, 1853-10-29
no the Honorable, the Commons

or TnE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN
AND IRELAND IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED:
The prtition Of the undersigned landed
proprietors and inhabitants Of the Colony of
Vancouver's Island, humbly shcwelh
That your petitioners, having in view
that the term Of five years, for which the
Island was granted to the Hon. lludson's
Bay Company, now approaches its termina-
ton, and confidently believing that it is the
wish Of the British legislature and people,
that this, the last of England's Colonies in
North America, should recriye that loSicr-
ing care which will render il worthy Of the
English name, and enable it rapidly TO vie
with It's more advanced sisters, respectfully
pray that, in order to the attainment Of
these objects, your Honorable House will
take such steps as may cause the infant
colony, on the expiration Of the Company's
lease, 10 be taken under the immediate
management Of the Imperial Government.
The attempt at colonizing Vancouvcr's
Island may, so far. be considered as a fail.
we, one principal cause Of which, is the
high price charged for land, while in Oregon,
but few miles distant, (and that distance
daily lraversed in canoes and op,n bolts),
the United States Government makes lib
eTal graluilous grants 10 actual settlers.
British sui ljecls have come TO the Island,
from California and elsewhere, with the in
ieniiOn Of settling but on arriving and
Earning the actual condition Of The Colony,
have been deferred by the high price Of
land, and by the manifest hopelessness Of
It's settlenent within any reasonable period,
owing 10 this and other similar administra-
tive causes, and not by any means TO any
delcct in IFS soil. climate, or other natural
properties. Consequently, under these dis
eouraging circumstances, they have gone
southwark, and increased the population of
Oregon, the colonization Of which for the
United States has, in effect, 10 no incon-
siderable degree been contributed to by
British capital, thus forced out Of its natu-
n and intended direction by injudicious
regulations which defeat their own purposes.
Your petitioners are assured, on reliable
authority, that there arc at the present mo-
meni, large number of British sui jecls in
California, who are turning th,ir eyes very
anxiOusly 10 Vancouycr's Island, with the
view Of obtaining there a p,rmanent home,
but that, unless some such change as that
now prayed for be effected, they will moi
venture to settle there, on account Of the
discouraging condition in which the Island
Hplaeed by the existing arrangements, both
as relates 10 the price of land, conditions Of
purchase and the mode OF administration.
A large number of the emigranis sent
from England by the Hudson's Bay Com
Pany have, induced mainly BY the very un-
favorable contrast exhibited between the
condition and prospects of this Colony and
Hose Of Oregon, left the Island and become
ellizens Of The United States and SO Ger
lain is this of continuing to take place, that
no proprietor, however dcsirous Of doing so,
dare, under present circumstances, involve
himself in the expense of introducing labor
=" Of any description into the Island from
'he United Kingdom.
Furthermore, although there may be now,
u true, some fly or sixty purchasers Of
and, it is Of the utmost Importance to bear
IN mind, that these persons were, almost
Without single exception, previously upon
Me Island, or in the immediate neighbor
mood, and connected strongly with it by
ineir engagements in the service Of the
hudsOn's Bay Company now ii is evident