The Sun.
London, England, 1861-08-08 00:00:00

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

(From the Correspondent of the Times.)
VICTORIA, VANCOUVER'S ISLAND,
JUNE 10.

I have been absent from Victoria for six months,
and I find the place in a state of stagnation on my
return. The progress of the town is checked.
Business is dull, the population would seem to have
decreased, and-much gloom and dissatisfaction pre-
vail for the moment. These untoward effects are
said to be caused by the large exodus to the mines
of British Columbia, and if this be the true cause
the present stagnation is only temporary. The
exodus of miners is felt only because of the small-
ness of our population. The fact is that all classes
are disappointed at the meagreness of the immigra-
tion, and unless some scheme for the encourage-
ment of settlers from the mother country is set on
foot the colony must languish for want of a popu-
lation sufficient to make it prosperous.
The exciting news from the interior of British
Columbia of the discovery of new and very rich
diggings, extending over a large space of country,
carried away in the spring from Victoria all who
could go to seek their fortunes in the El Dorado of
New Caledonia. Labourers, carpenters, masons,
bricklayers, and nearly all the bone and sinew of the
place have left for a temporary sojourn in the sister
colony—most of them to a district known as Cerre-
bceuf (pronounced Cariboo) situate some 500 miles
from the mouth of Fraser River, where the richest
"strikes" are reported to have been made. The re-
sults, as far as known, are favourable, for consider-
able quantities of golddust are beginning to come
down.

There is yet another subject which retards the
material progress of this colony of Vancouver
Island in various ways, as well as that of the neigh-
bouring colony of British Columbia, to a very
serious degree. This is the unsatisfactory state of
our postal communications.
You are, no doubt, aware that our postal commu-
nications are conducted entirely through American
channels. Even the correspondence from England
comes nearly all by way of New York, because that
route is more expeditious than that via the West
Indies to Colon, while from Panama there is no
choice, as all the steamers plying to the north of
that port are American. Wo are thus placed at the
mercy of a foreign Power for the carrying of our
communications with the mother country and the
rest of the world. The inconvenient consequences
of such a state of dependence may be readily con-
ceived.

As the matter is of the utmost importance, not
only to these two colonies, but to the public service
also, and as the subject has been misunderstood and
overlooked or neglected at home, I must crave your
indulgence while I describe tho pernicious working
of the present system, the injuries which it entails
upon us, and the helpless state in which we are
placed by not having an independent English
postal service.
I will first describe the voyage by which our

letters and passengers (for our means of personal
transit are as defective as are our means of postal
communication) are carried from San Francisco to

Victoria.

The steamers, being American vessels, in order to
prosecute their own coasting trade, touch on their
way up at several ports on the coasts of California
and Oregon,varying their calls from time to time to
suit the requirements of trade. They then cross
the bar at the mouth of the Columbia River, noted
for its danger, and run up more than 100 miles into
the interior of Oregon to Portland, on the Willa-
mette River, a tributary of the Columbia, where
they remain for days discharging and receiving
cargo on their way to Victoria. As the entrances
to all the wayports on the coasts of California and
Oregon are dangerous, some from bars and others
from sunken rocks, the steamers are frequently de-
layed at some or •at all of them, while in rough
weather the bar of the Columbia detains them for

days waiting for a calm. The run, which could be
made from San Francisco direct to Victoria in three
to three and a-half days, occupies by these delays

some eight to ten days, and sometimes more.
This delay to passengers, goods, and mails by
this circuitous route is not the only evil which this
system imposes upon us. To cover the risk of the
Columbia Bar 12 per cent. is charged on all mer-
chandise crossing it, in addition to the ordinary rate
of insurance to Victoria. These deviations of voyage
being repeated on the return from Victoria to San
Francisco, it is manifest that so tedious, expensive,
and dangerous a route must depreciate the value of
our gold, which is the principal export, while it also
enhances the cost of our imports, and increases un-
necessarily the risk of life. A melancholy proof of
the truth of the last conclusion is afforded by the
fate of one of these American steamers, which was
wrecked in 1860, by which 36 lives were lost, in-
cluding several persons (as I am informed) coming
from England to Victoria, and among them poor
Mr. Blomfield, the son of the late Bishop of
London, who intended to settle in this colony.
This system, in short, impedes and stultifies com-
mercial enterprise and discourages the exchange of
personal intercourse to a very serious degree, as I
will undertake to show in a few words.
The route formerly taken by the mining immi-
gration to British Columbia was by way of the
Fraser River, which is the natural inlet into the
mining country, touching first at Victoria, where
supplies were procured. But our neighbours of
Oregon, seeing so many passengers visiting Portland
en route, bethought them of a means of diverting
them from continuing their voyage to Victoria,
and with this view offer to transport them up
the Columbia via the Dalles to British t.7alumbia,
and so save the voyage to Victoria. The America 2
route is, of course, represented as shorter and
cheaper, although it is, in fact, longer, mare expen-
sive, and far less advantageous, for it merely carries
the miner to the confines of British Columbia, and
leaves him on the frontier, while the Fraser River
route takes him into the heart of the mining re-
gions, unless, indeed, he wishes to " try his luck" on
the ri!6r itself. The miner, ignorant of the advan-
I takes of one route over the other, is " caught" the
more readily because, finding himself upwards of
100 miles out of his direct course, a distaand nceown whtheich
he has also to retrace (by the run up d
Columbia and Williamette rivers b. etw.ee.n the Pa-
cific Ocean and Portland), and being irritated and
disappointed by the delay and expenditure of money
at Portland, he easily yields to the representations
held out to him that by proceeding onwards by the
Dalles be will avoid the delay and expense of re-
tracing the distance of his unnecessary deviation.
He therefore abandons his intended voyage to Vic-

toria.
Now, as " trade" naturally follows " traTel,"

Besides the individual losses incurred in the man-
ner and by the means I have described, the revenue
of British Columbia suffers from a contraband trade
carried on by the Americans along her frontier,
which is too extensive to be effectually guarded.
The principal use to which her revenue is applied is
the making of roads through her pathless deserts ;
but she is deprived of a portion of the means for
carrying out this necessary improvement, while the
Americans by diverting her trade and traffic, which
they are enabled to do solely from owning the only
steamers plying to and from San Francisco, and by

evading her Customs law, are enabled to improve
their own communications, already forced into an
unnatural state of forwardness by their adventi

tious advantage.
To return for a moment to the subject
postal communication. Our mails have hitherto
been carried by the American acjtmi:,4
tously ; and I am happy to acknowledge our ob-
ligations to the Pacific Mail Steam-ship Company,
and to the owners of the other American steamers
for their generosity and invariable courtesy in this
respect. They not only, carried our general mails,
but they conveyed special letter bags for Her Ma-
jesty's squadron, and were always very civil and
obliging in carrying parcels for the naval officers,
for which I have frequently heard these gentlemen

express their gratitude.
Unfortunately for us, we are now deprived of
these benefits, for the postal contract to carry the
mails to Oregon and to Washington Territory,
which enabled us to receive our mails by the same
vessels that carried the American mails, has been
taken away from the Pacific Mail Company, and
this company has withdrawn its steamers from the
route. The mails are now carried from San Fran-
cisco to Portland, in Oregon, by land, and thence
to Washington Territory. Sometimes the English
mail is left at Olympia and sometimes at some
other town, and we are obliged to send a small
sailing vessel once a week to discover at what port
they may be lying, and to convey them to Victoria
when she finds them after a hunt. When our letters
do come to hand, after all this trouble and delay,
many of them are often so mutilated and so da-
maged by the water-as to be illegible. The overland
route from California is what the Americans call
"a hard road to travel," and it seems a miracle
that any vehicles can be kept together on such an
uneven surface. _ .

The only other means we are to have of getting
letters henceforward is by a steamer from San
Francisco, which is to call for a few hours at Victoria
once in three weeks, and her owners may at any
moment decline to carry a mail for us unless they
are paid. This steamer does not observe any regu-
larity in her arrivals or departures, and the mer-
cantile community can neither calculate with pre-
cision upon the arrival of their adviccs nor upon
their opportunities for responding to them. I
ought rather to say they have no opportunity of
responding satisfactorily by return mail, on account
of the shortness of the steamer's stay.

Is it surprising that we get no addition to our
population by immigration in the present state of
steam communication with San Francisco, such as
I have described it, and that the colonists should
bo despondent? Or is it to be wondered at that
business is dull in the deranged state of our postal
communication ? _ _

The cure for all these evils, which I have endea-
voured very imperfectly to depict, is to have an
English steamer running between San Francisco
and Victoria; but this undertaking will require
assistance from the Imperial Government.
I know the system of subsidies has become un-
popular at home ; and I am prepared for your tell.
ing us that we should help ourselves out of our dif-
ficulty. Well, we have made an effort to "help
ourselves." The citizens of Victoria and the local
Government offered to contribute a sum of £4,000
a-year to any of the steamboat owners of San Fran-
cisco who would undertake the service of carrying
our mails direct, but the offer was declined on the
ground of insufficiency. I had interviews with
these gentlemen myself, and they satisfied me that
the subsidy would not cover the loss they would
incur by abandoning the coasting trade of the way
ports. But, in point of fact, I do not believe that
the subsidy could be collected. Trade is so limited,
business so dull, and the system of direct taxa-
tion which has been adopted, to enable us to re-
tain Victoria a free port, is so very onerous, that
the people could not afford to pay the subsidy in
addition to their other burdens. So you see—at
least, I hope you will believe me when I declare
that we would if we could, but that we cannot
"help ourselves" in this case.
This grievance is not new, although we have
borne it patiently. Lord Derby's Government was
quite well informed of our wants, and had agreed
to grant us a subsidy—in faet, had granted i. The
contract was actually drawn up and approved by
the legal advisers of the Crown ; but before it was '
executed the Government went out, and the present
Government refused to ratify it. I was informed
at the time that Mr. Gladstone urged the objection
that only a few letters wore despatched from the
General Post-office in London for Victoria, and that
the number was so small as to justify him in declin-
ing to carry out the contract. This was a fallacy.
The letters addressed to Victoria direct were no
doubt few in number, but not because few were
sent, but because nearly all letters for this colony—
indeed, all business letters were sent under cover to
San Francisco, to be forwarded thence, on account
of the very unsatisfactory state of our postal com-
munications, which I have described at such length.
Then, Mr. Gladstone ignored altogether in his argu-
ment the postal matter to be carried between San
Francisco and Victoria, arising out of the business
carried on between these two places, and involving
business correspondence with British Columbia and
Washington Territory and Oregon. He did not
know that, while San Francisco was the source of
supply, Victoria was the distributiflg point for all
British goods to this colony and to thy'
to other
say,
and three
countries just named. Now, I am happl
•
we are receiving goods direct from England'
it is still more satisfactory that we send these same
of the trade inereasing.
goods in some quantity to San Francisco, and that
e IS every prospect
The fah: impediments
thb7
of the American Cus•
tinction to thb
• 'lies afforded by our free port in contradis-
,ducing this gratifying result.
toms Laws are
p' '-osiness involve an increased
All these accessions to b-
nder a postal system
written correspondence, re.. .
make the present
more and more necessary, and ,
lack of one more intolerable.
ail
If, as I have shown, the want of a di:ect.iT
service is injurious to the commercial and 50cu...1 in-
terests of the two colonies, it is still more humiliai
ing to England that her Majesty's naval forces in ,
this part of the Pacific should be left in the
helpless position of being dependent for every
letter received or sent away from the squadron
on the courtesy or caprice of foreigners. Indeed,
the consequences may any day become disas-
trous. When we got into trouble with the Ameri-
cans the other day about the Island of San Juan,
had either party proceeded to extremities our pos-
tal communication with the rest of the world would
have been stopped at ouce. We should have bad

own expenses.
There are now in Esquimalt Harbour her Ma-
jesty's ship the Bacchante, carrying the flag of Ad-
miral Sir Thomas Maitland, Captain Mackenzie ;
the screw corvette Tartar, Captain Hayes; and the
gunboat Forward, Commander Robinson. The
Hecate, Captain Richards, is surveying on the
North-west coast of Vancouver's Island ; and the
check. These gunboat Grappler has gone to cruise along. the
eastern side and northern end of this island, with a
view to keep the Indians of Queen Charlotte's
tchraianevoe:
0-s -fwiotivhtehrththhaeeumil
their
overhauling
oy:hyema periodicalaraere tvhi visits Island and the north coast of British Columbia in
licence
ee lonfditahnes,
Hudson's Bay
wßitahydcraowmaplaonfythteo
na
grtVsusi
nioncrebt
,o;ira
gunboats.
oisr,
'Lnlit many thefts. As they retire in their
rather paddlers), the only means the authorities
yessels frequently render imp
experttstowtooo
These
in this respect, and are very useful to tile colony iil
various ways. The Forward followed a large
party of Indians the other day as far north as
Point Mudge, where she found them encamped with
a great quantity of property stolen at Victoria and
a settlement on the Canal de Haro. The savages
showed fight and fired on the gunboat, so that Cap-
tain Robinson was compelled to chastise them by a
few shots, which killed and wounded a few of them
and destroyed their canoes. He also disarmed
them ; but as a hostile tribe made their appearance
at a time opportune for the destruction of the Hydahs
(the defeated tribe) when they were without the
means of defence, the captain humanely returned
their arms to the conquered party to enable them to
defend themselves from their enemies. He, how-
ever, carried two of the Chiefs prisoners to Vic-
toria, where they remain in gaol, awaiting their
trial before the Court of Sessions.

The Tartar proceeds to-night or to morrow morn-
ing to the Southern coast, her destination being
Callao ; but on a representation from the British
Consul at San Francisco she will call at that port
on her way down, to do what she can to protect or
assist British interests.

By reason of the fear of privateering between
San Francisco and Panama the shipments of trea-
sure from San Francisco have been greatly reduced,
and almost all that does go is sent to England.
Exchange on New York has nearly entirely ceased,
and, as a consequence, so have remittances of gold
to the same place.
If the Tartar gets much treasure-freight she will
call at Panama to deliver it for transmission to
England, &c.
I passed the winter and spring in California, and
had an opportunity of learning the sentiments of
the people on the question which agitates the rest
of the republic. I should say that nine-tenths are
for the Union, and that the Secessionists are so few
in number that no Secession demonstration is at all
likely to be made. The same remarks will apply
to Oregon and to Washington Territory. They
also remain loyal to the Union.
As regards the risk of privatcering in the Pacific,
I should think it very unlikely that any Southern
privateers will venture on the coast ; but it is pos-
sible that a gang of the desperadoes who infest Cali-
fornia, and particularly Sun Francisco—the class of
vagabonds who recruited Walker's filibustering
bands for Nicaragua—may, under cover of taking
passage to Panama, attempt to take one of the
steamers with treasure, and run her into a port con-
venient for the purpose of plunder, and escape
somewhere on the coast of Mexico on her way
down.

The mining intelligence from British Columbia is
very favourable. New, rich, and extensive diggings
have been discovered lately, and the miners are re-
ported as earning largely.
About 125,000 dols. in value of gold dust has
come down to Victoria, besides what was carried
by miners on their persons, within the last ten
days.
The weather, as usual in Vancouver's Island, is
charming, and the crops promise well.
A new land law has been passed for this island
of a liberal character, which has induced several
parties to settle in various portions of the island of
late. I will give the terms of the law and explain
the system in my next letter. When that will bo
I cannot say, owing to the uncertain arrival of the
one steamer which now visits the port to carry a
mail. This letter goes to San Francisco by her
Majesty's ship Tartar.

THE GREAT STREET. IN TOOLEY
STIIiBET.

-- .
The fire at Davis's Wharf is far from being en-
tirely extinguished even at this advanced period,
and the large steam float was yesterday at work
y men
from the River Thames pumpingnumfbreorm of waterthupon the
smouldering jute, which frequently sent up largo
are
e o .v
i Avastng th c
jute
bodiesem-
ployed
destroyed.
oifn m
flraelmt
is the opinion of Messrs. Curling's
warehouse
firm that 800 tons weight of that articlee
can bere-
moved in the course of a few
Mr. days, W
superintendents realise
of
th e sum.which might
fire, fell through a andwasa
sdeev, e
ro
enley oc fu
cut of
ithen
wharf, whilst assisting at the
the hands, and skylight,also over one of his eyes. The
brigade authorities areo underth great obligation to
tthe. services rendered at fire eminent a
nd have
written
o inform them that any expense they may have in-
curred will be repaid to them. The principal steam
affixed engine of this establishment had two lengths
of hose attached, and by the aid of the steam power
threw over 8,000 gallons of water per hour u
topon the
I fire, through an inch and a half jet, equal three
of the brigaide engines. The water had to be drawn
the
from a well 451 feet deep, and the pressure on
hose must have been immense, as the water had to
pass nearly, if not "over, 500 feet before the fire
could be touched. Mr. George, who has charge of
the salvage, and engineers J. Gerrard and Tozer,
are indefatigable in their exertions in getting the
fire cooled and in taking charge of the salvage.
Up to yesterday an enormoies amount
been e had of propertxt riy,
valued at many thousand pounds, _
sated from Chamberlain's, Scovell's, the Depot, and.
Hay's wharves, which will be submitted to publi •
c
auction. The property comprises over 200 casks
weight of grease, more than 100 tons of jute, about
4.
h -
the same quantity of rags for paper
making, 25
tons of coffee, 70 tons of tallow only slightly injured
by the fire, 20 tons of sugar, the en
of 1,400 bags of rice, a tremendousormous quantity
salted hides and leather pieces. quantity of
Over 150 tons of
American flour have already
been removed from
the ruins, and above 1 000 barrels and tierces
of navy beef, India beef India eel, India mess beef, navy
pork, India pork,
of black lead and mess pork. The quantity
saved from Chamberlain's Wharf
appears incredible, heaps lying,
from the explode for there are
exploded or burnt casks' almost
as high as soma dwelling-houses. A great
number of warehouses have been engaged in the
neighbourhood for storing provisions away,amongst
013 number are the whole range of the extensive
coecerage of Messrs. Zurhorst, in Tooley-street. A
vast m2antity of j ute
be drie and d
and hem
sorted have been removed
to .
:-,no '&o'
, ..----------....

-BDLDL CASES.—We are in-
THE WAg P' Lea tham and Mr. J. C. D. Charles-
to edreceive sentemo during the next
With respect to the reicase of Mr. Fernandez from
York Castle, we believe no unnecessary
delay took place
fwoormrthwithuatble kfr.
called IluP
term.
after the judge's recommendation had been received at the
Home-office, and that the few days which elapsed between
theg4 purgation from contempt" and the discharge, was a
delay rendered necessary by the changes at the Home-
oface.—hiattcheater guardian.

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