No. 14

I have to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No 10 of the
16th April last reporting the discovery of Gold within the British
Territory on the Upper Columbia River District.

In the absence of all effective machinery of Government, I conceive
that it would be quite abortive to attempt to raise a Revenue from
licenses to dig for Gold in that region. Indeed as Her Majesty's
Government do not at present look for a revenue from this distant
quarter of the British dominions, so neither are they prepared to incur
any expense on account of it. I must therefore leave it to your
discretion to determine the best means of preserving order in the event
of any considerable increase of population flocking into this new gold
district; and I shall rely on your furnishing me with full and regular
accounts of any event of interest or importance which may occur in
consequence of this discovery.