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VICTORIA, VANCOUVER'S ISLAND,
MAY 9.
I am sorry to have to communicate the unto-
ward fact that our old friend General Harney
is still determined that he and we shall not con-
tinue good neighbours. He denies our right to a
j tint military occupation of the celebrated Island
of San Juan, where, as I mentioned the other day,
our authorities had posted a body of soldiers equal
in number to the American forces on the island,
with the " object of protecting British interests
and with a view to joint occupation." The General
still wishes to have things all his own way or to
foment a quarrel, and now says our men are there
on sufferance, and reasserts the sole sovereignty of
America over the disputed island.
To enable you to understand the actual state of
the matt .1. I must revert to the period of. General
Scott's visit to these parts-on his mission of peace.
General Scott proposed, " without prejudice to the
claim of either nation to the sovereignty of the en-
tire island, that each (nation) shall occupy a sepa-
rate portion of the island by a detachment, &c.,
not exceeding 100 men, with their appropriate
arms only, for the equal protection of their respec-
tive countrymen," &c. To this proposition Gover-
nor Douglas could not agree, as he had no autho-
rity, and had not even heard from his own Govern-
ment since he had communicated the facts of Ge-
neral Harney's " occupation" and assumption of
sole sovereignty ; but the Governor proposed the
re-establishment of the status of the island by the
withdrawal of the American forces from the menac-
ing position they occupied and " joint civil occu-
pation." General Scott opposed to this proposal a
legal objection, that a civil magistrate placed " on
neutral territory" could not be subjected to the
proper control of the President or of the army."
This was in fact the General's objection, and I may
remark that it strikes a legal mind with some force,
considering all the circumstances of the position at
the time. The General, however, seeing his way to
the solution of the then existing difficulties only
through the medium of a joint military occupation,
renawed his proposal, and furnished the Governor
with a carefully written plan or project for carrying
his views into execution. Still, the Governor felt
himself compelled to decline " without the sanction
and express instructions of his Government," in a
letter dated the 3d of November. Two days after-
wards General Scott writes that, feeling confident,
from the assurance in his Excellency's letter, that
there was no intention to dislodge by force the
United States' troops on the island, " and being per-
fectly persuaded that from the very cordial rela-
tions which now happily subsist between the
United States and Great Britain," no instructions
need be expected from the English Government of
a hostile character, he does not hesitate at once to
order the American troops to be reduced to one de-
tachment. On the very day of the date of this let-
ter of General Scott, the sth of November, he, with
military promptitude and to evince his earnest de-
sire for continuing friendly relations, as well as to
show his confidence in the pacific intentions of
our Government, issued an order for the removal
of all the troops except Captain Hunt's company.
General Scott also gave very prudent orders to
the officer left in command of this company. He
told him, for his instruction and guidance, that he
was to remember that " the sovereignty of the
island was still in dispute, and that British subjects
had equal rights with American citizens on the
island." He furnished him with copies of his com-
munications to the Governor of Vancouver's Island,
and Expressed his wish that he should follow their
spirit in the execution of the delicate and import-
ant trust confided to him, having full " confidence
in your intelligence, discretion, and in (what is of
equal importance in this case) your courtesies."
The General's instructions were followed. Captain
Hunt remained with his company, encamped at the
southern end of the island ; and it is only bare jus-
tice here to observe that General Scott could not
have been more happy in his choice of an officer.
Captain llunt is a man of unusual intelligence,
mild and unassuming manners, and very gentleman-
like in his deportment. All impartial judges say
he executed his " delicate trust" admirably and
just as a gentleman and an officer should—testimony
which my own acquaintance with him enables me
to corroborate.

Late in March last Admiral Baynes, acting in
concert with the Governor, and on orders from the
Government, sent a force of marines equal to that of
the United States, then under Captain Hunt, to the
north end of the island, " with only their appro-
priate arms," where they are encamped at a dis-
tance of about 15 miles from the American camp.
It is proper to state that great courtesy was ob-
served towards the American officer in command
on the occasion of our men being sent to thaisland.
Nothing like disguise or mystery was practised.
Captain Hunt was apprised of the Admiral's in-
tention.to land his marines before they were landed,
and a copy of the instructions to the officer who
commanded them was sent to him.

The object of sending our men to the island was,
as I have already said, to protect British interests,
and with the view to a joint military occupation,
just as General Scott proposed.
Mntual civilities and courtesies passed very fre-
quently between the American officers and the Eng-
lish ; they amused themselves together, became
good friends, and got on very well. The men,
taking the cue from their officers, also " frater-
nized, and the last news I heard from our camp
before the untoward circumstances alluded to in
the first part of this letter occurred reported that
the English soldiers had just paid a friendly visit
to the American camp, and that the visit passed off
very agreeably to all-parties.
A little time back I was informed that General
Harney intended to remove Captain Hunt, because
he was "too partial to the English." Some of the
squatters, who prowl about the island, didn't like it.
The captain had "English proclivities," which
shocked their nice feelings of nationality, and they
had reported their grievances to General Harney,
and with the desired effect.
It may be as well to mention, as it is necessary•to
a correct appreciation of the present position of
affairs, that Capt. Pickett was the officer who first
"occupied" the island last year, and who made pro-
clamation that it was sole American territory, and
encouraged squatters to "settle" on it, and who
was destined by General Scott to be left, after his
own departure for Washington, in San Juan in
charge of the American forces ; but on a sugges-
tion, it is said, of the British authorities, the Gene-
ral saw fit to change the order, and substituted Cap-
tain Hunt for Capt. Pickett.
I should be sorry to utter a word derogatory to
Capt. Pickett as an officer. He executed a difficult,
although not a dangerous, mission with some ad-
dress; but it is notorious that his sentiments are
rabidly anti-English and prejudiced if his own
countrymen do not belie him. He is universally
called a Harneyite in contradistinction to the other
officers who were stationed with him, and who were
all opposed to Gen. Harney's insane proceedings.
Gen. Scott exhibited much good sense in his man-
agement of a troublesome business, and rhave no
doubt he had very satisfactory reason for removing
Capt. Pickett from San Juan, and placing him where
he could not do much harm. I have no doubt he
thought his presence on the island incompatible
with his own objects in framing his "project for a
temporary settlement of the troubles then surround-
ing him." One ofhis objects was to avoid every-
thing which could " hurt English pride or prejudice
English interests," and another was to encourage a
course of action which would "soothe past irrita-
tions and prevent any local conflict." Most cer-
tainly Captain Hunt was more eligible to secure
both objects than Captain Pickett.
The objects of the prudent and conciliatory Gen.
Scott are not those of the reckless and implacable
Gen. Harney, however. Captain Hunt is not the
man for his work but Captain Pickett is, and so he
removes the former and replaces the latter in com-
mand. This occurred last week. The change is
e
the
ohcaeffibacdeneci
geroidiscourtesyofficer
. tlanxiousi
o tonations,
b 0 t
vl
ominous. It is an indignity to General Scott, and
e
hi! nobeenuapetrce,tallEh enytghltii
forin anotherth the commandhad n ;0
ta and
einf
took
01
ks a
ntuoo-
ac-
companied, as it now appears it is, with a reversal
of General Scott's orders as to the status of the
island and of British rights thereon, I should have
been spared the trouble of criticising it, and of in-
ficting upon you a long letter upon a subject very
disßagutreGeaebnleeratol
Harney me.rney has assumed positions of so
grave a character that I feel compelled to draw the
mPioclskrit e pti
si
an today officialt toefint
witsin
thoriue
cht
to them.
ihoens(o
r instructs
o r der)
himt
to Capo fu
rnt
si
hn
to thehas re c English
ereceived,
eofficer
Admiral
General
ir
alßon t
Harney
re
Lis,
ehe island,
yanadss
whicher
tasserts
t fh that
ht theAe d
has
minfor-
mationrnaol
authority (" instructions") to accept " a joint occu-
pation," or to offer one. He has no orders or in-
structions from General Scott "to grant a joint
military occupation of San Juan Island with British
troops, nor has any authority been delegated by

the Government of the United States to him to offer
or accept such occupation of that island." The
offer of General Scott to Governor Douglas was
declined for the reasons I have already given, and
as "no arrangement has been made since to renew
it, within the knowledge" of General Harney, he
considers " that transaction' concluded." His offi-
cer cannot, therefore, treat our forces on the basis
of a joint occupation,
Ilad not General Harney gone beyond this de-
claration and set up obje4ionable assumptions, I
should be free to admit that we might allow him to
give his own interpretation, to the question, and to
consider our " occupation" a separate and indepen-
dent occupation, and not a joint one, just as he
pleased.
It is General Harney's sentiments upon the impor-
tant question of our rights which I desire to refute;
but, before attempting to do so, I must; in the first
place, in fairness to the General, admit that it is
open to him to take objection—a technical objection
—to a "joint occupation," if his Government has
not intimated to him that such a step has been

agreed to since the period of General Scott's depar-
ture from this coast ; for the -latter established no
such occupation while here, as I have already shown.
In former letters I spoke rather decidedly in op-
position to such a course on our part ; and when the
subject of sending our soldiers to San Juan was first
talked of I endeavoured to ascertain if an agree-
ment or convention for a joint occupation had been
entered into between the two Governments, but I
could not learn that any intelligent arrangement of
the sort had been made. Coupling the inertness of
our own Government in this instance with their
culpable oversight in not insisting -upon the restora-
tion of the status of the island before entering upon
a discussion of the subject-matter in dispute, and
then demanding General Harney's recall, I felt a
strong repugnance to our so-called joint occupation,
and foresaw the affair was slowly drifting into a
" mess," and that complications would surely fol-
low the irresolution and want of prescience ex•
hibited by the English Ministry. If they had
taken the position that our claim to the island was
as good as that of the United States, and that they
put soldiers on it because it suited their purpose, this
course would be quite warranted under such a claim,
so long as we did not interfere with the American
soldiers ; but how any sane man can satisfy him-
self that a "joint military occupation" can be esta-
blished on disputed territory without an arrange-
ment, agreement, or convention first entered into
by the claimants I really cannot conceive. I stated
in a former letter some of the inconveniences of our
course, and need not repeat them. General Har-
ney's objection is just such an one as our Govern-
ment ought to have foreseen and provided against.
The agreement should have been made in Washing-
ton or London, and care should have been taken
that he had been notified of it. It is to be hoped
the oversight will be rectified without delay, for
the General feels that he has all the power he had
before General Scott came out, and he is disposed
to use it without much discretion. So much for
the General's first proposition.
His second is far less tenable. According to his
construction of our position, we " were permitted to
land troops on our assurance that no attempt would
be made to dislodge by force the United States'
troops." "Permitted to land troops" on territory
which General Scott, in a letter to him written from
head-quarters on the 9th of November last, "wishes

it to be remembered that the sovereignty of is
still in dispute between the two Governments; and
until definitely settled by them, that British sub-
jects have equal rights with American citizens
therein (i.e., on the island)," is rather a cool re-
minder of his condescension. One feels curious to
know what General Harney would have done if he
could have prevented our 83 Marines from landing,
instead of kindly " permitting" them to land, and
to occupy a small corner of an island never claimed
in sole and entire sovereignty .by his own Govern-
ment. He then—instructs his officers to be very
civil to our officers, and to do all in his power to
" establish a practical solution of the present mis-
understandings." What the " misunderstandings"
are none of us here know. I. fear. they are sha-
dows of coming events that the General knows
more of than he _chooses to tell at present. Evi-
dently he is brewing mischief.

His next postulate is positively outrageous, and
if he is allowed to maintain it serious results may
follow. He lays down the law thus:—Congress ei-
tablished the territorial-Government of Washing-
ton ; the Legislature of that territory, by an Act
for the division of its surface, included the island of
San Juan in the newly-formed county of Whateom.
I believe this same free and easy Legislature
" included" all the islands of the Hu.° Archipelago
in its counties, a fact which goes to show that it was
rather covetous, as Great Britain then claimed and
still clai:ns them all. This act of appropriation, the
General says, was duly submitted to Congress and
and has not been disapproved—probably because
Congress overlooked the breach of the Tenth Com-
mandment upon which it was founded. However
this may have been, the General has satisfied him-
self that this Act is " the law of the land" in San
Juan—ergo, the island is American territory. Hav-
ing settled the title by this cogent mode of reason-
ing, the General explains to his officer in command
the duties incumbent upon him. He is to acknow•
ledge and respect "the civil jurisdiction of Washing-
ton territory in the discharge of his duties on San
Juan ;" and this ominous warning is given for our
especial edification, namely, " That any attempt of
the British Commander to ignore this right of
the territory will be followed by deplorable
results out of his (General Harney's) power
to control." The authority of Washington terri-
tory over the island is reiterated, and provision is
made for cases involving British interests, when
the British officer in command is to be notified to
enable him to propose some arrangement satisfac-
tory to his instructions as well as those of the civil
officer Gf Washington territory on the island (a
justice of peace, I suppose). In case of disagree-
ment of these parties (i. e., the American civil
officer and the British military officer), no action is
to be taken until the case shall have been referred
to Admiral Baynes and the Governor of Washington
territory respectively.
This rigmarole of bad English really means that
General Harney assumes the entire sovereignty of
the island to be in the United States. British sub-
jects are to be tried by the civil officer of " Wash-
ington territory in Whatcom county." What the
British officer will find his duty to be by the power
the General confers upon him "to propose some
arrangement" I think rather puzzling; or to what
extent Admiral Baynes will feel justified in acting
in conjunction with his colleague the Governor of
Washington I really cannot guess, unless he will
promptly decline to have anything to do with him,
which is most likely, should such a " reference" be
made to him. Both the Admiral and the British
officer in command in San Juan will have a whole-
some dread of actions for false imprisonment and
other cognate proceedings, which will make them
cautious in touching "cases," or in conjunction
with American judges. I have no fears on this
head, for no British subjects are allowed, or rather
none are encouraged, to settle upon the island in
the present conjuncture. As the island was in
1855, when Mr. Marcy fixed its status, so it has
ever since continued, and so it is now, in so far as
British subjects are concerned. We never dis-
turbed the status for one instant.
General Harney's assumption that, because
Washington territory—a dependency of the United
States—took a fancy to annex (to " include" is the
term) the Island of San Juan ill her county of
Whatcom, this foolish act could affect the title of
another nation claiming the island is too absurd to
be worth the trouble of refuting it.
To show the man's perverseness, however, I will
quote General Scott's sentiments upon this very
question of the pretensions of Washington territory
to civil jurisdiction over the island. Answering on
the 9th of November last a letter of Governor
Douglas's, he says,—
g, lam pleased to liarn that her Majesty's authorities will
be enjoined to abstain from any acts a interference or of
exclusive jurisdiction in respect to American citizens until
the question of title is settled. In the same spirit I had
earlier determined to instruct our commanding officer on
the island to allow no person claiming to be a functionary
of Washington territory to interfere with any British sub-
ject residing, or happening to be on the same island, while
t shall remain in dispute bet Ween our respective Govern-
ments?'

This letter was sent (in copy) to General Harney
for his information and guidance, by direction of
General Scott, on the day of its date—the 9th of
completely he acts in
November last yet see how
opposition to his instructions.
Finally, whatever may be sail for General Harney
in extenuation of his conduct in ignoring our right
to a joint military occupatio. n, there can be no ex-
cuse. for his assumption of sovereignty in direct
opposition to his instructions from the Commander
in-Chief, and in flagrant disregard of the sentiments
of the President himself, who wrote to him, through
the Secretary at War, after he had heard of his
having ordered military possession to be taken of
the island, that "in cases respecting territory in
dispute between friendly nations it is usual to suffer
the status of the parties to remain until the dispute
is terminated one way or the other; and this more

especially while the question is pending for decision
before a joint commission of the two Governments."
And the President goes on to direct his course
towards the British authorities, and to assure them
that possession was not taken " with any view of
prejudging the question in dispute, or retaining
the island, should the question be finally decided
against the United States."
The expression of all such reasonable r.bnd just
sentiments is lost on General Harney. He is bent
upon bringing about a conflict if he can, and if he
is left muc longer in command here he will in all
probability succeed. Tbis last movement of his I
believe to be preliminary to some other. lle has
n.ot yet developed his plan of operations.
I believe the local authorities will not take any
notice of his instructions to his own officer, and, if
. nothing happens on his part to provoke a collision,
certainly we shall not pave the way for one. The
greatest risk is that a British subject may be sub-
jected to some injustice which may compel the inter-
ference of the Admiral ; or that an- American may,
on purpose, by some act of aggression about the
British camp, give a plausible cause of interference
to American officer.

I have every confidence in the Admiral's prudence,
judgment, and discretion, whatever contingency may
arise. But still this is an opportune occasion to urge
upon the Government the necessity there is for their
making some decisive arrangement with the United
States' Government for preserving the peace of the
two nations pending the adjustment of the question
of title to the island. It is equally opportune to state
for the information of our own Government, or to
refresh their memory if they know the fact, that
General Scott, when on his way home, wrote to
General Harney, reminding him that he had before
suggested to him a change of residence, adding his
very natural expectation of the course of the Govern
ment. He says, " Another motive has just occurred
to me for renewing the subject; I have no doubt
that one of the preliminary demands which will be
made by the British Government upon ours in con-
nection with your occupation of the island of St.
Juan will be your removal from your present com-
mand." Really one feels tempted to say that
General Scott had a nicer and more just sense of
what was due to the British Government and
people than the British Government had of its
own dignity.
We have the three following ships in harbour:—
Her Majesty's ship Ganges, 80 guns, sailing line-
of-battle ship, 750 men, carrying the flag of Rear-
Admiral Baynes, C. 8., Captain Fultord. Her
Majesty's screw corvette Satellite, 21, Captain Pre-
vost, 400-horse power, armament 20 8 inch 61 cwt.
guns, and 1 8-inch 95 cwt. traversing gun ; 260
men. Her Majesty's screw frigate Topaze, 51, 30
8-inch 65 cwt. guns on the main deck, 20 32-
pounder 56 cwt. guns, and one 8-inch 95, cwt. tra-
versing gun on upper deck, 600-horse power, 667
men, Captain the Hon. J. W. S. Spencer.
The Plumper, Captain Richards is still away
surveying in Johnson's Straits.

The Alert is on her way to this port from the
South Coast. The Clio, which was expected, has
gone to Panama. The two gunboats which left
England for this place were detained on service in
the River Plate. It is to be hoped they will be
forwarded. They are really wanted for service in
Fraser's River and on the coast of British Colum-
bia. They are the most suitable class of vessels for
these waters in various ways.
Talking on the subject of our naval forces in this
quarter reminds me that the Imperial Government
sent orders some six months ago to have a powder
magazine built for the use of the squadron, &c.—a
wise and proper mea3ure, and very necessary, even
if its only advantage would be to save our ships of
war being occasionally converted into floating ma-
gazines, as they now are, and must be, in carrying
large supplies of gunpowder from Valparaiso to this
place, and in keeping it on board, in store, after
arrival, for want of a place of deposit.
A site was selected for the magazine several
months back, but nothing further has been done.
The site fixed upon is a small island in the inner
waters of Esquimalt harbour, convenient to the an-
chorage of the ships of war, and opposite to which
land can be obtained, on the shore, if required for
Government purposes. The island chosen is said to
be well adapted for a magazine in all respects. It
is the property of the Puget Soand Agricultural
Company, in London, who, I know, make no ob-
jection to its surrender. There is also another is- ,
land a liitic higher up the harbour (or bay), be-
longing to the nation, which can at any time be
appropriated for national purposes, and which is
said to be also eligible for a magazine, with a Go-
vernment reserve of land on the shore opposite to
it, at the head of the harbour, so that there is no
difficulty as to a site. Neither is there any diffi-
culty or imr,ediment as to the ways and means of
defraying die expense; while, since the period of the
selection, Sappers and Miners from New West-
minster could have been employed on or about the
structure, and so, I have no doubt, could some of
the men of the ships of war who have had nothing
to do beyond their routine duties.
But, with all these facilities, nothing has been
done beyond the bare selection,—the work of an
hour or two's pleasant cruise of a fine morning in
the end of January or beginning of February.
The matter appears to have gone to sleep on the
shelves of the " Circumlocution"-office.

Now, this neglect and delay are—for many rea-
sons well-known to and appreciated by the autho-
rities, but which I need not here descant upon—
most culpable and without excuse. Necessity calls
for prompt action, but "circumlocution" demands

procrastination, and circumlocution will carry the
day, unless the Government rouses it from its
slumbers.

A report is whispered that the cause of the delay
arises from a desire to place the head-quarters of
the squadron in Burrard's Inlet on the coast of
British Columbia, and that private interest, par-
tiality, or fancy operate to influence this desire.
I do not endorse this report, because I cannot vouch
for its accuracy, and I exonerate the Admiral from
blame ; but, whatever the reason of the delay, it is
a bad reason. It is true that if all that is required
for a naval station be so much water for so many
ships to float and to anchor in, and so many
acres of ground for docks in a wilderness, these
essentials are obtainable in Burrard's Inlet, which

is about five miles across [the country from New
Westminster. But, as the naval station placed in
that locality involves the navigation of a portion of
the Straits of Fuca, of the whole of the Canal de
Haro (under the guns of the American batteries if
San Juan be given up), together with the crossing
of the Gulf of Georgia, often a tempestuous sea, as
well as the other inland waters which intervene
between Burrard's Inlet awl Esquimalt and the
ocean, all of which navigation would be an addi-
tion to a voyage long enough already, and which
would be avoided by leaving the squadron to ren-
dezvous at Esquimalt, where the ships now lie,
most competent judges prefer Esquimalt for the
head-quarters of the squadron. Esquimalt is
near the ocean, easily accessible by day and
night now that a lighthouse is placed at its en-
trance. It has good anchorage in Royal-bay, just
outside, where a fleet could ride. Besides these
conveniences, it possesses great facilities for fortifi-
cations over every other harbour in the Pacific
Ocean. It could be made impregnable at less cost
than any other harbour in these seas could be ren-
dered partially secure ; and it is well situated for
supplying ships to defend the entrance into the
Straits of Fuca—a measure to the accomplishment
of which " Port San Juan," situated on Vancouver's
Island, near the entrance, possesses important faci-
lities in having a good harbour three miles long
and capable of anchoring a fleet in safety. From
this port one or two ships could blockade the en-
trance, and make Fuca's Straits a British lake,
while Esquimalt is close at hand to afford supplies
and all necessary assistance.

While these are some of the advantages of Esqui-
malt, let us glance at the disadvantages and incon-
veniences of making Burrard's Inlet the head-
quarters.
The tedious navigation to and fro between Esqui-
malt and the inlet I have already mentioned. There
is also the additional expense of provisioning the
squadron. At Victoria the men-of-war get all they
want., and at Esquimalt itself there is a bakery
which supplies them with biscuit. The Admiral's
communications with. England would be delayed
considerably if he were ou the coast of British Co-
lumbia. Shut up in the inlet the squadron would be
out of the way, and distant from the points in the
Straits of Fuca, where its sorvices must always be
most needed. Vancou:•er's Island will be the point
of attack, if an attack is made on one of these colo-
nies by any hostile Power, as it must be secured to
make the continent tenable if taken, so that if Bur-
rard's Inlet were made the naval station it would
involve this anomaly—that while the head-quarters
were over there, the ships would always be sta-
tioned here. The naval station must be at Esqui-
malt.
But, to return from this digression to the subject
of the powder magazine, I trust the Imperial Go-
vernment will inquire why the execution of its
orders have been so improperly neglected, 'and will
not permit further trifling with so important a
matter. We were gratified with the proof of in-

MAY 10.
The mail frdm San Francisco is in, and 'I am
very happy to learn brings intelligence of the two
gunboats destined for this place. When the British
mail steamer was leaving Valparaiso Bay for
Panama the gunboats were going into Valparaiso.
accompanied by her Majesty's screw frigate Ter-
magant, which came from Rio in charge of them.
This wps about the 15th March, so that they are
expected to arrive here (all three) by the begin-
ning of June,
Victoria grows steadily in substantial brick and
stone buildings. Land is very high and in tolerable
demand, and matters generally wear a thriving
aspect.

From the mines the news was never better. New
diggings are constantly being discovered, and large
earnings being made all over the mining region.
The Chinese immigration, which was expected, is
beginning to set in. About 800 Chinamen have
arrived within the last fortnight, some of them in
two vessels from China direct, others from San
Francisco. They have nearly all gone up to the
mines.

Accounts from China say that a large immigra-
tion may be expected if the Chinese are well
treated.

There are no distinctions made against them in
these colonies. They have the same protection as
all other persons, and in the mines they are allowed
the same rights, liberties, and privileges as all
other miners, an the great bulk of the popula-
tion is very glad to see them coming into the
country. Fears for the result are the phantoms
of a few nervous and ill-informed persons.