The bearer having paid to me the sum of twenty-one shillings on account of the territorial revenue, I hereby license him to dig, search for, and remove gold on and from any such crown land within the – of – as I shall assign to him for that purpose during the month of —, 185—.

This licence must be produced whenever demanded by me or any other person acting under the authority of the Government. A.B., Commissioner.

Proclamation Issued by Governor Douglas

On the 8th day of May 1858, Governor Douglas issued the following proclamation:—

By his Excellency James Douglas, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the colony of Vancouver’s Island and its dependencies, and Vice-Admiral of the same, etcetera, etcetera.

Whereas it is commonly reported that certain boats and other vessels have entered Fraser River for trade; and whereas there is reason to apprehend that other persons are preparing and fitting out boats and vessels for the same purpose.

Now, therefore, I have issued this my proclamation, warning all persona that such acts are contrary to law, and infringements upon the rights of the Hudson’s Bay Company, who are legally entitled to trade with the Indians in the British possessions on the north-west coast of America, to the exclusion of all other persons, whether British or foreign.

And also, that after fourteen days from the date of this my proclamation, all ships, boats, and vessels, together with the goods laden on board found in Fraser River, or in any of the bays, rivers, or creeks of the said British possessions on the north-west coast of America, not having a licence, from the Hudson’s Bay Company, and a sufferance from the proper officer of the customs at Victoria, shall be liable to forfeiture, and will be seized and condemned according to law.

Given under my hand and seal at Government House, Victoria, this eighth day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, and in the twenty-first year of Her Majesty’s reign.

James Douglas, Governor.

By his Excellency’s command, Richard Colledge, Secretary.

God save the Queen.

General Sufferance for the Navigation of Fraser River

Port Victoria, Vancouver’s Island.

These are to certify, to all whom it doth concern, that the sufferance for the present voyage is granted on the condition annexed to —, master of the —, burthen – tons, mounted with – guns, navigated with – men, to proceed on a voyage to Fort Langley with passengers, their luggage, provisions, and mining tools. The above-mentioned – register being deposited in the custom house at Victoria, hath here entered and cleared his said – according to law.

Roderick Finlayson, Pro Hudson’s Bay Company.

Conditions of Sufferance.

1. That the owner of the boat does bind himself to receive no other goods on board but such goods as belong to the Hudson’s Bay Company.

2. That the said owner also binds himself not to convey or import gunpowder, ammunition, or utensils of war, except from the United Kingdom.

3. That he also binds himself to receive no passengers, except the said passengers do produce a gold mining licence and permit from the Government at Vancouver’s Island.

4. That the said owner also binds himself not to trade with Indians.

Advantages possessed by British Columbia over Australia as a Field for Emigration

From the Times’ Correspondent.

From Australia, too, the emigration will be large. In that country the cream has already been skimmed off the “placers.” The efflorescence of gold near the surface has been dug out, hence the results of individual exertions are becoming less promising; and the miner is a restless, excitable creature, whose love of freedom and independence indisposes him to associate himself in enterprises requiring an aggregation of capital and labour. He prefers to work “on his own hook,” or with one or two “chums” at most. This is the feeling in this country. There is another cause which will bring vast numbers of miners from Australia, and that is the great scarcity of water—a desideratum of the first importance. This first necessary for mining, operations exists in abundance at all seasons in the new El Dorado, and this fact alone will attract additional miners to it from every mining country and locality in which water is scarce. Another great objection to Australia is the impossibility of acquiring land in fee in small parcels at or near to the mines. Many men take to mining as a means of making sufficient money to buy farming implements and stock with. As soon as this object is accomplished, they abandon mining for farming. Did not California afford the means of gratifying this wish, thousands of our miners would have left the country. As it is, with abundance of good land to be had cheap, I have found that a large proportion of the farms in the interior of this country are owned by farmers who bought them with the produce of their labour in the mines. The same advantages can be obtained in the new gold country, there being plenty of good land in the British territory in the neighbourhood and on Vancouver’s Island. It is to be hoped the Government will make the price reasonable.

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