No. 234

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch
No 13 of August 1859 upon the subject of the Postal communication
with the Colonies of British Columbia and Vancouver's Island.

2. I regret to learn from this Despatch that Her Majesty's
Government have decided that the advantages which would be
derived by these Colonies in the establishment of a direct Mail
Service between San Francisco and British Columbia would not
prove equivalent to the large amount of subsidy required for
carrying out the undertaking—and that the same reason has
precluded the Government from entertaining the proposal for
a direct route via Canada and Hudson's Bay Company's Territory.

3. I observe that hereafter the correspondence for these
Colonies will be transmitted in closed Mails to Her Majesty's
Consul at San Francisco who is to forward them by the first
opportunity to their destination, and further that your Grace
instructs me to endeavour to secure the improvements in the
existing Mail Service which I pointed out as desirable in my
Despatch of 5th November 1858.

4. Those improvements pointed chiefly to the establishment
of a direct line between this and San Francisco, and I understand
your Grace's present instructions as requiring me to ascertain
whether such improvements can be obtained under existing
circumstances by combination with present arrangements.

5. Heretofore the United States Mail Steamers were under
the obligation of conveying the letters for Vancouver's Island
and British Columbia, if properly directed, to Puget Sound; and
before those steamers touched at Victoria, we received the Mail
from Puget Sound by any chance opportunity that offered. Since
however the gold discoveries in British Columbia the United States
Mail Steamers have found it to their advantage to call regularly
at Victoria, and, through the civility of the Post Office
authorities in San Francisco, a separate Mail Bag for Victoria
has always been made up and forwarded. The same will probably
continue to be the case under the arrangement of sending the
closed Bags to the Consul at San Francisco, except that the
conveyance of the Mail to these waters will then become a matter
of favor; but I scarcely anticipate any delay, for both the Post
Office Authorities, and the Officers of the Mail Steamers, are
invariably most accommodating and attentive.

6. But under this system your Grace will at once perceive
how entirely dependent we are upon United States resources, and
subject to the courtesy of United States Officials for the receipt
of our Mails, and that it is in their power, at any moment,
entirely to stop the communication. Another serious inconvenience
also attaches to the present system, and that is the almost utter
impracticability of replying to correspondence by the same Mail;
for the steamer arrives at uncertain periods, and generally
does not remain more than two hours, so that it frequently
happens that the Mail is actually not delivered until after she
has left the Port.

7. For some months past, until very recently, a British
Screw Steam Vessel, the "Forward," was put upon the line between
Victoria and San Francisco, and her owners were very desirous
of obtaining the Mail Contract—for with that prestige and
certainty there would have been ample inducement for her
continuance. Application was made to me on the subject, but I
could only mention the arrangement Her Majesty's Government
purposed making in England. The "Forward" has I regret to say
recently been withdrawn, not being able to compete with the
monopoly of the Pacific Mail Steam Ship Company. I learn
however she is still at San Francisco unemployed, and I am
inclined to think that but a trifling inducement would bring
her upon the line again, which is much to be desired for many
reasons. I have therefore—carrying out what I believe to be
the desire of your Grace—requested the Agents of the "Forward"
to make me an offer of the rate at which they would undertake
to perform the Mail Service between this place and San Francisco,
and so soon as a reply is received
*
I will forward it for the
consideration of your Grace.