Governor Hobson's Letter of Instruction to Captain Stanley
| Government House, Russell | ||
| Bay of Islands | ||
| 22nd, July 1840 | ||
| Sir, - It being of the utmost importance that the authority
of Her Majesty should be most unequivocally exercised throughout the remote parts of the
colony, and more particularly in the Southern and Middles Islands, where, I understand,
foreign influence and even interference is to be apprehended, I have the honour to request
you to proceed immediately in H M sloop under your command to those islands. On the
subject of this commission I have therefore to request the most inviolable secrecy from
all except your immediate superior officers, to whom it may be your duty to report your
proceedings. The ostensible purpose of your cruise may appear to be the conveying of two
magistrates to Port Nicholson, to whom I will elsewhere more particularly refer. The real
object to which I wish particularly to call your attention is to defeat the movements of
any foreign ship of war that may be engaged in establishing a settlement in any part of
the coast of New Zealand. There are various rumours current that Captain Lavaud, of the
French corvette L'Aube, now at anchor in this port, is employed in the furtherance of
designs such as I have before mentioned. From some observations that fell from him, I
discovered that his intention was to proceed to the southern islands, being under the
impression that the land about Akaroa and Banks Peninsula, in that Middle Island of New
Zealand, is the property of a French subject. These circumstances, combined with the tone
in which Captain Lavaud alluded to Akaroa and Banks Peninsula, excited in my mind, a
strong presumption that he is charged with some mission in that quarter incompatible with
the Sovereign rights of her Britannic Majesty, and which, as I have before observed, it
will be your study by every means to frustrate. If my suspicions prove correct, L'Aube
will no doubt proceed direct to Akaroa and Banks Peninsula, for which place I have
earnestly to request that you will at once depart with the utmost expedition, as it would
be a point of the utmost consideration that, on his arrival at that port, he may find you
in occupation, so that it will be out of his power to dislodge you without committing some
direct act of hostility. Captain Lavaud, may, however, anticipate you at Akaroa or (should
he be defeated in his movements) may endeavour to establish himself at some other point.
In the event of either contingency occurring, I have to request you to remonstrate and
protest in the most decided manner against such proceeding, and impress upon him that such
interference must be considered as an act of decided hostile invasion. You will perceive
by the enclosed copy of Major Bunbury's declaration that dependent of the assumption of
the sovereignty of the Middle and Southern Islands, as announced by my proclamation of the
21st May last (a copy of which is also enclosed) the principle chiefs have ceded their
rights to Her Majesty through that officer, who was fully authorised to treat with them
for that purpose; it will not, therefore, be necessary for you to adopt any further
proceedings. It will, however, be advisable that some act of civil authority should be
exercised on the islands, and for that purpose the magistrates who accompany you will be
instructed to hold a court on their arrival at each port, and to have a record of their
proceedings registered and transmitted to me. You will by every opportunity which may
offer forward intelligence of the French squadron's movements, and should you deem it
necessary, to the Secretary of State for the Colonies through the Admiralty and to His
Excellency Sir George Gipps, Governor of New South Wales. Mr Murphey and Mr Robinson, the
magistrates who accompany you, will receive a memorandum of instructions for their future
guidance, which you will be pleased to hand to them when you arrive at your destination.
As your presence in these islands will be of the utmost importance to keep in check any
aggression on the part of the foreign powers, I have earnestly to request that should you
require any further supply of provisions the same may be procured, if possible, at Port
Nicholson, or any other ports on the coast without returning to Sydney. |
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I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant, W HOBSON |