New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-09-16

Company.
drawings by Arthur Hening and Maps Plans
and Illustrations. Svo, PIP xxi al Dodd
The Hudson's Bay Company is the last of the
great trading corporations of the seventeenth
and eighteenth centuries whose history is init
naately bound up with that of English commerce
and The great sweep of English colonization
These companies were the most potent agencies
Of trade in earlier days: they added vast do
mains to the British Empire which they gov
erned almost as independent principalfties nos
ressing frequently, as did the Hudson's Bav
Company. the right Of waging war against anv
nation not Christian. But the logic of events
has caused their disappearance-onIy South
Africa having witnessed within few years the
revival Of this Anticipated scheme for the ex-
ploitaton of commercial privilege. The map of
The Western Hemisphere has been redrawn
time and again, and the face Of the country
made over anew; but through decades Of change
and development the Great Company" has con-
dnued, not losing but waxing in power-"the
one enduring pillar in the New World mansion"
as MI Wilson styles it. For two centuries it
has governed area more than half as large
as all Europe; has explored it. has kept it sue
cessfully within its control against strenuous
opposition; has maintained friendly relations
with the Indians and by its work has prepared
the way for the incorporation Of the "illimi-
table wilderness into the Dominion Of Canada
Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal is entitled
to the touch Of pride with which he enumerates
these achievements in his Introduction to MI
Wilson's book The cornpany's fur traders were
indeed the pioneers Of civilization in the great
Northwest and the story of their labors has
the thrill and excitement of a tale Of adventure.
The history Of the Hudson's Bay Company has
been written before, but perhaps not in so
great fulness Of detail and comprehensiveness
as in this portly volume of Mr.. Beckles Wilson.
With it is involved much of the history of
Canada and OF the colonial policy Of England
IN North America; and its Importance fully
merits the careful investigation and the amount
of space that Mr. Wilson has devoted to it.
While he has doubtless exhausted the facts and
given account of unimpeachable complete
ness, it must be confessed that he has not com
manded all the graces and responsiveness OF
historical composition, but has let too many
Of the unadorned annals of the company embed
themselves in his work. II is not. however
without great interest, aid many Illuminating
and sometimes entertaining side lights.
The very name Of the Great Company is
redolent OF romance-"The Governor and Com
Pany OF Adventures Of England Trading into
Hudson's Bay" They prided themselves on the
title and at their business meetings deco
rously spoke eaca OF the other as honorable
adventurer" The dashing Prince Rupert was
the effective originator Of the company and
nent TO its early annals. brilliant soldier,
daring sailor q keen and enlightened student
= man of parts and the age of forty-seven
stfn woFshpping adventure, there was perhaps
no other noblernan in England more likely to
listen to propositions promising both adventure
and profit Curiously, the propositions that re-
suited in the founding Of this company OF Eng
lish adventures came from a couple OF French
men adventures in the more generally re-
ceived sense They were Medard Chouart des
Croseilers a Huguenot emgrant from La
Rochelle and his brOther-in-law Pierre Raids
son Their journeyings in the Canadian WlIds
had taught them the vast possibilities Of trade
that the French trading proprietors Of Quebec
were too shortsighted to encourage They be
took themselves to Boston, but Boston was not
then rich enough TO engage in outside enter
prises Finally. good fortune threw them into
the hands of King Charles's cousin. Prince
Rlpert paused in his privateering and other
doubtful warlike enterprises TO obtain from
the King the charter which Mr.. Wilson de-
s,.ribes in somewhat exaggerated phrase as
.-one OF the most celebrated instruments that
eyer passed from monarch TO subject" and
which though almost necessarily in dispute, was
14rtetuated in force throughout two centuries.
Like most Of the charters Of this period given
in America il disposed of lands Of absolutely
unknown extent. When their expedition started
out for all the Adventures knew, their men
mo-.