The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-26

,,,ox,.l x,ohto IN Canada for the consideration
Of f3OO 0OO and one-twentieth Of the land
that shall hereafter prove oultivable. AT hrst
view the advantage OF the bargain appears
which that Dominion becomes possessed is
enormous, including at least 200 millions Of
acres OF fertile soil, beside vast metalliferOu5
regions; but we find on examination that the
position Of the company was such as to vir-
tuRlly force II to sale of some sort, and that
and settlement which the purchase entails
upon the new possessor will be 80 vast that
no larger immediate outlay could be safely
risked. The privilege of colonization was
open to the propretors themselves, but
under restrictions that would have impaired
rather than added TO the value OF
their possessions, and the reasonable
remonstrances Of the British provinces
against the continued monopolies Of commerce
and exclusive territorial claims had become
too pressing to be longer resisted by the Home
Government. The company has no cause TO
complain. 1t receives in ready cash a sum
equal to one.fourth of the highest estimate Of
its entire property, for giving up tract to
which 1t was by no means certain that 1t had
a legal right; it retains the fur trade, hitherto
the only source of its prosperity; it is relieved
of all expenses Of government, and it holds
future claim upon the twentieth part of lands
which would never have become sslable under
its administration, but which will now, in the
course of time, rise to great value. Whether
Canada has done as well as 1t might is another
question. There is strong reason to believe
that If the charter Of the company had bsen
subjected TO strict legal investigation, it would
have been found defective to an extent war
rantipg the occupation of the desired tract,
without any compensation at all; and even if
il had proved valid, no other customer was at
hand, and the sale, as we have said, had be-
come positive necessity.
We are not informed as to the precise amount
of territory which Canada secures. The limits
of the company's possessions have never been
very accurately fixed. According to the
original grant of 1910 Rupert's Land included
the entire region the rivers of which flowed
! into Hudson's Bay or Hudson's Straits, but
the incursions of the French, up to the time
of the cession of Canada to England, showed
| how powerless the owners were to sustain so
vast a claim. Rival trading companies, too,
began to dispute their supremacy in the early
part Of the present century, and saDguinary
conflicts were frequent until a general con-
solidation was accomplished in 1921. At that
period new lease was,granted for term of
years, giving the company control of the en-
States and Canada, excepting that held by
Russia. This lease expired in 1859, and was
not renewed, and the proprietors were thrown
back upon the conditions of their first charter.
Their greedy interpre Lation OF this instrument
was disputed by Canada, and for the past
ten years the respective rights of both parties
have been subject OF controversy. It's now
settled upon terms which, although not cor
responding to the iDordinate pretensions of
the company, may be considered extremely
advan tageous on all sides.