of British Columbia I think the Colony would do well. A quiet but progressive prosperity is setting in more beneficial in the long run than the tide of immigration which rushing in turned peoples' heads and on its ebb left disappointed expectations,embarrassments embarrassments and misery behind it.

I have the honor to be, My Lord Duke, Your Grace's most obedient humble Servant Frederick Seymour
Sir F. Rogers The Estimates for 1868 have only just been sent to the Treasury, and this despatch should be sent for their Lordships conson in connexion with the Estimates.

The GovrGovernor & Col SecycompanySecretary again ask for an Imperial Loan, or grant in aid.

The Returns show what great economy has been effected by the Union.

WR 14 Oct
Four things were asked for

1. Statement of retrenchment by way of reducing salaries & offices. The large reply is that the aggregate establishment of B.C. & V.C.I. upon Union cost $306,930, while the establishment of the consolidated Colony costs in 1868 157,000. I do not doubt reduction has been carried to its extreme limit.

2. Retrenchment in public works. "Services" cost the two colonies in /65, $1,119,005 in /68 $415,543. This seems also quite as much as can be expected.

3. New taxation—is said to be impossible.

4. Of Increased efficiency of collection nothing is said.

Send correspondence to Treasy as proposed by Mr Robinson.

FR 16/10
This lets light in on the worth of [our W.T. Govts?] & the 3-fold staff of authority. Sending the R.E. was a mistake. CBA 19/10
Send to Treasury. B&C 23/10
Minute, W.A.G. Young, Acting Colonial Secretary, 28 July 1868, reporting the financial state of the colony, with enclosures.
Printed copy of "A Comparative Statement showing the Civil List of British Columbia in 1868, and that for the United Colony in 1867."
"Return shewing the Retrenchments which were made in the Year 1867 in the Colony of British Columbia."
"Return of the Offices which have been done away with, since Governor Seymour assumed the Government of the Mainland of British Columbia, and of all those abolished since Union with Vancouver Island."
Rogers to Secretary to the Treasury, 30 October 1868, forwarding copy of the despatch for consideration.
He should have called on the Auditor for an explanation of delay.