The events which are now taking place on the North West Coast of
America, give so totally different an aspect to any colonizing project,
in that part of the world, to what existed six months ago, that I trust
I may be excused for drawing your attention to one point in the
conveyance of Vancouver's Island to the Hudsons Bay Company, which appears worthy of consideration.
The principal object had in view in using the Hudson's Bay Company
as a colonizing agent, seems to have been the more speedy occupation of
that remote portion of her Majesty's dominions in question, by British
subjects, which might be obtained through the means offered by their
official machinery, and other resources already on the spot; by which
inducements would be held out to immigrants not attainable in any other
manner. — Circumstances have, however, so altered the case, that what a
few months since was only a fair equivalent for services to be rendered,
is likely to become a very valuable boon and to prove a source of great
and immediate profit to the grantee's.
Under these circumstances I take the liberty of bringing to your
notice the propriety of appointing some person to watch over the
proceedings of the Company, in the Colony, and to report to Government,
by every opportunity, the steps taken by them to fulfil the conditions
of their contract. I think the necessity of some measure of the sort
will become apparrentapparent when it is remembered that the Government have
reserved to themselves the right of repurchasing the island in 1860 by
repayment of all sums expended. No supervision of expenditure, in the
mean time, is […] seems to be provided for; and the only information secured,
is a biennial report from the Directors of their own proceedings.
I am aware that the present is not the time to propose the creation
of New offices, but as their Charter stipulates that all civil &
military officers employed, in the colony, by the Government, shall be
paid by the Company, no difficulty it is apprehended would exist on that
score.
With many apologies for my presumption in thus troubling you