I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Mr Hawes's letter of the 11th Instant, (addressed to Sir J.H. Pelly, the Governor, who
is unfortunately absent from indisposition) desiring to be informed
whether the Hudsons's Bay Company contemplate adopting any measures for
a more permanent protection to the people in Vancouver's Island than can
be afforded by the occasional visits of Her Majesty's Ships of war; In
reply to which I have to state that we have never found any serious
difficulty in protecting the Servants and property of the Company from
hostile attacks of Indians, and we have every confidence that a
continuance of that temperate and prudent conduct towards them, which is
the rule and practice of the Service, will be the means of restoring a
good understanding with the tribes in Vancouver's Island with whom it may be necessary to maintain intercourse. By the Ship "Tory" which
sailed from hence on the 8th Ultimo we sent out a considerable number of agricultural and other Servants to Vancouver Island, and we do not consider it necessary to do more at present. —