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176 ANDREW FISH

by fifteen men and presented to Governor Blanchard when it was known that he had decided to resign, after protesting against the appointment of James Douglas, asked for the crea- tion of a council. The signers evidently had no idea of being able to prevent Douglas' appointment, but thought they might modify the autocracy. The council was formed, but it could scarcely alter the basic facts of the situation. This state of things lasted until 1859 when the reign of the Hudson's Bay Company came to an end. Thegoldj^,shJa.lhe Fraser River and the Cariboo country

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completely changed Victoria, giving to it the metropolitan character which it still retains. After the mainland and the island united under one colonial government in 1866 the. city became the^pHtical_capital and so remains.

EFFECT OF THE GOLD RUSH.

The discovery of gold, beginning in 1856, brought great changes to the colony, altering its character and leading- up to the end of the Hudson's Bay Company's regime. The city of Victoria became a base for mine operations, and rapidly -in- creased in size. The chief diggings, which were on the main- land, were reached by ship from Victoria to New Westminster, Fort Hope, or Fort Yale on the Fraser River. The big rush began in 1858, drawing many Americans from Washington, Oregon, and California. The population became predominantly American, both in Victoria and in the mines. Governor Doug- las assumed responsibility for the government of the new region while he was still filling the double role of head of the Government of Vancouver Island and chief factor of the Hud- son's Bay Company. Very soon national jealousies expressed themselves in the regulations about claims and conditions gen- erally at the diggins, while the Company showed a disposition to exact from the miners for transportation all the traffic would bear. This was after it became evident that the move- ment had assumed considerable proportions. In the early days