New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-08-08

THE HupsONs BAY COMPANY.
v,o~ "a, ovp Correspondent.

TORONTO, aus. y 1000.
TIE saestion which, for several months past, has
s1t,ted most public interest and attention IN eau
AaA relates 10 the immense territory in possession
Of the Hadson's Bay Company. 1t would be diff
cult 10 define the boundaries Of the Company's
tsrritores for they are just now subject Of dispute
TIE Company hold sway, however, from Labrador
- ysncouver's Island; northwsrd 70 the pole,
and ~ far south Is the Canadian boundary
wherever that may be; their southwestern bound
axy 10 the division line selected the result Of the
Oregon dispute A portion Of this territory they
prefess 70 hold by charter from Charles H., to Do
Dreprictcrs in fee simple and to he vested with the
sewer of making and executing lave. They pre-
Tend that their charter covers oil the territory NORTH
Of Canada 40 far west as the Rocky Mountains They
hold the remainder, New. Cak donia-bou by
the Rocky Mountains on the east, the Russian Pos.
pessions on the north, the Pacific on the West and
the United States on the south--by special license
Of trade, which vii expire in 1859. The object Of
the Company is, Of course, to ebtaln renewal Of
that license; and in Canada there 10 strong desire
% prevent their succeeding. A COmpsttee OF the
House of Commons was struck to investigate the
matter, just before the late dissolution, and new
Committee was organized af.er the general election
Jt consisted Of al the same members as the previous
Committee, with tbe''exceptOn OF cases where such
members had failed to secure their reelection. The
Canadian Government was in correspondence With
1Ae home authorities for time before the ques-
ton was referred to Committee OF the House OF
Commons Last January or February Mr.. Justice
Draper was sent to England in the character of
Commissioner ON behalf Of Canada. He was
70 watch the Committee, employ counsel if ne
eessary, and give eyide zee if required. He took
with him a secretary, who had studied the question
closely for several years. The Committee has a
Length examined all the witnesses that it intends t.
hear, and the evidence is being printed.
The proceedings before The Committee are very
far from having given unmixed satisfaction in Cana
da. There lie something like settled suspicion that
the Colonial Secretary, Mr. Labouchere--a fourth
rate man, thrown into Lord PalmerstOn's Govern
nent at the last moment to fill up gap-has shown
m unmista kable leaning in favor OF the Company;
that, in fact, the Committee was an artfll fevlce
resorted TO for the purpose OF suppresslng inquiry
and obtaining renewal of the Company's expiring
license If exclusive trade. And the evidence
brought forward to sustain this view cannot easily
be explained away. In the first place, the cOmpo-
sition of the Committee is declared to have been uu
hir. It contained four stockholders of the Com
pany, who were thus made judges in their own cause.
One Of these four, Mr.. Edward Eice, is one of the
largest stockholders Of the Company. His partisan
ship was thorough and undisguised through
Out the whole proceedings. The mode Of
taking evidence was, ifrepOrt speak true, scarcely
decent. The principal witness on behalf OF Canada
was not allowed to give in any documentary evidence
and he was required to confine himself to facts
within bis own personal knowledge; while Mr.
Ellice, son of the member who sat on the Com
mittee, was permitted to speak OF every imaginable
thing of which he had no personal knowledge what
ever, and he was moreover permitted TO put IN any
amount of written evidence. Then it was arranged
that Mr.. Ellce, and another witness who was to
speak the other SIDE should give evidence on the
same day. and that that day should close the inves
tieaton Mr.. ElIce occupied the whole time till
four o'clock, and only left the other witness few
minutes to make his statement.
Whether the Company will succeed in obtaining
q renewal of its license is still uncertain Such an
act would be regarded in Canada as grossly unjust,
and would create strong feeling Of distrust against
the Colonial Office.
The question of boundaries between the territory
claimed by the Company and Canada, as well as to
7he west will have to be determined by an appeal
60 some legal trbunal-unless the whole question OF
the legality of the charter be referred to the Prlvy
Council. The Company are afraid OF going to law
to defend their claims. Mr.. Ellce stated in his
evidence before the House of Commons that the
Company had the greatest reluctance to go to law,
on account, as he pretended, of the cost. Rather
would they hasten to compromise with Canada
Our Commissioner is engaged in urging that the
question be brought to legal test; and the subject
Is now under the consideration of the law officers
of the Crown. 1t will depend on the report OF SIR
question Of the validity Of the charter granted By
Charles III. shall be submitted to the Judicial Com
mittse Of the Privy Council
. With regard to the boundaries, the Company
claims to come down to the 10Th parallel of latitude;
q claim which gives them the whole Of the fertile
valley Of the Red River and the colony established
On it. And here ! may remark, en- pdssdm, that
This colony have petitioned both the Imperial and
Canadian Governments to have extended to them
the common privilege Of British subjects. They are
thoroughly impatient OF the Companys yoke, and
would be willing to cast it of at almost any price.
Our Commissioner to England-doubtess acting on
ipstructiOas--has proposed TO leave the Compsuy
In possession of the Labrador coast that they may
be the better able TO control the Indians to run
line Immediately south of Norway House, thence
N w. to thet5th parallel Oflattude and along that
parallel to the Rocky Mountains. He proposes that
the Companys sway south OF this line should lmme-
dstely cease; aud that they should he permitted 10
retain possesnon of the territory north Of this line
tn it should be convenient for Cauada to enter into
possessi0n.
With regard tn New-Csledonia and Vancouver's
Isand, Mr.. Draper was silent before the House OF
Commons Committee; because, it Is ayerred, ne toek
It for granted that these territories would be wrest-
cd from the Company, in any case. There Is no
doubt, however, that the Company has strong hopes
a being able 10 obtain the renewal Of their license
Of trade Of that territory.
Our Government has just sent az expedition to
epen road from the head of Lake Superior to Red
River and to explore the country. portion ef the
expedition will probably remain in the territory al
Winter for the purpose Of ascertanDg correctly the
temperature.
Some months sgo, Capt Kennedy, who was in
Frsnkiins expedition, left this city for the BED
River to ascertain the real state of matters there.
He returned last week, aud is nov engaged in nrit-
ing oot his report.