I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of Mr Hawes' letter of the
7th Instant 〜 transmitting copy of a Despatch from Governor Blanshard
tendering his resignation of his office, and communicating that Her Majesty had been graciously pleased to accept the same, and enquiring whether the Hudson's Bay Company had any Gentleman to recommend for the Situation. ⎯
In answer to this enquiry, I have to state that the Governor and Committee consider that in the present state of Vancouver's Island as respects the Native Indians and the white population it is of importance that the Governor should possess some experience in conducting the requisite intercourse with the Indians and for this and other reasons they have requested me to recommend James Douglas Esqre Chief Factor of the Hudson's Bay Company and Manager of their affairs in the Island as well qualified to fill the Office.
I take this opportunity of stating that the Governor and Committee are surprised at the observations made by Mr Blanshard respecting the conduct of the Company towards him which they feel to be unjust
He was offered a passage in one of the Company's Ships, but
declined it, and preferred proceeding by the Steam Packet to Chagres and
thence by Panama to the Island. ⎯ The Governor and Committee understood that this course was to be at his own expence, and when a Bill for £100
was drawn upon them by him from Jamaica, it was referred to his own
relations in London. ⎯ But afterwards on hearing from him that there was
some mis--apprehensionmisapprehension respecting the expence of his journey by the route which he had taken, he was informed that the amount was placed to his
credit, and he must have been in possession of this decision at the date of his letter vizt 18th November 1850
It was necessary to im--portimport provisions from the Oregon Territory and
elsewhere, cultivation on the Island at that time being insufficient for the supply of the Company's Establishment there, and the prices may have
been high but the Governor and Committee are confident that neither the
prices of provisions, nor of European Articles were enhanced or "run up"
by the Company as alleged by Mr Blanshard who in point of fact had a
Seat at the table kept at the Company's Establishment