No. 11

I beg to inform your Grace that the official reports of the
Gold Commissioners, and District Magistrates of British Columbia
for the month of December last, present a very satisfactory
view, of the general condition and prospects of the Colony.
The weather has been uniformly mild and trade had sustained
no serious interruption from severe cold or deep snow.

2. Another most gratifying circumstance also consequent on
the mildness of the season is the fact dwelt upon in these
reports that the large droves of beef cattle and transport
animals wintering at Sumass, and in the Thompson & Buonaparte
Valleys, preparatory to being sent to the Mines, are doing
extremely well though not housed and improvidently left by their
owners to roam at large and pick up their food on the natural
range of the country.

3. The reports from Carribou mention that the mining
population did not exceed 350 men, the great body of Miners
having left the District on the approach of winter, and
that relatively to the numbers employed, the mines were
yielding as largely as  ever.

4. The annual exodus of Miners from Carribou, causing
the suspension of work for nearly seven months in the year,
retarding the development of the mines and affecting the
amount of public revenue to a most serious extent, is an
evil, originating almost entirely in the scarcity and high
prices of food, and it is one of those evils which must
continue to tell severely upon the industry of the Country
until the extensive tracts of arable land in the neighbouring
Districts, now lying waste, are brought into cultivation,
and the Colony is supplied with home grown food. It is
some consolation to reflect that so desirable a consummation
may be accelerated by the dearth of the present time; and
result in rendering agriculture a more attractive pursuit
and in teaching settlers by the inducement of cheap land and high prices to give up the mines for the more certain realizations of the farm.

5. In the meantime we are using every exertion, within
the power of Government, to mitigate the evil, by laying
out new roads and by improving the existing communications,
in order to facilitate the introduction of supplies of all
kinds from abroad, at a lower rate than the enormous charges
for inland transport, which have heretofore operated so disastrously
to the industrial pursuits and proper development of the Colony.

6. Had the supply of food in the mines, last year, been
larger and less costly a much greater number of men would
have remained there, and the returns of Gold as well as the
amount of public revenue been proportionably increased.
The exodus will probably be on a smaller scale this year, as
the climate is every day becoming less an object of dread,
and with greater facilities of communication, food may be
expected to be cheaper and more abundant.

7. I have lately seen some rich specimens of silver ore
and auriferous quartz found in Carribou which the discoverers,
if they can procure a sufficient command of Capital propose
to work this season.

8. I regret to add that the ravages of the Small Pox,
which made its first appearance in May 1862, have, notwithstanding
the most strenuous efforts, by vaccination and treatment, to
arrest its progress, been severely felt by the Native Tribes
who from ignorance or superstition would not resort to the
preventive measures recommended to them. A few of the
Colonists have also fallen victims, but the number of cases,
among the latter, which have proved fatal is not great.

9. As other matters of interest are touched upon in Mr
Commissioner Elwyns report I forward it for Your Grace's information.