The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-06-25
The Hudson's Bay Company.

We copy the following interesting article from the
New York Courier and Enquirer, in relation to the
formation and present position of the company:
In the year 1868, q small band of adventurous
voyagers, with one Grosseliez, q Frenchman, for their
chief, in a vessel fitted out by Prince Rupert, of
England, assembled from the south side of Hudson's
Bay, in British North America, a river then called
the Nomisco, but afterwards Rupert, and found a
tract of country tenanted by furred animals of great
value. They returned to England. Their report was
favorably received, and a company called the Hud-
sons Bay Company was Immediately formed for the
purpose of commencing a traffic in furs. To this
Company. in 1870, Charles IL, granted a charter of
incorporation, giving to the Company full possession
of all the territories upon the countries, coasts, and
confines of the seas, bays, lakes, rivers, creeks and
Sounds that lie within the entrance of g Hudson
Straits and not previously granted to any other of
his subjects, or possessed by any other State. 1t was
a sweeping charter, and gave an immense hunting
ground to the Company. Settlements were immedi-
ately formed on several rivers, and the Company
went to work trading with the Indian hunters. They
prospered. The French government, to which Gross
eIiez hao originally suggested the idea of such settle
ments, but which had turned a deaf ear to him, saw
the prospects of the Hudson's Bay Company, repented
of their neglect, detached Grosseiez from the English
service, founded a rival settlement, and henceforth
there was war between the English and French Com
panies.
French Company, called the Northwest Company,
and the Hudson's Bay Company, became united, and
have continued so under several charters from the
British Government, the last one of which expires in
1859. Since the formation Of the Company until the
present time, the tract of territory granted by charter,
roughly estimated at 4,000,0 600 of square miles, has
been and is now kept as an immense imperial hunt
ing preserve, the huntsmen being the aboriginal
Indians, and the officers of the Hudson's Bay Com
pany the keepers. The Government hss been, and is
nearly q perfect depOtisT under which a gigantic
aaz..aale=aI zze=zoigc.y Suits 0ut py Ire traue OF saw
!. res the l. -itimate demands of the .rade of white men
es1 tss a.e~zlsss Of nomwsrcial CT 5ilization
Thus standing an snon,aiJ<yE Soar,crc. -. tho
progressive commercial world around it, the Hudson
Ray Company, frcm the fact that its charter is about
expiring, and from the fact that its presence over
shadows Canada. and is on the soil of the United
States, has attracted the particular attention OF the
two latter countries towards it. A year ago, Presi-
dent Pierce, in his Message, referred to the misuaGert
standing existing as TO the possessory rights OF the
Company On the soil of the United States, and spoke
of the oession of its rights reserved to it by the Oregon
treaty, as the readiest means of terminating all diff
culties. We have now accounts that the Toronto
Board of Trade have also turned their attention
towards the Company as it stands in reference Il
Canada. On the 4th instant, the Board held g meet
ing with O view of affording an opportunity to certain
gentlemen, long residents of the Hudson's Bay Terri
tory. to call attention to the advantages of opening Q
direct commercial intercourse with that extensive