The New York herald., 1870-12-19

large portion OF the trade OF the settlement renamed
La the hands or the free traders, or parties discon-
, nectcd with the company, ana wnen the HUDSON
Bay Company sought 10 discharge the trust OF civil
government II proved extremely dinicnlt 10 recon
Gle the function OF legislator and magistrate with
that OF the chief trader of the community.
The form OF government thus established wes very
spe sh ue upon & ned syer tn
OF the river 10 Lake Winnipeg, ana upon the Assni
boine for distance OF sixty miles west OF Its juno
tlon with the Red river at Fort Garry, acquired q
civil organization under appointment OF the Hud-
son Bay Company, which was officially designated
as the "Colony OF AssiniDoia" In the council thus
organized consisting OF the chief factor or Fort
Garry, who was acting Governor, the English and
Catholic bishops anu nine prominent inhabitants,
oil legislative power was vested ana i've OF
the councillors were constituted magistrates holding
monthly courts IN as many distrcts-the Council
trial or persons charged with felony. At different
periods tnis criminal jurisdiction was shared by q
recorder. The revenue or the colony was received
from impost or four per cent. levied impartially
on all goods, whether brought from England, Ca
NADIA or the United States, and with no disrrlmina-
ton In favor OF the Hudson Bay Company. The
company also within the limits OF Asslnlbola at
least, was always ready TO sell land at shngs
sterling per acre, with liberal periods OF credit and
the people held whatever land they chose 10 occupy
by surerance OF the company, and the apprehension
OF the disturbance OF these pOsSesSory rights under
Canadian authority had much to do with the recent
outbreak.
THE TRANSFER.
In 1857 n parliamentary commission after an ex-
haustive inquiry reported tnat the districts the
Red river and the Saskatchewan were suitable for
agricultural settlement and expressed trust that
there would be no diIilculy in effecting arrange
ments between her MaJesty's government and the
Hadson's Bay Company, by which %s hose districts
starting point OF Canadian agitation for the cesslon
OF what has been called the "Fertile Belt" between
latLudes 40 deg ana 90 deg, and embracing the Red
river and Saskatchewan valleys east Of the Rocky
Mountains, and the area on the western slope since
organized as BRUSH Columbia. The Canadian gov
ernnent despatched party OF exploration, under
the direction OF 5. NJ. Dawson Esq, civil engineer,
and Professor J. Y. Hinis who devoted the
route from Thunder Bay. on Lake Superior,
TO Fort Garry, and OF the Red river and
hssnioone aso aaacehs ne 70 pnaa Mhneso. and
office despatched Captain John Passer upon an
exploration OF practicable routes between Canada
true nature Of the great prairie region watered by
the Saskatchewan and ITS aflucnts, and OF the CON-
Mountains with the British seaboard OF the North
Pacific. The general results vi these explorations
were unfayorabe TO the construction OF railroad
or other communication on British territory be-
tween Canaua and the Winnipeg basin, but lndl-
Gated that the great plains oil Northern Minnesota
Canada, as well as from The United States, to North
west British America. IL was ascertained that
northwest of Minnesota the country reaching from
the Selklrk settlement to the Rocky Noun
talns, and from latitude 4s to 63 on the
longitude OF nlnety-four degrees, and to latitude
ity degrees the Pacific coast, Is favorable
TO grain and animal production as any or the North
ern States: that the mean temperature FOR spring,
summer and autumn observed on the lOfty-SecOnu
ana third parallels In New York, Michigan and
Wisconsin has been accurately traced through Fort
Smelling and the valley or the Saskatchewan to lat-
tllde fifty five degrees the Pacific coast; and that
from the northwest boundary OF Minnesota this
whole district of British America Is threaded In all
directions by the navlgable water lines which con-
verge to Lake Winnipeg. 1t was established that
the sources OF the saskatchewan have an average
elevation above the sea far less than In American
territory; that the Rocky Mountains are diminished
In width While the passes not difficult; that the
supply or rain s more abundant and the carbonife-
and silnran formations OF greater extent than
further SOUTH and owing to the greater influence OF
the Pacific winds through the mountain gorges aud
the reduced altitude mat the climate Is no material
obstacle TO civilized occupation.
The HERALD'S readers are already perfectly IA
milar with all the incidents Of the late dinculty
respecting the transfer OF the Northwest Terri
tory to Canada; but it may not be generally under
stood that while the Hudson Bay CSssQany has
sold to canada, for a300.000 sterling, ALI lis te to
Ruoert's Land 1t retains the right to carry on its
trauo without hindrance In Its corporate capacity,
and may, within twelve months OF The surrender,
so 900 acres; and may, within fifty years after the
surrender, claim, in any township or district
settlement, grants OF land not exceeding one twen-
teth part OF all the land so set out This leaves the
Hudson Bay Company untrammelicd In ali ITS egiti-
mate Iur operations, which VIII be carried on as
before for long time to come; us as Independent
fur traders are rapidly increasing throughout tho
Territory tne companys profits are being
diminished every year, aud Will eventually
become reduced :s TO break up the gigantic COR
poration. The retention OF so much land by the
company ia In consequence of the inevitable ter.
minatlon OF the company's tra.e. long since fore
seen by Its managers and the period is rot far dis
tant when entirely new policy will De adopted
toward the Indians throughout the entire North
west Territory. When the company ceases to sup
port and control the tribes by Its trade. and hun
dreds Of unscrupulous, Independent a9vcntarers
take the place OF the present abomnabi> system or
this great corporation Indian troubles are certain
TO arise, in BRUSH Possessions as well as in the
United States, and show how Impossible E is Tor the
white and indian races TO 1--we peaceabiy together
THE FUR REGION
is now limited In prOductlveneSS to the extreme
north, the occupation OF the agricultural dis.
tricts by settlers and the indiscrminate
rendered all valuable furs exceedingly
scarce south OF the hltieth parallel. Mink
numbers within the limits OF the United States, but
tor beaver, otter, marten, fisher, moose and musk
OK skins the trader and hunter Is now compelled 10
penetrate the Arctic regions where summcrasts but
few weeks and the fur trappers encounter all the
terrible hardshis of the frigld zone. fhe fur Grade
Of the Sandwich Islands and Pacific coast although
conducted by the Hudson Bay Company is now
separate and distinct from that east OF the Rocky
Mountains, having its own governor ana set Of ofll-
Gals, and rarely Communicating with the eastern
division. York Factory on Hudson Bay. and Fort
Garry, on Red river, are the chlel depots OF the
company east OF the mountains. Goods and pro.
visions come out from England 10 ships to York Fac
tory and Montreal, those by the latter route being
shipped by rail- to st. Paul, Minn., and thence by
carts and the Red river steamers to Fort
Garry Here large supply is always kept on hand
In the companys stores for trade with the buffalo
hunters and trappers OF the Red River and Missouri
Districts and expeditions are fitted out every spring
for the saskatchewan, Mackenzie's river ana the
trading posts beyond. At Norway House. the
northern extremity Of Lake Winnipeg, the York
Factory expeditions meet and unite with those
rrom Fort Garry, but the boats and men turn back
to their respective starring places, while the goods
placed in the hands OF a new party via Athabasca
and Great Slave Lake to Mackenzie river. Here
another brigade takes the goods, and they CO. divid
ing of In numerous smaller expeditions as they ad.
vance, penetrating every large stream, and finally
reaching the extensive northern posts OF the COM
pany on the Arctic Sea and In Alaska, $500 miles
north OF Fort Garry. twenty-five hundred miles north
OF Fort Garry summer brings out rich grass, bar
ley is raised occasionally and some OF the posts cul
tlvate q few vegetables. Pine and fir timber lines
the banks OF the rivers, aordlng plenty OF wood for
buildings and fuel and game and fish supply apun.
dant food. These two articles constitute almost the
entire diet of the people there, it being impossible
to introduce hour, except luxury for illness and
the Christmas feast, and many trader lives year
upon meat and fish alone.
THE TRADING POSTS
generally consist Of three or four large substantial
log buildings one OF which Is used as q residence,
another as store another "A st0renonse, and an
other for the accommodation OF the Indians who