No. 153

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch
of the 11th February No. 20 referring to the sale of Town Lots
at Langley and conveying to me your approval of my proceedings in
that matter.

2. I have perused with much attention your remarks upon the
subject of aliens acquiring Land, and I return you my best thanks
for the same and for your kindness in furnishing me with the
Canadian Acts, which will prove of great service, in legislating
for that Class in British Columbia.

3. With reference to your remarks respecting the position of
the Town I would beg to state that I was guided in choosing old
Langley as the site of a commercial Town chiefly by the partiality
displayed for that spot by the Mercantile community of the Country
*
whose instincts in such matters, is generally unerring.

4. The place moreover possesses great natural advantages
for trade being accessible by land from Semiamhoo, having deep
water, a bold shore and good anchorage. The land is also clear
of trees, and was surveyed at a very small expense, and therefore
perfectly suiting our pecuniary means.

5. The operation on our part was a financial measure rather
than one founded on any cogent reason of policy. The locality
was popular, and the land realized a larger return of revenue than
any other spot on the river would have done. You will doubtless
have perceived from my Despatch No 9, 5th November last that I
never proposed constituting Langley the Sea Port Town of
Frasers River, for which purpose it would not in my opinion have
been adapted owing to the obstructions caused by Ice in the Winter
and its greater distance from the sea than the proposed Port of
Entry, Queensborough.