The miners must be encouraged, and
mining licences cannot be expected to do more than pay the cost of
collection, magistracy, police, &c. The surrender of all this territory
to the Crown, however, is a question to be dealt with by the Board. My
aim is to disabuse you of the idea that the Company can of itself turn
the territory to profit by sale of lands, mining rights, making roads,
telegraph, &c.
"A. G. D."
"MONTREAL,
"18th August, 1863.
"MY DEAR MR. WATKIN,
"I left New York the evening of the day I parted from you, and reached
this place on the Saturday night, via Boston and Portland, quite
done up, having travelled two nights without undressing. The crowds
were such as they were on the Hudson, and my mind often reverted to the
good things I left at the door of the steward's pantry in the 'Scotia,'
"Brydges is not yet back from Quebec, and Hopkins and I start to-morrow
for the Saguenay and St. John's Lake, where affairs require to be
looked after.
"I have a letter to-day from St. Paul, in which Kittson says that the
railroad gentry were anxiously expecting you, and making much capital
out of the expected visit. He adds, 'The people of the State will not
be so blind to their own interest as to decline to undertake to
complete the portion of telegraph required. I have no doubt that a
company could immediately be formed to accomplish the object.'
"Reverting to my grievance against the old Board, I wish to
state what I complain of, viz., that I am charged with my passage
across the Atlantic, and with a sum of L50, drawn to cover travelling
expenses to Montreal. These were charged against me in February, 1862,
and have borne interest against me since then.
"2ndly. I complain that I am charged interest on all sums drawn by me
in each year - though within the amount of that year's salary. I
surely am entitled to draw my pay from time to time to cover my
expenditure? Officers in this country manage under the existing system
of accounts to get the benefit of funds, even in excess of their pay,
for two years without interest.
"3rdly. I had charge of the Puget Sound Company's affairs, which, with
great labour, I placed upon a satisfactory footing - including the
recovery of large sums from Government, and the terminating complicated
and ruinous engagements with bailiffs or tenants and partners. I paid
my expenses to Vancouver's Island, and devoted my whole time to the
above matters, from 1st January, 1857, to the period of my leaving the
Island in 1861, without having received one shilling of recompense. For
the latter portion of the time I was paid by the H. B. Co., when I had
the sole charge of its affairs during a most anxious and harassing
period - constantly involved with all around me defending the rights of
both companies.
