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     1ms [ ROYAL GAZETTE 
     
     (coma) 
     
     Government House, Ottawa, 
     
     18th October, 1869. 
     
     SIR,— 
     
    
   
   
    
     I have the honor to enclose copies of two Des- 
     
     patches which I have received from Earl Gran- 
     
     ville. You will, I think, concur with me in 
     
     thinking that your Government should he put in 
     
     possession of the purport of these Communica- 
     
     tions, inasmuch as they convey, in earnest terms, 
     
     the matured opinion of Her Majesty’s Govern- 
     
    
   
   
    
     ment, with reference to the great scheme of 
     
    
   
   
    
     Confederation. 
     
     I have, 850., 
     
     (Signed) ‘ 
     
     The Lt. Governor of 
     
     Prince Edward Island, 
     
    
   
   
    
     JOHN YOUNG. 
     
    
   
   
    
     &c., 850., «ice. 
     
     ~—No. 6.— 
     
    
   
   
    
     Cirr of a Despatch from the Earl Granville,K. 
     
     G-., Io Governor Musgrave. 
     
     (No. 84.) 
     
     Downing Street, Aug. 14, 1869. 
     
     Sm,— 
     
    

    
     IN my Despatch of the 17th June, in which I 
     
     mgunmnnicnted to you your appointment to the 
     
     government of British Columbia, I informed you 
     
     that I should probably have occasion to address 
     
     you on the question, then in agitation, of the in- 
     
     corporation of the Colony with the Dominion of 
     
     Canada. .  ~ 
     
    

    
     You are aware that Her Majesty’s Government 
     
     have hitherto declined to entertain this question, 
     
     mainly because it could not arise practically till 
     
     the territory of the Hudson’s Bay Company was 
     
     annexed to the Dominion, but also, perhaps, in 
     
     the expectation that the public Opinion of British 
     
     Columbia might have opportunity to form and de- 
     
     clare itself. 
     
    

    
     I have now to inform you that the terms on 
     
     which fltupert’s.iLand and the North West Terri- 
     
     tory are to be united to Canada, have been agreed 
     
     to by the parties concerned, and the Queen will 
     
     probably be advised before long to issue an order 
     
     in Council which will incorporate, in the Domi- 
     
     nion of Canada. the whole of the British Posses- 
     
     sions on the North American Continent, except 
     
     the then conterminousColony of British Columbia. 
     
    

    
     The question, therefore, prescntsitself whether 
     
     this single Colony should be excluded from the 
     
     great body, politic which is thus forming itself. 
     
     Un this question the Colony itselfdoes not ap- 
     
     pear to be unanimous. But as far as I can judge 
     
     from the Dcspatches which have reached me,—I 
     
     should conjecture that the prevailing opinion was 
     
     in favor of union. I have no hesitation in statin 
     
     that such is also the opinion of Her Majesty’s 
     
     Government. ' . 
     
    

    
     They believe that a Legislature selected from 
     
     an extended area, and representing a diversity of 
     
     interests, is likely to deal more comprehensively 
     
     with large questions, more impartiall y with small 
     
     questions, and more conclusively with both, than 
     
     is possible when controversies are carried on and 
     
     decided upon in the comparatively narrow Cirle 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     in which they ariscwqiiestions of purely local in- 
     
     terest will be more careiully and dispassionately 
     
     considered when disengaged lrom the larger poli— 
     
     tics of the country, and at the same time will be 
     
     more sagaciously considered by persons who have. 
     
     had this larger political education. Finally, they 
     
     anticipate that the interest of every Province of 
     
     British North America will be more advanced bv 
     
     enabling the wealth, credit, and intelligence (if 
     
     the whole to be bronoht to bear on every part, 
     
     than by encouraging each in the contracted policv 
     
     of taking care of itself, possibly at the expense of 
     
     its neighbor. Most especially is this true in the. 
     
     case ot'internal transit. It is evident the estab- 
     
     lishment of a British line of communication be— 
     
     tween the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans  far more 
     
     feasible by the operations ofa single Government 
     
     responsible for the progress of both shores of the. 
     
     Continent, than by a bargain negotiated between 
     
     separate-perhaps in some respects rival—Gov- 
     
     ernmcnts and Legislatures. The San FranciSCo 
     
     of British North America would, under these cir- 
     
     cumstances, hold a greater commercial and poli~ 
     
     tical position than would be attainable by the 
     
     capital of the isolated Colony of British Columbia. 
     
     Her Majesty’s Government are aware that the dis- 
     
     tance between Ottawa and Victoria presents a 
     
     real difiiculty in the way of immediate union 
     
    

    
     But that very difficulty will not be without its 
     
     adantagc if it renders easy communication indis- 
     
     pcnsable, and forces onwards the operations which 
     
     are. to complete it. In any case it is an under- 
     
     tood inconvenience, and a diminishing one 
     
    

    
     and it appears far better to accept it as aktcmpo: 
     
     rary drawback on the advantages of union, than 
     
     to wait for these obstacles, often more intractable 
     
    

    
     which are sure to spring up after a neglected 0p: 
     
     portunity. ‘ 
     
    

    
     The constitutional connexion of Her Majesty ’s 
     
     Government with the Colony of British Columbia 
     
     is, as yet, closer than with any other part of 
     
     North America; and they are bound, on an occa- 
     
     sion like the present, to give, for the considerab 
     
     1ion ot'tho community and the guidance of Her 
     
     Majesty’s servants,a more unreserved expression 
     
     of their wishes and judgment than might be else— 
     
     where fitting. 
     
    

    
     You will, therefore, give publicity to this Des- 
     
     patch. a copy of which I have communicated to 
     
     the Governor-General of Canada: and you will 
     
     hold yourself authorised, either in communication 
     
     with Sir John Young, or otherwise, to take such 
     
     steps as you properly and constitutionally can for 
     
     promoting the favorable consideration of this ques- 
     
     tron. 
     
    

    
     It will not escape you, that in acquainting vou 
     
     with the general views of the Government, 1 huaw 
     
     avoided all matters of detail, on which the wishes 
     
     of the people and the Legislature will of course 
     
     be declared in due. time. I’think it necessary 
     
     howeyer, topbserve that the constitution of Bri: 
     
     tish Columbia wdl oblige the Governor to enter 
     
     personally upon many questions—as the condi- 
     
     tion of Indian tribes and the future position of 
     
     Governmept servants, with which, in the case of 
     
     a negotiation between two Responsible Govern~ 
     
     ments, he would not be bound to concern himself. 
     
    

    
     I have. &c., 
     
    
   
   
    
     (Signed :; G RANVILLH.