In the meantime, Her Majesty’s Government approve of the course which you have adopted in asserting both the dominion of the Crown over this region, and the right of the Crown over the precious metals. They think, however, that you acted judiciously in waiting for further instructions before you endeavoured to compel the taking out of licences, by causing any force to be despatched for that purpose from Vancouver’s Island.
They wish you to continue your vigilance, and to apply for instructions on any point on which you may require them. They are, however, in addition, particularly anxious to impress on you, that while Her Majesty’s Government are determined on preserving the rights, both of government and of commerce, which belong to this country, and while they have it in contemplation to furnish you with such a force as they may be able to detach for your assistance and support in the preservation of law and order, it is no part of their policy to exclude Americans and other foreigners from the gold fields. On the contrary, you are distinctly instructed to oppose no obstacle whatever to their resort thither for the purpose of digging in those fields, so long as they submit themselves, in common with the subjects of Her Majesty, to the recognition of her authority, and conform to such rules of police as you may have thought proper to establish. The national right to navigate Fraser River is, of course, a separate question, and one which Her Majesty’s Government must reserve.
Under the circumstance of so large an immigration of Americans into English territory, I need hardly impress upon you the importance of caution and delicacy in dealing with those manifold cases of international relationship and feeling which are certain to arise; and which, but for the exercise of temper and discretion, might easily lead to serious complications between two neighbouring and powerful states.
It is impossible by this mail to furnish you with any instructions of a more definite character. Her Majesty’s Government must leave much to your discretion on this most important subject; and they rely upon your exercising whatever influence and powers you may possess in the manner which from local knowledge and experience you conceive to be best calculated to give development to the new country, and to advance imperial interests. I have, etcetera, (Signed) E. Bulwer Lytton.
Governor Douglas, etcetera, etcetera.
Charter Incorporating the Hudson’s Bay Company.
In 1670, a royal charter was granted by Charles the Second, for incorporating the Hudson’s Bay Company. The grant to the company was of “the sole trade and commerce of all those seas, straits, bays, rivers, lakes, creeks, and sounds, in whatsoever latitude they shall be, that lie within the entrance of the straits, commonly called Hudson’s Straits, together with all the lands and territories upon the countries, coasts, and confines of the seas, bays, lakes, rivers, creeks and sounds aforesaid, that are not already actually possessed by or granted to any of our subjects, or possessed by the subjects of any other Christian prince or State, with the fishing of all sorts of fish, whales, sturgeons, and all other royal fishes in the seas, bays, inlets, and rivers within the premises; and the fish therein taken, together with the royalty of the sea upon the coasts within the limits aforesaid, and all mines royal, as well discovered as not discovered, of gold, silver, gems, and precious stones to be found or discovered within the territories, limits, and places aforesaid;” and the charter declares that “the said land be from henceforth reckoned as one of our plantations or colonies in America, called Rupert’s Land.”
Comparison between Price of Labour in Australia and California or British Columbia.
From the Times’ Correspondent.
I take the wages in Australia from a Melbourne paper of 16th March, which gives the wages current at that time! I received it direct a few days ago. I reduce our American currency into sterling at 48 pence to the dollar, that being about its current value here.