Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-07-24

|iously small price tina Russia asked
for the great white north. 1t is not
generally known that a similar portion
of the Northland-the portion now
known as British Columbia-was sold
shortly before the Alaska purchase not
for seven millions. but for the entire
sum of seven British shillings or in
American coinage, n dollar and siN-
ty-eight cents.
This was in 1919. The Hudson's
Bay company had been driven out or
Oregon by wha a recent writer OF the
United States termed american ma
RAIDERS" But their shrewd CONNER
cial sense told them that British
statesmen were beginning to cast eyes
at that then little known portion OF the
world. The directors therefore laid
plans to secure their power while
seemingly allowing the growing coast
to stand uoon its own 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
satisfied with obtaining practical SOW
ereignty of British Columbia. for a
time, the company, in its negotiations
with Lord Grey. aimed far higher. II
minated h a 1t was willing to UNI
dertake the government and colonial
ton of all the territories belonging to
the crown in North America and re-
ceived a grant accordingly
So startling n proposal naturally
staggered Downing street, even in the
days when it was customary to refe:
to those wretched colonies" and the
crown promptly suspended negotia-
tons. After an interval the company
returned to the attack with the more
modest statement that 1t was willing
to accept that part of the territory
west of the Rocky mountains, or even
Vancouver island alone although IL
remarked that placing the whole ter
ritory north of the f~orty-ninth parallel
under one governing power would
simpliied arrangements.
Despite the opposition of Gladstone
and the leading n d newspapers,
the Hudson's Bay company was made
lord and proprietor of Vancouver ISL
and, subject only to the domination OF
the British crown, and to the yearly
payment of seven shillings as rent.
The charter, which was dated January
10, 1S49, stipulated hat the appoint-
of a governor was vested in the
rown. 1t vas also said that the lease
Of the island was forever" but events
proved that Mr.. Gladstone and Others
had much reason for their onposition,
and The forever" became nine years
only. The great year of gold, 1858,
really saw the last of the great mo-
nonolN as such.
II may be mentioned that almost Inn
ncdiatcly after the grant was made
crown repealed 1t, and Lord Elgin,
general, reported disparaG-
ngly Of the company as a ruler in the
Red river district, but its course on
coast vas an Improvement, being
spoken of as without Migrant offense
n outrageous wrong, and even marked
~ much kindness and humanity,
which is no mean praise for a monop-
Dly.
British Columbia will likely be rep
.'esented at the Observation-Disclosures
EXPOSITION by a building that Will cost
iome fifty thousand times as much as
he entire province was SOLE for sixty
ears before. Indeed, the British Co
umbia day at the exposition viii likely
,e on the anniversary of that day sixty
ears before when the government of
Britain turned over 372,6SO square
niles at the rate of about a cent for
very thousand square miles.