Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-07-30
The Frazer's River Country.

The additional importance given to the country on
the Pacific coast on or about the 49th degree OF North
latitude by the recent gold discoveries on Frazers and
Thompsons Rivers and their tributaries begin to call
for an accurate survey of the line between the Amer
can territories there and the British possessions in or
der to obvate any and every chance of difficulty or col
lision arising out of any contest to jurisdiction we
believe that no formal final scientific survey of our
Northern boundary on the Pacific has yet been made,
under the auspices of joint British and American
mission.
The Hudson's Bay Company, vast trading and ter
rtora corporation only inferior in magnitude and pow
to the East India Company hold the whole British
territories on the North American continent, with tie
exception Of the provinces Of Upper and Lower Cana
da, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and few other
strips Gu the Atlantic side of the continent. Originally
chartered in 1870 by Charles the Second it has gone
since renewing and increasing its powers up to the
present time Its last charter expires in $685. and there
is every to suppose that it will not be renewed
Population begins to press upon these territories and
make them too valuable to be surrendered to the excu
sive use of wild animals and wild Indians. The pro-
ducts of the chase the only articles of export and
the agents Of the company discourage any settlement
Through these territories British capitalists look for
railroad route from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and
this more likely now to be pressed forward since the
discoveries on the Pacific side leave little doubt that the
great trading centre-the future City OF the North Pa
cfc is to be somewhere in the neghbOrhood Of Pugets
Sound.
AS the charter of the the Hudsons Bay company now
stands 1t parakes considerably of the character of the
old East India Company and indeed, of nearly all the
boIf boI made
or three centuries ago. The company has the exclusive
right trade in any part Of the territory granted to It,
to the exclusion even OF other British subjects and
far it has succeeded in preserving its monopoly But
the RAPID influx Of miners will be apt to give rude
shock to the system Theoretically everything that is
brought into the country for the use OF the miners must
pass through the hands of the company or Its agents. CIV
ing them the power to exact their prlces-pract-
Cay we suppose the supplies will be sold by others from
whom the company will exact pretty heavy license.
1t is probable that the British government will adopt
liberal policy, as the charter OF the COM
pany expires. Miners hard set to manage, and
must be humoured little.
p. S.-Since the above written, we find pretty
lengthy article upon the same subject In the u s. Econo
mist Dry Goods Reporter, edited by Thomas P. Kettel
ESQ., of the best posted writers in the country Mr.
Kete contends that the company has only the exclu
sve right against all other British Subjects of trading
with the Indians for urs etc. and that therefore this
exclusion does not apply to Americans, nor to trade
other than with Indians. That is mixed up question:
which, no doubt the British Government will solve by
the erection Of a colony just as the Hudson Bay
Companys shadow Of claim expires which it will do in
less than ten months.
We see it stated that Sir Bulwer Litton has insruc
ted the Governor of Vancouvers Island that it is no
part OF the policy of the British Government to exclude
Americans other foreigners from the Frazer River
gold mines. The Western slope of the British Ameri-
can possessions is to be erected into colony under the
name of New Caledonia.