Despatches from Governor Douglas. BRITISH COLUMBIA. No. 1. COPY of DESPATCH from Governor DOUGLAS to the Right Hon. Lord STANLEY, M.P. Victoria, Vancouver's Island, May 19, 1858. (No. 23.) MY LORD, 1. SINCE I had the honour of addressing you on the 8th instant, on the subject of the Couteau Gold Mines, it was currently reported that boats and other small craft from the American shore were continually entering Fraser's River with passengers and goods, especially spirits, arms, ammunition, and other prohibited and noxious articles, and as those acts are in direct violation of the Customs' Laws, as extended to the British Possessions in America, and infringe the rights of the Hudson's Bay Company, I took immediate steps to put a stop to those lawless practices, by issuing a Proclamation, of which a copy is transmitted, warning all persons against the consequences of such offences, and I have since applied to Captain Prevost, of Her Majesty's Ship "Satellite," for an effective force to carry out the measures proposed and set forth in my Proclamation. 2. That force it is intended to despatch to-morrow, under the direction of an officer of the Customs to be appointed specially for that purpose. 3. I also propose in a few days hence to make an excursion to the Falls of Fraser's River, for the purpose of inquiring into the state of the country, on which I will report to you on my return. 4. The American steamer "Commodore" returned to this port from San Francisco two days ago, with 400 passengers for the Gold Mines, who are preparing to leave in boats and canoes for Fraser's River. 5. The excitement about the Couteau Gold Mines is on the increase, and people are pushing from all quarters in that direction. 6. In our last accounts from that quarter, of the 8th instant, it is stated that 1,500 white miners, at the smallest computation, had reached the diggings, and that they were not finding much gold, in consequence of the rivers being swollen by the melting of the mountain snow. The river beds, which yield the largest quantities of gold, being all flooded, the miners were in search of other diggings, and had found gold in small quantities, probably from one to two dollars a man per day, in almost every part of the country which they have examined, and they expect a large yield when the rivers fall to a lower level. 7. Those accounts are sufficiently promising to nourish the prevalent mania for gold. On all sides the Americans are striving to force a passage into the Gold District through their own territories, attempts being at once made to open roads from Bellingham Bay, from Nisqually, and by the way of the Columbia River. 8. I am now convinced that it is utterly impossible, through any means within our power, to close the Gold Districts against the entrance of foreigners, as long as gold is found in abundance, in which case the country will soon be overrun and occupied by a large white population, whether it be agreeable to our wishes or not; while, on the contrary, it is no less certain that the excitement on the subject will soon altogether cease, if the diggings prove unremunerative, and the crowds now gathering on the banks of Fraser's River will in that case soon abandon the country, and return to their homes. The evil will thus work its own cure without interposition on our part. 9. In the meantime, with the view of escaping the greater evil of compelling people to have recourse to expedients for entering the country by unlawful means, I am striving to legalize the entrance of gold miners into Fraser's River, on certain conditions, which at No 1. Enclosure. BRITISH once assert the rights of the Crown, protect the interest of the Hudson's Bay Company, COLUMBIA. and are intended to draw the whole trade of the Gold Districts through Fraser's River to this Colony, which will procure its supplies directly from the Mother Country. 10. With those views 1 proposed an arrangement on the following terms to the Agents of the United States Pacific Mail Steam Ship Company, who, having steamers of every class connected with their operations in California, and a staff of experienced officers at their disposal, are perhaps better qualified than any other parties for carrying such an arrangement immediately into effect: 1st. That they should place steamers on the navigable route between this place and the Falls of Fraser's River, 130 miles distant from its discharge into the Gulf of Georgia, for the transport of goods and passengers to that point. 2d. That they should carry the Hudson's Bay Company's goods into Fraser's River, 3d. That they carry no passengers except such as have taken out and paid for a 6th. That arrangement to continue in force for one year from this date, and no 11. The Pacific Mail Steam Ship Company have promised to give a decided answer, accepting or rejecting those proposals, on or before the 24th of the present month. 12. If that arrangement be carried into effect, it will be of great advantage to the country at large, and give the Government a decided control over the mining population of the interior. 13. I trust, from its so thoroughly protecting every interest connected with the country, that it will meet with your approval. By His Excellency JAMES DOUGLAS, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Colony of WHEREAS it is commonly reported that certain boats and other vessels have entered Fraser's River for trade; and whereas there is reason to apprehend that other persons are preparing and fitting out boats and vessels for the same purpose: Now, therefore, I have issued this my Proclamation, warning all persons that such acts are contrary to law, and infringements upon the rights of the Hudson's Bay Company, who are legally entitled to the trade with Indians in the British Possessions on the north-west coast of America, to the exclusion of all other persons, whether British or Foreign. And also, that after fourteen days from the date of this my Proclamation, all ships, boats, and vessels, together with the goods laden on board, found in Fraser's River, or in any of the bays, rivers, or creeks of the said British Possessions on the north-west coast of America, not having a licence from the Hudson's Bay Company, and a sufferance from the proper officer of the Customs at Victoria, shall be liable to forfeiture, and will be seized and condemned according to law. Given under my hand and seal, at Government House, Victoria, this eighth day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, and in the twentyfirst year of Her Majesty's reign. By His Excellency's Command, Richard Golledge, Secretary. (Signed) JAMES DOUGLAS, Governor. God save the Queen. No. 2. COPY of DESPATCH from Governor DOUGLAS to the Right Hon. Lord STANLEY, M.P. (No. 24.) MY LORD, (Answered No. 8, August 14, 1858, page 47.) 1. SINCE I had the honour of addressing you on the 19th of May last, in reference to the Couteau Gold Mines, and the immigration of foreigners into Fraser's River, as well as the measures taken to assert the rights of the Crown to enforce the Revenue laws of the empire, and to protect the rights of the Hudson's Bay Company, I have, as therein proposed, made a journey to the Falls of Fraser's River, visited the gold diggings, and seen all the miners below that point; and I will now proceed to give a brief narrative of my proceedings, and the information gathered in respect to the auriferous character of the country in the course of that journey. 2. In consequence of the requisition for assistance made on Captain Prevost, Her Majesty's Ship" Satellite" was anchored off the mouth of Fraser's River, where I joined her on the following day, with the Hudson's Bay Company's propeller "Otter," in which we proceeded up Fraser's River, with the "Satellite's" launch and gig in tow, to Fort Langley, distant about 30 miles from the mouth of the river. 3. The Revenue officers found immediate occupation in the seizure of several lots of contraband goods, and taking 16 unlicensed canoes into custody. The latter being manned exclusively with gold miners, and containing only their mining tools, provisions, and personal clothing, without any merchandise for trade, I caused them to be released, granting a pass at a charge of five dollars to each canoe, and the amount, 80 dollars, so formed, was carried to account of the public Revenue. The contraband goods will be brought to trial on the 11th instant, under the 167th section of the "Customs Consolidation Act, 1853." 4. From Fort Langley we pursued our upward journey, in canoes manned chiefly by native Indians, and accompanied by Captain Prevost in his gig, manned with six of the "Satellite's" seamen. 5. After journeying four days, we reached Fort Hope, the next establishment of the Hudson's Bay Company on Fraser's River, and about 80 miles distant from Fort Langley. 6. The actual gold diggings commence on a bar of Fraser's River about one mile below the point on which Fort Hope is situated, and from that point upwards to the commencement of the Falls, a distance of 20 miles, we found six several parties of miners successfully engaged in digging for gold on as many partially uncovered river bars; the number of whites on those bars being about 190 men, and there was probably double that number of native Indians, promiscuously engaged with the whites in the same exciting pursuit. 7. The diggings became sensibly richer as we ascended the stream as far as "Hill's Bar," four miles below the Falls, which is the richest point workable in the present high state of the river. 8. The gold on those bars is taken entirely from the surface, there being no excavation on any of them deeper than two feet, as the flow of water from the river prevents their sinking to a greater depth. 9. Mr. Hill, the party after whom the bar is named, produced for inspection the product of his morning's (six hours') work, with a rocker and three hands besides himself, the result being very nearly six ounces of clean float gold, worth one hundred dollars in money, giving a return of fifty dollars a day for each man employed. That return the party observed was the largest day's work he had ever made on Fraser's River, and he further remarked, that the same good fortune did not attend him every day. 10. The other miners whom I questioned about their earnings, stated that they were making from two and a half, the lowest, to twenty-five dollars, the highest usual return to the man a day. 11. The greatest instance of mining success which I heard of in course of our journey fell to the lot of a party of three men, who made one hundred and ninety ounces of gold dust in seven working days on "Sailor's Bar," a place about ten miles above the Falls, giving a return of nearly nine ounces a day for each man employed. 12. Thirty miners arrived from the upper country during our stay at the Falls, with very favourable reports as to its productiveness in gold. They told me that they had prospected the banks of Fraser's River as far as the Great Falls, forty miles beyond the confluence of Thompson's River, and also many of its tributary streams, in all BRITISH COLUMBIA. No. 2. BRITISH of which they found gold, frequently in pieces ranging from twenty-four grains to half COLUMBIA. an ounce in weight, and they also observed that the gold was larger in size and coarser the further they ascended the river. Thus, for example, the gold found below the Falls is in thin bright scales or minute particles, while that found at the Great Falls is in pieces ranging, as before said, from twenty-four grains to half an ounce in weight; a circumstance which the miner believes to be indicative of a richer country beyond. 13. The country about the Great Falls has not been closely examined, but the miners generally report its appearance to be promising, and from anything we know to the contrary the whole course of Fraser's River, even to the Rocky Mountains, may be auriferous. 14. Those miners were prevented going further into the country for want of food, which compelled their return to the settlements for supplies. They were very successful about the Great Falls, and made from ten to thirty dollars to the man a day. 15. William C. Johnston, an old California miner, told me that he had prospected Harrison's River, and had travelled from thence to the Great Falls of Fraser's River, and that he had observed in the course of his journey much gold-bearing quartz, and the most promising indications of placer gold. Another old miner assured me that he had found large quantities of gold-bearing quartz in the mountains near Fort Hope, which he thinks will pay better than the California quartz rock; a report which was confirmed by other miners. The miners generally assert that Fraser's River is richer than any "three rivers" in California. 16. Thompson's River and its tributary streams are known to be auriferous, and I have just heard from Mr. M'Lean, one of the Hudson's Bay Company's officers, that gold has also been lately discovered on the banks of the Great Okanagan Lake. 17. Mr. Richard Hicks, a respectable miner at Fort Yale, assured me that he had found "flour gold," that is, gold in powder, floating on the waters of Fraser's River during the freshet, and he is of opinion that by means of quicksilver gold will be found in every part of Fraser's River, even to its discharge into the Gulf of Georgia. 18. Evidence is thus obtained of the existence of gold over a vast extent of country situated both north and south of Fraser's River, and the conviction is gradually forcing itself upon my mind, that not only Fraser's River and its tributary streams, but also the whole country situated to the eastward of the Gulf of Georgia, as far north as Johnstone's Straits, is one continued bed of gold of incalculable value and extent. 19. Such being the case, the question arises as to the course of policy in respect to Fraser's River which Her Majesty's Government may deem it advisable in those circumstances to follow. 20. My own opinion is, that the stream of immigration is setting so powerfully towards Fraser's River that it is impossible to arrest its course, and that the population thus formed will occupy the land as squatters, if they cannot obtain a title by legal means. 21. I think it therefore a measure of obvious necessity that the whole country be immediately thrown open for settlement, and that the land be surveyed, and sold at a fixed rate, not to exceed twenty shillings an acre. By that means, together with the imposition of a Customs' duty on imports, a duty on licences to miners, and other taxes, a large revenue might be collected for the service of Government. 22. As the Hudson's Bay Company would in that case have to relinquish their exclusive rights of trade, compensation might be made to them for those rights, by an annual payment out of the public Revenues of the country. 23. Either that plan, or some other better calculated to maintain the rights of the Crown and the authority of the laws, should, in my opinion, be adopted with as little delay as possible, otherwise the country will be filled with lawless crowds, the public land's unlawfully occupied by squatters of every description, and the authority of Government will ultimately be set at naught. 24. In anticipation of your instructions to carry some such plan into effect, I have communicated with Mr. Pemberton, the Surveyor-General of Vancouver's Island, and desired him to make temporary arrangements with any qualified persons he may find in this Colony, for the purpose of increasing the staff of surveying officers, and of engaging actively in an extended survey of the lands of Fraser's River, whenever your instructions to that effect are received from England; and in the meantime they can be usefully employed in laying out allotments for sale on Vancouver's Island, there being at present a very great and increasing demand for land in this Colony. 25. I beg also to remark, that it is my intention to confer on Mr. Pemberton the provisional appointment of Surveyor-General of Fraser's River, as he is a gentleman of great experience, and thoroughly well qualified, by previous training in the forests of Vancouver's Island, and great natural talent, for that responsible office. 26. I propose to form a large and efficient corps of surveying officers, to be placed BRITISA under the management of the Surveyor-General, and to authorize him, after due appli- COLUMBIA. cation to this Government, to establish branch offices wherever required, which will report all proceedings to the general office at this place, superintended by the SurveyorGeneral, who will be held responsible for the proper management of the department. 27. In consequence of the unceasing demands upon my time by the crowds of people who are flocking to this place, and the want of assistants, my secretary, Mr. Golledge, being greatly overworked, I have been compelled to prepare this report in the midst of numberless interruptions, and I beg that its inaccuracies may be overlooked and that I may receive your instructions by return of post, as the case is urgent, and calls for rapid and decisive measures in the outset, for in the course of a few months there may be one hundred thousand people in the country. I have &c. Governor. COPY of DESPATCH from Governor DOUGLAS to the Right Hon. Lord STANLEY, M.P. (No. 25.) MY LORD, Victoria, Vancouver's Island, June 15, 1858. (Answered No. 8, August 14, 1858, page 47.) 1. I HAVE the honour to enclose herewith copy of an address presented to me in the 12th instant by a committee appointed for that purpose at a public meeting Enclosure. lately held at this place. 2. I informed the committee, in reply to their address, that I had lately returned from the mines of Fraser's River, and that there was really no actual distress for want of provisions among the mining population in all the accessible parts of the country, and that care would be taken to provide for all their wants. 3. That I had no authority to throw open the trade of Fraser's River, which was secured by Statute to the Hudson's Bay Company; but that I had addressed Her Majesty's Government on that subject, recommending the opening of the Fraser's River district for settlement, and I was of opinion that course would be taken, and compensation be made to the Hudson's Bay Company for any sacrifice of interest they may be called upon to make. 4. I also informed them that the progress of this Colony occupied my careful attention, and that its growing interests would be carefully protected. - 5. I also promised to forward their address. SIR, To His Excellency JAMES DOUGLAS, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Colony of Ar a public meeting held on the 5th instant the following resolution was unanimously adopted, viz.: That a committee be appointed to draw up an address to His Excellency James Douglas, Governor of Vancouver's Island, and chief factor of the Hudson's Bay Company, for the purpose of obtaining free trade with the mining population on Fraser's River; and also that steamers and other vessels be allowed to run between Victoria and the head of navigation on Fraser's River and its tributaries." We, the undersigned, having been named to carry out the above resolution, beg respectively to solicit your Excellency's earnest attention to the following important points: 1st. It is notorious that the stock of provisions in the mining districts is utterly inadequate for the supply even of the present population, many individuals having been compelled to abandon their labours, and return to this and other ports, to obtain the common necessaries of life. Many settlers on this island are most anxious to carry supplies to their countrymen at the mines, but are prevented by the obstacles interposed by the Hudson's Bay Company, who have already seized goods to a considerable amount on their way up the river. Enclosure in No. 8. |