Letter from Douglas to Labouchere

Letter from Douglas to Labouchere

British Columbia
Indigenous-Colonial relations
Trade
Snow

The letter gives a report of the state of colonial trade, weather forecasts and native relations. Despite the letter stating native-colonial relations to be amicable, something of sour note may have occurred between Native and colonial settlers two months prior as hinted by the letters correspondent. Furthermore, the minutes of the letter reference other parts of the continent within British Columbia experiencing incidents of native-colonial disputes. The crown recipients seemed invested to a degree with the native question due to them most likely understanding that for trade to be maintained at a sustainable rate a peaceful coexistence with the natives needed to be established. This links to our primary theme within the course of native and colonial interaction hinting at the general flux of war and peace between both parties at the time due to the expanding nature of colonial settlers and the displacement of native peoples as a result.

James Douglas, Victoria Vancouver Island

Colonial Despatches

https://bcgenesis.uvic.ca/getDoc.htm?id=V465HB03.scx

9 January 1857

Muhammad Ali

Colonial Despatches - the National Archives, London

English

Textual - handwritten letter

19th century British Columbia