Colonial Vancouver Island and British Columbia as seen through British eyes, 1849-1871
Date
1972
Authors
Higgins, Stella
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
During the period Vancouver Island and British Columbia were Crown Colonies, they lay remote and isolated both from the colonies in Eastern Canada and from the mother country. The creation of the colony of Vancouver Island in 1849 did not bring a rush of settlers or visitors. Following the discovery of gold in the neighbouring mainland territory and the subsequent invasion of gold-seekers from the south, the colony of British Columbia was founded in 1858. For the next few years they became a focus of interest, and the numbers of British visitors to the area increased. Some of the men who came did so in the line of duty, some came to seek their fortune and some came out of curiosity. Despite differences in their training and interests, a desire to publicise the region and to encourage British emigration was common to all. As a result, many of the British who came to the Pacific North-west recorded their impressions in books or articles. From these accounts and from government reports editors compiled handbooks for prospective emigrants and newspaper editors selected material for the local press.
The colonies' inaccessibility and the difficulties of the journey from Britain were obstacles to emigration which the British reporters did not minimise. In addition, they attempted to portray the geographical features of both colonies, paying particular attention to the ruggedness of the country that impeded movement within the region. The difficulty of communication and transportation appeared to the British in the area as one of the region's major problems.
More encouraging were the writers• views of colonial society. Freed from the rigid confines of Victorian society, a settler could find opportunities for social mobility more easily than at home. Yet the institutions and the cultural activities in the colonies were predominantly British. The slight manifestations of American influence did not detract from the thoroughly English tone of society, although the writers recognised that this applied more in Victoria, the island capital, than in the mining communities of British Columbia.
The British observers attempted to assess the economic wealth of the region and its suitability for settlement. The presence of gold which -had spurred the opening of the mainland wilderness prompted much written discussion. Opinions varied as to the ultimate importance of gold mining in the colonial economy. Several of the writers regarded other mineral resources, particularly coal, as being important in a future export trade and in manufacturing. The region's forests and coastal waters appeared to many writers as the source of tremendous economic wealth. The luxuriant growth of timber suggested a far-reaching overseas trade as did the abundance of fish in local waters. Neither colony appeared destined for intensive agricultural or pastoral development although limited areas could maintain a farming population.
In general, the British were optimistic as to the colonies' future, provided capital and labour became available to develop the natural resources. Moreover it was America to increase immigration to the Pacific North-west and to provide a stronger link with Britain for economic, strategic and political reasons. The completion of the railway would enable British Columbia to play a major role in trading with Asia and in spreading British influence there; military assistance would become more readily available to the colonies, and Britain's sovereignty in the region would thereby be more secure. The key to the future lay in the rapid construction of a transcontinental railway.