The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-08-02
EMPIRE SOLD
FOR A TRIFLE
BRITISH COLUMBIA ONCE DIS
POSED OF FOR SEVEN
SHILIiNGS.
Hudson Bay Company Secured Over
S72.6so Square Miles Of Territory
at About One Cent for Each Thou
sand.

az ABOUT One Cent for Each Thou
! sand.
Writers and Publicists at the pres
ent time, writes C. II. d. Asquith.
when interest has again become acute
in the conditions that surrounded the
purchase of Alaska from Russia by
the United States government chiefly
through the fundamentally of the
great AlaskaYucon-Pacific Exposition
which will be held at Seattle in 1909
speak of the ridiculously small price
that Russia asked for the great white
north. 1t is not generally known
that a similar portion of the North
land-the portion now known as Brit
ish Columbia-was sold before the
Alaska purchase not for seven mill
lions but for the entire sum of seven
British shillings or In American coin
age one dollar and sixty-eight cents.
This was in 1S49. The Hudson's
Bay company had been driven out of
Oregon by what recent writer OF
the United States termed American
Marauders." But their shrewd COM
mercial sense told them that British
statesmen were beginning to cast
eyes at that little known portion OF
the world. The directors therefore
laid plans to secure their power while
seemingly allowing the growing coast
to stand upon its feet.
1t was a curious coincidence that
the man in charge at Downing street
of things colonial in those days was
Earl Grey, an ancestor of the present
Governor General of Canada. While
with obtaining practical SOW
ereignty of British Columbia, for a
time, the company in its negotiations
with Lord Grey, aimed far higher.
It intimated that it was willing to
Undertake the government and colo
lization of all the territories belong
ng to the crown in North America
md received a grant accordingly.
So startling a proposal naturally
tartled Downing street, even in the
lays when it was customary to refer
0 those wretched colonies" and the
rown promptly suspended negotia-
ions. After an interval the company
eturned to the attack with more mod
st statement that 1t was willing to
ccept that part of the territory west
the Rocky Mountains, or even Van
ouyer island alone" although it re-
larked that placing the whole terri
Try north of the forty-ninth parallel
nder one governing power would
ave simplified arrangements"
Despite the opposition of Gladstone
nd the leading London newspapers,
lie Hudson's Bay company was made
I'd and proprietor of Vancouver
land. subject only to the domination
the British crown, and to the year.
payment of seven shilllings as rent.
he charter which was dated Jan
Try Is, 1S49, stipulated that, thc APP
ointment of governor was vested
the crown. 1t also said that the
ase of the island was forever"
1t events proved that Mr.. Gladstone
Id others had much reason for their
position, and the forever" became
ne years only. The great year Of
Id, 1858, really saw the last of the
eat monopoly as such.
1t may be mentioned that almost
Imediately after the grant was made
e crown repealed it, and Lord Ell
n, Governor General, reported dis
ragingly of the company as ruler
the Red River district, but its
urse on the coast was an improve
ent, being spoken of as without fla
ant or outrageous wrong, and even
irked by much kindness and hu.
unity, which is no mean praise for a
,nopoly.
British Columbia win lilxaly be rep
'ented. at the a-Yucon-P Pacific
position by building that will
st some Atty thousand times rs
lch as the entire province was sold
sixty years before. Indeed the
ltish Columbia day at the exposi-
n will likely be on the anniversary
that day sixty years before when
government of Britain turned over
$3.50 square miles at the rate OF
tut a cent for every thousand
lare miles.