The Portland daily press., 1869-04-13
DAILY PRESS.
Tuesday Morning, April 12. 1869
Canadian Affairs.
PORTLAND

A cable dispatch on Saturday announced
that the Hudson Bay Company had finally
acceded to the proposal made by Earl Gran
vile for the REIMBURSEMENT of their territori-
al right to His Majssty's government, and
that the transfer would be made on the terms
proposed. These terms may be briefly sum-
med up as follows:
Lord Granville proposes that the company
shall surrender to her Majesty all their rights
OF government, property, &C., in Rupert's land
and other parts of British North America.
for the purpose of being transferred to the
Dominion of Canada upon that country pay
ing the company 100000 Ito be raised under
an Imperial guaranteed in compensation for
their territory and rights. 1t is proposed
that the company shall retain their stations
and blocks OF land adjoining, which are not
to exceed total quantity of $4,000 acres In
the aggregate, and they shall, moreover, be
allowed to claim one-twenteth OF the land in
every township or district within what is call
ed the Fertile Belt, as it is set out for settle
ment.> Nor are any exceptional taxes to be
laid on the company's land, trade,or servants
At the meeting of the shareholders, held to
discuss this offer, Sir Stafford Northcote, the
Governor, presided, and explained its effect,
urging that, although it was by no means
what they considered an adequate offer, it
was the best they were likely to get. IF they
refused it, the alternative at their disposal
might involve them in many years of litiga- /
ton, and end in their being called upon to.
establish. a costly government, should their
title be decided to be good, burthen which
the shareholders would perhaps hardly be
able to undertake. In the course of his reply
to questions from the meeting, he met the
objection that no certainty prevailed thai
Canada would accept the terms proposed,
even should the company do SO, by stating
that the government were prepared TO back
their offer by an Imperial guarantee, should
that be necessary for the carrying 1t into eG
feet. The proceedings were very excited and
protracted.
The Canadian Commissioners, Messrs. Car
tier and McDousall, are on their way home,
and the probability seems to be that they
have completed their part of the negotiations
and that the North West territory will speed
lily become part and parcel of the Dominion,
Some portion-and perhaps large one-of
this vast region is by climate, soil and situa-
tion about on par in value with our own
newly acquired territory of Alaska, rather less
accessible on the whole; but other portions
are of great value. What is called the Fer
tile Belt" the noble region of country drain
ed by the Saskatchewan River, the Red River.
the Assiniboine and the other streams which
flow into Lake Winnepeg, and from thence
into Hudson's Bay, is estimated to contain
more than 50Oo0,O00 of acres of land which
is Immediately available for settlement. with |
fertile soil, climate hardly more severe
than that OF Minnesota, end abundant min
eral resources. A judlcious policy on the |
part of the Dominion government In opening |
up this rich region to immigration, cannot |
fail to result in the rapid development there
of wealth producing population which will
add incalculably to the resources Ct the Ca
madam Dominion.
lSince the above was in type we have in
formation that the meeting of shareholders
held to discuss the proposition of Lord Gran
vile failed to come to decision, but by
close vote at the close of stormy and pro-
tIaoteu urs-ussrvu -1,yorr,vrr~u n..-.---El
sion of the question for two weeks. The re-
port of the acceptance of the Government
proposition is therefore premature; but if we
may judge from the earnest recommends
tions of the Chairman of the Company, and
from the general tone OF the London papers
on the subject, they are likely ultimately to
see the proposition in a favorable light. We
are inclined to think that this is merely
postponement, and not failure of the nego-
tiations, and that the business will be settled
on substantially the basis above indicated
THE NOVA SCOTIA ELECTION.
Mr. Joseph Howe has so far 1egained his
health as to be able to resume the canvass in
Hants county. He has issued a pamphlet
containing two letters to the electors. He
declares that his change of policy resulted
from no change of opinion, but from con-
viction that repeal could not be obtained.
He is severe upon Armand, Jones, aud 9TH
ers who have taken prominent part in the
opposition to him, and says Annand's object
in past delegations was the floating of min
inc comnanv