<persName ref="prs:douglas_j"><surname>Douglas</surname>, <forename>James</forename></persName> to <persName ref="prs:stanley"><surname>Stanley</surname>, <forename>Edward</forename> <forename>Henry</forename></persName> 25 July 1858, CO 305:9, no. 9254, 157. Douglas addressee Stanley

Published by Jim Hendrickson and the University of Victoria.

Douglas, James to Stanley, Edward Henry 25 July 1858, CO 305:9, no. 9254, 157.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/V58032.html. CO 305:09 CO 305 9 9254 157 32 V.I. 1858 received 10 September co_305_09_00157r.jpg Transcribed from microfilm archives, marked up in Waterloo Script, then transformed into TEI P5 XML.

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Despatch to London. Minutes (2), Enclosures (untranscribed) (3), Other documents (3).

Douglas reports that sailors have been deserting from the Satellite and Plumper. The remaining crew has been offered double pay which Douglas fears may not be enough to prevent more desertions. He will keep their salary doubled until the CO directs him otherwise.

The minutes indicate that they will pass on Douglas’s report to the Foreign Office, as the two ships are performing an FO duty running the Maritime Boundary line. They sanction Douglas’s conduct in advancing Territorial Revenue to double the seamen’s pay.

Enclosed is correspondence between Douglas, Prevost and Richards regarding desertion and increased pay; two drafts forwarding Douglas’s despatch to the Foreign Office and the Hudson’s Bay Company; and a draft reply from Lytton to Douglas approving his actions.

 Douglas, James Stanley, Edward Henry Inserted revisionDesc with @status="unproofed". Changed idno @type="received" into a date element. Gave existing date an @type="sent" and reordered bibl contents.
No. 32 9254, CO 305/9, p. 157; received 10 September 25 July 1858

1. I have the honor of transmitting herewith copy of a correspondence with Her Majesty's Boundary Commissioners, Captains Prevost and Richards on the subject of an increase of pay, which they begged might be given to the ships companies of the "Satellite" and "Plumper" under their command.

2. You

2. You will observe that they were alarmed about the desertion of their men, fearing that in consequence of the want of hands, it might be out of their power to maintain their ships in a state of efficiency.

3. Their fears were not groundless as many men had at the date of Captain Prevost's letter, deserted from the "Satellite" and others were preparing to follow their example.

4. As the matter was urgent and there was no time for referring the question to the Admiralty, as the ships might in a few days, have been deserted by their crews, I authorized Captain Prevost to announce without delay to the companies of Her Majesty's Ships "Satellite" and "Plumper"that that they would hereafter receive an allowance from the Territorial Revenue equal to their rate of pay from the Crown.

5. The men of those two ships are now therefore receiving double their pay, and there are so many inducements for desertion that it is possible they may not remain even on those terms, but certainly not for the regular pay of the service.

6. Should that measure not meet with your approval, I will discontinue the extra pay, at any time you may direct, and continue it until I receive your instructions on the subject.

I have etc.
Mr Merivale This proceeding appears to me an abundant justification for our paying the R. Engineer party good wages. I hope that what has been settled for the private Soldiers will be found to be enough to keep them from deserting. As the "Satellite" and "Plumper" are performing a For: Office duty in running the Maritime Boundary line I think we should communicate this desphdespatch &c to that DtDepartment as well as to the Admy adding that the proceeding which has been requested obtains Sir Edward Lytton's approval.

I think we should further send copies of those Papers to the H.B.Co for their information. I presume that the payments in question will be made out of the "Territorial Revenue" of British Columbia—which Country occasions this extra expense.

Finally sanction the Governors conduct.

ABd 11 Sepr HM S 15
Captain James C. Prevost, HMS Satellite, to Douglas, 28 June 1858, describing events relative to his recent expedition to Fraser River, and informing of the problem of desertion from his ship to the gold fields.
Douglas to Prevost, 5 July 1858, advising that the territorial revenue would at once advance funds to double the pay of seamen on his ship.
Captain George Henry Richards, HMS Plumper, to Douglas, July 1858, asking for the same pay increase as recently granted to the Satellite.
Draft, Colonial Office to E. Hammond, Foreign Office, 23 September 1858, forwarding copy of the despatch.
Draft, Colonial Office to H. Berens, Hudson's Bay Company, forwarding copy of the despatch.
I hardly think this need be sent to the H.B.Co. This extra pay is to come out of the territorial Revenue of B. Columbia, I presume. But the Governor is not clear in his infn on this point. ABd HM
*
Draft reply, Lytton to Douglas, No. 24, 24 September 1858.