[howay] governor SEYMOUR AND CONFEDERATION 33 



half that number, striving against each other in a spirit of jealousy 

 which soon developed into bitter hostility, and each carrying a load 

 of officials suitable for a colony many times greater. Scarcely had this 

 separation been accomplished than Vancouver Island began to clamor 

 for complete union with British Columbia, which, however, strenuous- 

 ly opposed every attempt in that direction.^ For about three years 

 the Colonial Office was bombarded with resolutions from the former 

 asking for union and from the latter urging continued separation. So 

 keen did the desire of the people of Vancouver Island for union become, 

 that they were willing to abandon both their Legislative Assembly 

 and their free trade policy to effect that object. Governor Seymour, 

 taking his color from his own community, opposed the union, and, in 

 consequence, was greatly disliked on Vancouver Island; but, after 

 his visit to England in 1865, his opinions changed and he swung into 

 line as a supporter of union. 



The two colonies were over-burdened with debt; each year 

 showed a recurring deficit. On the mainland the deficit for 1864 was 

 over £55,000; for 1865, $124,435; and for 1866, $170,000. On the 

 island the deficit for 1864 was $134,740; for 1865, $82,698; for 1866 

 over $70,000.2 jj^ j^g55 ^^^ ^^^ indebtedness of British Columbia was 

 over $1,000,000; that of Vancouver Island was nearly $300,000; 

 representing a per capita debt of about $250 and $50 respectively. 

 The cost of administering the two governments was about $1,000,000 

 a year.3 During these years the output of gold was steadily diminish- 

 ing; the population as steadily decreasing; in 1866 it had dwindled to 

 less than ten thousand; the burden of the annually increasing debt 

 was becoming more and more grievous. Some drastic step was 

 required. In 1866, without any notification to the colonies the 

 Imperial Parliament decreed their union under the name of the 

 Colony of British Columbia. It was hoped that their petty jealousies 

 would thus be stifled and, the cost of administration being reduced by 

 approximately one half, the deficits would cease and taxation be 

 lowered. Governor Seymour was appointed Governor of the new 

 colony. It was, indeed, a poor choice, for Seymour was too weak to 

 use the pruning knife unsparingly. Some reductions, it is true, were 

 made (they could scarcely, indeed, have been avoided) ; but they were 

 rather in the nature of amalgamation of offices than in radical re-adjust- 

 ment. The deficits still continued: that of 1867 was $130,000; trade 

 languished; population diminished; taxation increased. 



lid., Part III, p. 1. 



* Pacific Directory, 1867, p. 158; Yale Convention Report; The Islander, April 

 7, 1867. 



» Public Accounts, 1866. 



Sec. II, Sig. 3 



