<persName ref="prs:douglas_j"><surname>Douglas</surname>, <forename>James</forename></persName> to <persName ref="prs:grey_g"><surname>Grey</surname>, <forename>George</forename></persName> 6 March 1855, CO 305:6, no. 5019, 24. Douglas addressee Grey, Sir George

Published by Jim Hendrickson and the University of Victoria.

Douglas, James to Grey, George 6 March 1855, CO 305:6, no. 5019, 24.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/V55101.html. CO 305:06 CO 305 6 5019 24 1 V.I. 1855 received 28 May co_305_06_00025r.jpg Transcribed from microfilm archives, marked up in Waterloo Script, then transformed into TEI P5 XML.

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Despatch to London. Minutes (7), Other documents (3), Marginalia (4).

Douglas writes to Grey to acknowledge the receipt of Grey’s earlier despatches. Douglas expresses concern that the Imperial Treasury will not pay for expenses incurred by the HBC’s protection of the settlements on Vancouver Island, and notes his disappointment that the Island was not included in the Reciprocity Treaty with the United States.

The minutes advise as to which sections of Douglas’s despatch should be extracted and sent on, with related correspondence, to their respective departments.

The first of the three documents included in the file is a draft letter from Blackwood to the War Department, which forwards an extract from Douglas’s despatch, on the expenses for charter of an HBC ship; the second is a draft letter from the Colonial Office to the Foreign Office, which forwards an extract from Douglas’s despatch, on the Reciprocity Treaty; the third is a draft reply from Molesworth to Douglas, which discusses the customs incident between Swanston and Sangster, and related subjects.

 Douglas, James
Victoria Vancouver's Island
Grey, George Inserted revisionDesc with @status="unproofed". Changed idno @type="received" into a date element. Gave existing date an @type="sent" and reordered bibl contents.
No. 1 5019, CO 305/6, p. 24; received 28 May
Victoria Vancouver's Island
6th March 1855 Sir

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatches of the numbers and dates noted in the Margin, * with their enclosures.

I herewith transmit the return as directed by your Circular Despatch of the 13th of December 1854,which which is a mere blank; no Laws of quarantine having been established or considered necessary in this Colony.

** I observe by your Despatch No 7, of the 18th December last, that Her Majestys Government, do not approve of the measures adopted by me with the advice and consent of Council, for the protection of the settlements, and that they cannot sanction or hold themselves, in any way responsible for the outlay incurred on that account, as a charge upon the Imperial Treasury.

This decision on the part of Her Majesty's Government, places me in a position of peculiar difficulty, and leaves me no discretionary power, to protect the settlements in cases of great public danger. In the instance alluded to, the vessel chartered from the Hudsons Bay Company, was discharged after 20 days employment in theservice service of the Colony, and the expenditure on that account, amounts in all to 400.

I have been on all occasions, frugal I believe, beyond example of the public means, and it was with the utmost reluctance, that I was induced to incur the expenditure in question under the pressure of great public excitement, and from the consideration, that Her Majesty's Government would be justly dissatisfied, if the settlements suffered through any calamity, which it was within the reach of reasonable and ordinary means to avert.

I trust that in those circumstances Her Majesty's Government will not allow me to become the victim of my exertions for the public service, but will in due time provide for the payment of the expenditurein in question.

*** I observe by your Despatch No 8, that Vancouver's Island, is not included in the Reciprocity Treaty with the United States, a circumstance much regretted by the people of this Colony, who would have reaped very important advantages from its coming into operation here.

I have the honor to be Sir Your most obedient humble Servant James Douglas Governor I have etc. The Right HonbleHonourable Sir George Grey Bart Her Majesty's principal Secretary of State For the Colonial Department.
1. The ans: to the Quarantine Circular should be sent, as usual, to the Board of Health. *

2. The passages of this despatch which relate to the Governor's employment of the Hudson's Bay Co's vessel for the alleged defence of the Settlement should be referred to the War DtDepartment with refce to the former correspondence, and as 3. The Governor has mixed up three subjects in one despatch, which he has been requested not to do, I wdwould Suggest that he be directed to avoid a repetition of that irregularity.

ABd 29 May
The course proposed as to the above points may be followed but it would be well to ascertain whether anything should be done as to the including of V. Island in the Reciprocity Treaty with the U. States. Mr Merivale may have some acquaintance with that subject. JB 30 May
The passage relating to the Reciprocity Treaty may be extracted & sent to the F.O. without comment. The GovrGovernor will, I trust, be borne harmless for his expenses out of the Trust fund. JR May 30
Draft, Colonial Office to F. Peel, War Department, 9 June 1855, forwarding extract of the despatch relating to the expense "incurred in chartering the Hudson's Bay Company's Ship."
Dft to F.O. annexed. ABd
Mr Merivale If it is intended to throw the expense off this Country, & on the Company perhaps you will see whether that can be done. See the Clause in the Grant which I have marked. ABd
*
Draft, Colonial Office to E. Hammond, Foreign Office, 9 June 1855, forwarding extract of the despatch relating to the reciprocity issue for consideration.
Passed to Lord J. Russell with the draft to Mr Peel.

Dft to War DtDepartment annexed.

Adverting to Lord J. Russell's minute of the 30th ulto I would invite his Lordship's attention to Mr Peel's note on 6353/54. It is not known whence Mr Peel derived his information.

ABd
I think the letter may go as it is. It is to be presumed that the Foreign Office possesses full knowledge. JB
Draft reply, Molesworth to Douglas, No. 1, 3 August 1855, on the customs incident between Swanston and Sangster, and related subjects.
Originals No. 7, 18 December, and No. 8, 18 December 1854. Circulars 7 and 13 December 1854. Duplicates No. 5, 24 October 1854.
Extract to War Dt.Department War Dep 10301/54.
Extract for F.O. Gov 10700/54.
Done 1 June.