No. 100

I have the honor to forward to Your Lordship the "Blue Book" of
British Columbia for the Year 1869 with an able report upon
these Annual Returns which has been prepared by Mr Charles Good,
the Assistant Colonial Secretary.

I could add but little with any advantage to the observations of
Mr Good, and the comparisons which he has given with former
years, beyond what is already known to Your Lordship of the
state of the Colony from previous correspondence. I was
resident in the community but a short portion of the period to
which these Returns relate, and the public business had already
been arranged, and had assumed its general character for the
Year, before my arrival.

2. The Colony now is in a state of transition to Union with the
Dominion of Canada, which must greatly modify existing political
arrangements, and will, I cannot doubt, most favorably affect
the material progress of the Community; but on the questions
arising from the present condition of affairs, I can best
address Your Lordship in separate Despatches.