A SKETCH OF BRITISH COLUMBIA IN 1868.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 100, 8 September 1868, Page 3

A SKETCH OF BRITISH COLUMBIA IN 1868.

<s> (by an occasiosal correspondent of the lyttelton times.) When the rush from this colony nnd Au - tralia set in towards the Cariboo goldfields in '61 and '62, British Columbia and Vancouver Island were two distinct colonies, the Governor of British Columbia residing ■at New Wfstminite.-, on the Frazer river, and the Governor of Vancouver Island at Victoria. It seems to have been a strange proceeding, that of having two Gorernmems for so insignificant a portion of the world, and it is, doubtless, to this red tapi-rn and mismanagement ti*at the present depre-sed and stagnant condition of the country may be mainly attri ! u'ed British Oolumbia extends from latitude 49 to 55 North, being about 420 miles long, and from 300 to 400 miles broad, and is estimate! to contain 180,000 square miles. It is bounded on the south by the frontier of the United States, on the east by the rocky mountains, on the north by Simpson's river, and on the west by the Pacific. Vancouver Island (separated from the mainland by the Gulf of Georgia), is 250 mile 3 long by 70 Inroad. Up to the year 1858 the colony was under the control of the Hudson Bay Company, who monopolised the whole country, making it more like a huge private preserve than anything else. They had established numerous stations, called forts, where their traders purchased furs and skins in large quantities from the Indiana, with whom they carried on a brisk general trade. The Governor, Mr (now Sir James) Douglas, who had formerly been chief factor to the Hudson Bay Company in 1856, wrote to the Home Government reporting the existe-nce of gold on the Frazer, but it was not till the autumn of 1857 that diggers from California found their way overland into the upper country, where they at once met with great success, and remained until the cold of the ensuing winter drove them to Victoria and San Francisco, where the news of the discoveries caused the utmost excitement. By Ju'y 1858 it was estimated that 20,000 people had left the latter place for Cariboo. And of course, as is ueual on all new rushes, the greater portion were unsuccessful, but the vast difficulties of the Toute to the new El Dorado, deterred thousands from attempting to go up at all, and they returned to California denouncing as a swindle Briti-di Columbia in general and Cariboo in particular. In 1861 the colony of British Columbia was separated from Vic'oria, and a new seat ©f government was established at New Westminster; the Hudson Bay Company's monopoly was upset, and Colonel Moody, with a strong detachment of engineers, was sent out from England to open up the country. In 1866 the governments were again merged into one, and the scat thereof fixed at New "Westminster. Sir James Douglas, having previously declined the reins of Government, had taken up his permanent residence in Victoria. It has always been a matter of surprise that such a place could have been selected as the seat of Government in preference to so suitable a spot as Victoria, which had long been the port of the colonj ,the headquarters of merchants and banks, and already had assumed a position of considerable importance. Governor Seymour, it appears, considered himself treated in a rude mannur by the Victorians on his arrival, and went on to New Westminster, whose residents gave him a "cordial and loyal welcome." The selection of the seat of Government had been left with him, and on this account he chose the latter place. It is most inconveniently situated on a river where ships caunot obtain a sufficient depth of water, even should they have succeeded in getting through the dangerous channel leading thereto in safety. No merchants hive gone into business there ; in fact, the town is well termed the " city of stumps." The Government buildings are mean and paltry in the extreme, being omposed of the old log. huts built for the engineers This act of the Governor's has all along given the greatest dusatisf action, and has m»de Mr Seymour excs*sively unpopular. Victoria has, however, at last gained the day. Petition and counter - petition, address and counter-address have been forwarded time after time to the Home Government, and the •matter has been continually dallied with by the Governor; but a despatch came out last February desiring his Excellency to lay the matter before his Council without delay, and have it to their decision. The Council, which is composed of twenty members, part of whom are officials nominated by the Governor, and the remainder popular members elected by certain districts, was accordingly summoned, and on the 2nd of last April, after a sharp debate appointed, by a large majority, Victoria as the seat of Government, but up to the latest dates Mr Seymour had taken no step towardsits removal thereto, while rumour had asserted that, declining to live in Victoria, he had tendered his resignation. ~lt would be difficult to imagine amors

beautiful climate than that of Vaneourer Island. The spring and summer are magnificent, but the winter is sharp ani old. The harbour of Victoria is small and somewhat intricate, but with plenty of water for large ships. There are numerous wharves along the water front, the finest, of course, being that attached to the warehouses of the Hudson Bay Company. All business seem* to be under the control of this company, and they appear to act as a s 'rt ot damper on most private business transactions. In addition to their wholesale trade, they carry on a retail business and generally manage to undersell the other tradespeople. You can buy anything in their store, from a string of glass beads, or a pour.d of sugar, to a steamboat Tiie Government buildings are situated on a reserve, a short distance from the main street, and are substantial red brick buildings of neat architecture, being an ornament to the town. The great proportion of the buildings in town are of wood, though some few fireproof buildings have lately been erected In 1862 and IB63business was most flourishing, steamers coming in three er four times a week from San Francisco, nil full of passengers, numerous hotels always full, and two theatres in full swing. The river steamers towards Cariboo were literally crammed every day, gold was coming down in vast I quantities, and everything wus prosperous ; j but now see what a contrast ! A steamer (with but few passengers} once a month from Frisco — and even that would not he a certainty were it not for the fact of the Government having to send a regular mail to their new possessions at Alaska, and the boat calls in en route to coal. Now, there are but two hotels (the three best being closed after having ruined all their proprietors), and only one of these, the " Colonial," does much business. But two steamers a week go towards Cariboo Only one theatre, and that opened but occasionally through the winter. Everybody appears hard-up, and a visitor hears scarcely anything but complaints. The town supports two volunteer fire brigades, wh.se services have luckily been but little wanted, and there is a volunteer rifle corps, whose band turns out in greater strength than the effective rank and file. The funds of the Government are so had that they have been unnble to pay the. salary of the adjutant, a most efficient officer. The gaol it in the cent-e of the town, and is under control of Mr Pemberton, who is alao P.M.and Chief of Police, as well as Coroner and County Court Judge. The police are also gaolers, and though few in number, are an efficient force, reflecting much credit lon Mr Pemberton. Mr Needham is Chief Justice of Victoria, and Mr Bigbie Judge of folumbia. And here again arises confusion. When the colouies were united the law courts were overlooked, so neither judge can sit in the other colony; there is no Court of Appeal, and in cases of insolvency (and their name is legion), it is nothing uncommon for an applicant, fearing his chances before one of the judges, to file his schedule and get his certificate before the other. Some short while ago, I believe, Victoria used to boast three or four newspapers; but times have changed with them too. The press is represented by a daily sheet, the Colonist, a good little paper, well conducted, and does its utmost to get the best and earli st news ; but there is scarcely enough enterprise in the town to advertise properly, and the subscrip tion list is naturally small. There is also an insignificant sheet published every Sunday morning. New Westminster boasts two journals, which cannot be better described than by saying that they have been faithfully established after the famous Dickens' celebrities " The Eatanswill Gazette," and " Independent." There is a fine Masonic Hall in Victoria, and the craft is well represented both by the English and Scotch constitutions. Three miles from Victoria, and connected therewith by a capital road, is the harbour of Esquimau, lhis is the rendezvous of the fleet, and a splendid harbour. The Great Kastern could easily moor in it. The township is small, consisting of five publics and a few small stores, of course all dependent on the men of the navy. The Admiral has a small house at the head of the harbour, and nea' it is the Officers' Club house, a nice place. The Navy yar ! is across the harbour. During the winter the Zealous (ironclad), bearing the flag of Admiral Hastings, was stationed here, as well as H.M.S. Reindeer, Chanticleer, Cameleon, Scout, and gunboats Sparrow Hawk and Forward. Of course the ships are a benefit to the place, and a more quiet lot of men it would be difficult to find on any other station. The scenery around Victoria is very magnificent, more especially when viewed from the Racecourse, situated about a mile and a half from the town, at Beacon Hill. It would be impossible to find a better natural course in any part of the world. From Beacon Hill one sees at one moment the whole straits of Fuca, backed by the magnificent Olympian range on the American side. The most noteworthy of this range is Mount Baker, which greatly resembles Mount Cook U shape, being about the same height, and invariably covered with snow. There are some nice churches in the island; the largest being the iron building presented by Miss Burdett Coutts. Bishop Hills is the Prima c; and the other religious denominations are more or less strongly represented. The Theatre is a plain building (converted out of an old fort of the Hudson Bay Company) in the main street, and i» ■uder the lesseeship and management of Mr R. G. Marsh, who was in Australia and New Zealand from '59 to '62, with the Juvenile Company, known as the Marsh Troupe. These young people, in the due and natural course of events grew older, and are now divided over the face of America. Many of your readers will no doubt remember " Little Jennie Arnot " and " Little George," who used to create such roars of laughter as Mr and Mrs Toodles, — I saw them in Victoria —the former is married to a young man in good business, and the latter has so grown as to have lost tbe soubriquet of " Little

George," hut still stands by the stage, and U one of his father's company. Victoria b >asts the best Amateur Dramatic Club I have ever had the pleasure of seeing— its mainspring and Treasurer is an old Australian who owns au ho' el, which, out of regard to his old colony, he has named the " Boomerang." This Club numbers among its members all the leading young m^u of the town. They give half-a-doz-n performances every winter in aid of the local charities, and I can safely say I never saw auy people so generally turn out to support tbese objects as Vancouver Islan-lers do. On Amateur nights, every seat in the house is engaged days before, and the charity always receives £100 clear. The members of the club are the leading spirits of Victori*. All amusements emanate from their body, and they are responsible for all race", regattas, midnight serenades, Aunt Sally, &e,&c. ln the winter, paper hunts are the fun for Saturday afternoons, in which the officers of the Navy come out greatly. Once it was my good fortune to sec a stag hunt. An unfortunate fawn had been c mght in a lake and was brought to the meet at the Bee Hive hotel, one afternoon in an old crockery crate. Everybody that could raise a quadruped was out, and the little animal was uncarted before five or six hungry looking beagles, just landed from an English ship. In a moment, the fawn went one way, the hounds the other, and the horsemen all ways. I never saw such fun: but no other stag hu ;t was attempted. In the winter, skating and sleighing form the chief amusements. Last win'er tho ice was good for over six weeks, and the sl.ighing was remarkably smooth. To an Australian, there is something very novel about sleighing, and a drive behind a c mple of good grexs, in a well appointed sleigh, is one of the most exciting amusements a man can meet with. The Queen's birthday is the great race day of the year. Boating, cricket, &c , fill up the time of the pleasure hunters in summer. Whether it is that business is so slack I caunot attempt to say, but a body of people so thoroughly devoted to pleasure as the Victorians are it has never been my lot to fall among.