American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1858-08-05
vancOuver,s Island.

restorsos 10 etne dominion oil the British
Grown. ThistolOny is Vanccuvsr's Island
which was made over 70 tie Hudson's
Bay Company in I949. but of which il IS
the intention Of her Majes'y's government
to advise the repurcha'e at the expiration
Of the ComPsuy's present trading license
On he date above mentioned This re-
purchase will be efsrted 10 persuauce Of
the recommendation Of Committee OF the
House of Commons. which report "that IL
will b proper to terminals in the connect
ton OF the Houdson's Bay Company with
Vancouver's Island as soon as It can be
conveniently done. as the best means of
favoring the devslopement of the great
natural resources rat important colony"
There can be no doubt that Paflamen;
WIZ sanction this step: and we. therefore
t'ke this early opportunity of directing the
attention Of intending emigrants to thij
new and proft,bls field for settlement.
Vaucouyers Island is long and narrow
island on the west coast Of North America
extending in direction from g. E. 49 deg
"a min. to N. w. 50 deg. W. Ion. Ia
length it is s5Omiles. Is climate very
much resembles the climate of Englan1,
though IN winter perhaps It is not so cold,
while In summer it is somewha. hotter
The islan1 iSvery thickly wooded, chiefly
with oak and FIR Of magnetic growth, and
beech and mspls in less abundance. A
mong the woods are interspersed extensive
plots OF prairie gIounl Of the most fertile
character The soil is excellent, capable
oil producing all the crops that can be
grown IN this conntry; the yi,ld-cf wheat
Is from twenty-five to forty bushels per
acre, aud the crop, Of p atoss. oats and
barley arc equally good. The mineral
wealth Of the island is enormous: besid:s.
iron. .pper. and gold. there is abundance
oil excellent coal. very like the West Riding
; OF Yorkshire co1l, "says the HIN c. w.
FhzwIlllam. in his evidence b-tore the
P,rliamenttry Committee. And 10 add.
> lion TO these internal riches. the surround
ding waters tsem with 6sh in such euor-
nous quantities that "no one who has sem
them" says ths authority ''can possibly
credit The value and ex ent OF our 6sh
cries." The island is inhabited by mild
and inofensive race OF Indians. who show
;; \ great disposition to work and notwith
: standing their fish diet, display consider
: able intell lence and rapabilitv Of improve
ment. In proof of their pacific character
we may mention that though they numbeI
; twenty five or thirty tboussnd, the few
white men (some $50 or 3Ool on the islanC
have never had much trouble from them,
&C .oriing TO the statement Of Mr.. Cooper
> who has resided there for six years. AnC
to terminate this enumeration Of the ad
vantaIes Of the ooloEy. it possesses one o
y the finest harbors in the world, besides nu
c merous smaller havens. Considering it il
s a political point OF view. the Righ
;, Hon. E. ElIice says. 10 evidence before tn
bommitte: II think Il should not only b,
on the ordinary system OF English colonies
hut that it should be the principle sta
- ton Of our naval purposes. 1t is th,
- only good baibor to the northwest Of Sal
, Franclaco, as far north as Si,ka, the Ru
= sian settlement. There is coal enough 70
. one whole navy. The climate is whole
N some, very like that of England. Til
v coast ahounds with fish OF every descriT
>, tim. In short there is every advantage i
- the island Of Var couyer to make it one
!, the first colonies and hest settlements {
!, EaglanI" 1t will doubtless creste SUI
N prise that country so highly favore
: sholld not ere this have been eolonizsS an
"a turned to account. But two causes hav
II combined to turn away the tide Of emigra
Iv tion from its coasts; first is proximity t
4 California, and. secon lily. its administra
- ton by he Hudson Bar Company. dis
r tsnt only thres days journey from s.
= Francisco the attraction OF tie gold field
a lea many to remain there instead of con
N tinuing their voyage; while others VIII
were anxious to escape rom The lawless
,t ness and turmoil of the diggings. wsr
y deferred from Vanc ouver's Island by tn
:, fact thai it was under the government q
n \ trading company, whose interest it wa
T. to discourage ,ndepsndant settlers and
hamper private enterprise. But now tha
the gold fever has somewhat subsided, an
e men have learned by hard experience tbs
m nugget hunting is at best precariou
le trade, there can he no doubt that. as 500
1, as is taken under the dominion Of III
s, Crown, Vaucouvsr's Island will be rapid
ID peopled.
10 "rhere are hundreds of persons" say
10 Mr.. Cooper, .'in California. who woul
ii gladly settit in Vancouver's Island il
D. were British colony" And, indeed,
t is not surprising that nen should he an,
GUS to exchange the wild excitement (
gold seeking for the quiet,r pursuits Of O.
dinary commerce and agriculture. and
!. substitute for the uncertain pro.ection
- Vigilance Committee the reliable saIeguaI
= of British government. But weather Va
= couver's Island be populated by emigran
:, from this country or by fugitves fro
|; California or the Western States her pr
= gress must be rapid and her prosperi'
secure. Not only does she offer the st
I ton for the Pacific A,e,. but the whalers
= the North Pacific would End it more col
!, = venient to wintrr in her harbors than
=" the Sandwich Islands or even San Franci
co. The inhabitancs Of Washing ton terr
X tory on the mainlands would. come to h
be markets for supplies and her trade woul
be q. once be established with Rnssiapterritc
: ries al Sitka and further north.