The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-11-21
The Hudson's Bay Company and the Russian


We learn from communication in the Montreal Ga
sete OF the 10th inst that the Hudson's Bay Company
have guaranteed to the Russian authorities the
Tested possession If the Russian territory upon this
,inent while the war shall last upon condition that the
posts and trading operations of the former In the neigh
bohood of that territory shall continue duing the
period to be free from attack by the latter The British
ut has sanctioned this guarantee by which the
Hudsons Bay Company saved the expense of strength
enng Their posts by any niitary detences during the
present while they obtain the absolute monopoly Of
the fur trade in that quarter-he Russian com be-
ing entirely cut off.
The writer thinks this arrangement great folly and
expresses his opinion Of the sefshness Of the Hudsons
Bay Company with great freedom, and says:-
Now for the petty interests Of 80 SELFISH so nnpatro-
why should ENGLAND forego the opportunity she mas of
possessing herself of the Russian territory upon this
nen which in reality, OF far greater value than the
small and scattered Hudsons Bay posts situated to the
south Of IL OF what good this Hudson's Bay Compa
ny England the reg which this policy excludes
from participating iu that enterprise and those agencies
of ovilaion which plishing much in y
every other country upon the face Of the gobey The
cagoes Of frs annually sent home surely not Of such
account to ,untry possessing so vast commerce as
England TO compensate for the sacrifice to both
tries which the existence Of this company entails Why
then should any sacrifice be conceded to them
Though many extensive tracts of the region under their
cha ge highly adapted for settlement, they neither
people those tracts themselves permit
others to do bat ta,og that end would be put to
their close monopoly should The country become properly
known and appreciated they picture N as utterly worth
less except preserve for wild animals keeping out Of
sight what the Russians have done upon this continent
north Of the Hudsons Bay territory the Pacific and
what has been accomplished in the far Indictment
and unpromising region Of Siberia
The writer insists that but for the influence of this
company the Red River settlement planted about forty
years ago by the Earl of Sek and had not numbers of
is young men been driven TO emgrate to the United
States, there would have been hundred thousand
souls there where there but ten THOUSAND and the
present desoat route from thence to Canada would
been the highway of large and fourishing commerce
and the scene of many thriving settlements He then
proceed:-
ready meet that Of the Red River settlement aud who
may reasonably look forward to the: extension of the
nj
tories to the Pacific should identify her interests with
those of the Red River aud Vancouvers Island cosnsts
and take up their cause us her own.
movement by the Province in this direction could not
but be attended with mpo1 tan resut for
such relic of almost barbarous period as the mo-
nopoy of the Hudson's Bay Company region about
as large as the whole q Europe cannot be preserved
whenever that contest which must come at time
other shall be entered into between this Province and
the Hudson's Bay Company.
Here then great and national object to be gained,
in the prosecution Of which all parties In the Province
- unite All minor agtations which now divide them,
such the maintaining the repeal of the Of union
should be gotten in the importance Of the
why should not the people Of both countries be per-
mitted to participate in the fur embark the
coal copper and other valuable mines Known to exist
there, but which neither worked by the company
allowed to be work ed by othersY Canada must not
become sunted in her growth for the sake Of the ne
rests Of such body as the Hudson Bay Company.
The Province IS fast stretching out TO the West and
may, unimpeded reach and take in the Red
river colony and from thence proceed to plant settlers
along the fertile and beautiful valley OF the Saskat-
chewun, through which railways in the Province
should be continued to the Pacific. Besides this route
being the best for the construction OF railway
the continent the climate along 1t becomes mdcr the
far Their travel towards the West till the climate OF
the south Of France uet with approach the Pa
cifc.
On that side Of the continent high up ten
degrees north Of Quetec the winters Of England
hardly exceeded in rgor there being little frost
and the harbors being open all the year round Such i
the climate Of much of the Russian possessions upon the
const.
There, the Russians (unlikc the Hudson's Bay Com
pany) do not connne themselves to the fur trade but
make of oil the resources within their reach. In.
mere fur depot Of half dozen traders So they
each contain population of from thousand to fifteen
have dockyards arsenals and both defended by
exceedingly strong fortdcations Upon those IT Kodiak
mounted upwards Of hundred pieces Of cannon
| while si,ka boast OF nearly many.
The other posts Of the Russian company (Which
pony Ia, in fact, department Of the Russian govern
mentl, upon this continent and among the Aleuiian
Islands number about sixty and contain from about
fifty to three hundred persons EACH In the traffic and
vessels are employed while the trade Of the Hadsons
Bay post upon the Pacific is confined TO two vessels
Sir Edward Becher and other more recent navica.ors
that quarter have described the extent the forca-
tions the trade Of sitka &c yet the Hudsons Bay
Company for the purposes Of hiding their neglect the
resources within their reach and Of conceang the capa
biities Of their territory as well with the object
the people Of EnsaRd from being aroused
TO take out Of the Hudsons Bay Company's present
charged represent sitks and the other settlements
Of the Russians almost worthless and utterly Do
fenceless.
OF course the British government could not be deceived
BY these representations but the government being
with the company heart and SOUL these misstatement
are only intended 10 deceive the British public 40 that
awkward questions upon the subject might be asked
in Parliament. II is 10 be hoped that Canada will now
undeceye the latter in regard TO the conduct and objects
Of tho Hudsons Bay Company and In regard the value
Of the comranys territory well as 10 that Of Russian
America
There being every certainty Of the Province being ex
tended al distant period far the Pacific Canada
Is already interested in being taken during the
D sent 70 Russia from this continent and
AZ fthernfcvp nj this moment fullv {nstiead