The Sun.
London, England, 1867-02-19 00:00:00

HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY.

When it is stated that the Government (or, we
rather presume, the late Government) have offered
a million sterling for the claims of this company to
the districts of land between British Columbia and
Canada, bordering on the States, it is well to see
if the Company have any legal title or claim to the
lands in questit, or whether they belong to the
Crown or to Canada. In Charles the Second's
reign a grant was made by him to the Company of
the shores round Iludson's Bay, and of such terri-
tories as were not then possessed by any other
Christian prince. At this time Canada belonged
to the French, not having been acquired by us for
nearly a century after, and their fur traders and
clergy had their posts in the regions between it and
the present colony of British Columbia, all of which
were ceded in 1760 to England, so that the territory
in question belongs either to Canada or to the Crown,
not having been contained in the grant of the
" Merry Monarch," because it was then the property
of a Christian prince, the King of France. Up to
1810 or 1816, the North-West Fur Company, with
its headquarters at Montreal, and other fur traders
of Canada, were opposed to the claims of the Com-
pany, denying their right or title. About this time
Mr. Edward Ellice, a fur merchant of Montreal,
and others interested.in the North-West Company,
joined the Hudson's Bay Company, whose claims
they had previously denounced, and at their amal-
gamation Mr. Ellice became governor of both, sup-
porting as strongly the rights of the company as he
formerly opposed them. This gentleman, better
known as the late Right Hon. Edward Ellice, mar-
ried a sister of Earl Grey, and had very powerful
connections in Parliament. Lord Brougham and
many eminent lawyers gave opinions against the
Company, while others of equally good standing
were favourable to their claims. A committee of the
House of Commons sat a few years ago on the
question, when the company brought forward evi-
dence that the territory in question was worthless,
and unfit for settlement, the climate bad, and the
whole only a haunt for wild beasts. This was the
testimony of Sir George Simpson, then Governor,
and other friends of the Company, but was disproved
by witnesses who wished to see it opened to settle-
ment. Sir Edward Grogan, Mr. Roebuck, and the
Hon. Mr. Fitzwilliam, members of the committee,
elicited evidence which showed that the evidence
given by the company was not borne out by the
facts.

Now they demand two millions sterling for what
they describe as a waste, howling wilderness, and it
is said that the Government have offered one million
for a property without a title to it. We trust the
City correspondent of the Daily News has been
premature in this statement ; where there is a dis-
pute, and where the country thinks that the com-
pany have no legal title, it would be only just and
fair to refer the matter to the Privy Council, when
the company can be heard, as well as the Crown on
behalf of the public, and Canada on her own ac-
count. We hope that Lord Carnarvon will act as
becomes the Colonial Minister in this matter, and
that great family influence and power will not ob-
struct justice and right. None can object to a
de-
cisiou by a competent tribunal, and the sooner the
case is decided legally the better.—Dublin Evening
Mail.

The United States Survey of the Darien

Line.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,—As a party is, I understand, now being
organised in Loudon for the purpose of surveying
the ship canal line across the Isthmus of Darien, it
may not be irrelevant to mention thitt the New York
herald, of Jan. 21, announces the arrival at Panama
of a party of explorers and surveyors sent by the
United States Government to make a thorough ex-
ploration, and, afterwards, a survey of the country
from Caledonia Harbour to the river Savana and
the Gulf of San Miguel. That line was selected
upon the recommendation of Rear-Admiral C.
Davis, the Superintendent of the Naval Observatory,
who, in his report to the Secretary of the Navy, of
which an abstract was published in the New fork
Herald, of Dec. 26, pronounces it to be the only
one practicable. The Admiral impartially states its
principal features, condemns the very unsatisfactory
attempt at an exploration made in 1854, and ascribes
to me the merit of being the first explorer of it. It
is to be regretted, however, that he had not seen the
plans, the detailed description with the com-
pass courses and distances along the line,
the memoranda for the guidance of e%"
plorers, and Commander Parsons' " Survey of
Caledonia Harbour and Port Escoces," which I for-
warded to the Secretary of the Navy at Washing-
ton in 1857, together with an offer to guide a party
over the lowest ground between the Atlantic and
Pacific, with secure, deep, and capacious harbours
at each terminus.
I have, therefore, again forwarded to the United
States Government a full description of the line for
transmission to the commander of the party, so that,
if he fail in the first attempt, he may make a second
and successful one, by shaping his course in accord-
ance with it. Some months ago I sent information
to the same effect to the Admiralty, and, on the
20th of November, I furnished Lord Stanley with a
statement of the direction and manner In which
ill
survey should be made. I have, then, done all
my power to facilitate the examination of the coun-
try ; and have, moreover, offered to conduct an elc-
ploration, for my capacity to bring which to a see;
cessful issue the extensive researches that I made!,
the interior of Demerara, and all over Guiana, fre'
the Orinoco to the Amazon, between the years 1841
and 1844 ; and in of
New Grenada and other parts
South and Central America, since 1850, ought t 0
be a sufficient guarantee.
If, however, persons totally inexperienced in
ploring tropical forests and ignorant of the toP
graphy of the tract in question, will refuse my effeof
of assistance in guiding them (as the commander be
the expedition of 1854 did), they must not lay to,
blame on me, nor try to throw discredit on the 1)1:o
ject, if they fail to find their way, or, perchaeu
ose themselves in the bush.
I remain, sir, yours very respectfully,
26, North Cumberland-streeEt. CULLEN,,
Dublin, Feb. 16. ALM

Cabinet Council'
was held to-day at °r
fi
0,,e
A.
lock, at the First Lord of the Treasury's official
dente dence in Downing-street.
We have great pleasure in contradicting a reP
a °r•sb
which alleges that the Lord Chief Justice of Bul0"1 la.
about to retire on account of declining health.
ship's health, except for a slight attack of influenza, ,
°if-
which he has completely recovered, is, and has been„,
;
collent, and he has no intention whatever of deprvius t-
Ii"
country of his services.
At the forthcoming assizes for North and S°
,
Lancashire there will be a Roman Catholic high slieriffc,e
Roman Catholic under sheriff, and a Roman Catholic;
—Mr. Justice Shee. The other judge whe Will accoropa'"!
M
Mr. Justice Sheo is a Dissenter—Mr. Justice ellor, who
is a member of the Independent deuomivation.
A committee of the Lords of her MajesSt
tyri
Honourable Privy Council sat yesterday at Whitehall,
eoro
the subject of the cattle plague. The lords preacntr,vr,,,,,e,
—the Right Hon. H. Corry and the Right lion. S. r:ee.
ktir. Ilarrion and Di. A. Wail= attended the cenlo2lL`