Evening star., 1922-09-24
EXPLORER FIGHTS HIS WAY TO OUTPOST OF CIVILIZATIO

/, We soon allayed his suspicious that
we were rival trading company in
search of Eskimos and q snug little
harbor for winter quarters. When con-
vinced Of this and, consequently. re-
lieved Of tremendous load Of anxiety.
for these factors are all intensely loyal
to the company. his whole manner
changed and subsequently we became
the best Of friends and worked in har-
mony throughout the year.
The fact that the Hudson Bay COM
pany has been doing business success
fully for 253 years is impressive. Their
annual dividends testify to careful
business management and loyalty OF
employees. Much might be said in criti-
cism of their methods in ridding the
country Of rival traders; of the COM
pany that "wouldst not play false and
yet wouldst wrongly win; but more
can and should be said in praise OF
what they have done since Charles III
granted 1.-THE governor and company
of adventures Of England trading into
Hudson bay charter such as was
never granted before or since. This
kindly disposed and generous monarch
gave the company ''the whole trade
Of all those seas, straits and bays,
rivers, lakes, creeks and sounds in
whatsoever latitude they should be.
that lie within the entrance Of the
straits commonly called Hudson straits.
together with all the lands, countries
and territories upon tthe coast and
confines Of the seas, straits, bays, lakes.
rivers, creeks and sounds aforesaid
which are not now actually possessed
by any of our subjects or by the sub
jects OF any other Christian prince or
state" In other words. the honorable
Hudsons Bay Company came into the
lawful possession of more than a quar-
ter of North America, not only possess
ing "the whole, entire and only liberty
of trade and traffick," but ''the fish-
cries within Hudsons straits, the min
erals. including gold. silver, gems and
precious stones, shall be possessed by
the company
THIS astonishing grant gave to the
i company the power Of making
laws and administering justice not
tions, their offlcers and servants. but
absolute power over all persons In
habiting this immense tract Of land.
This necessarily carried with 1t the
right to send out ships OF war. men
and ammunition: appoint their own
commanders and even issue commits
sions. How many are acquainted with
the fact that both land and naval
battles were fought in and about
Hudson bay and that at the mouth
Of Churchill river the Hudson Bay
Company possessed, next to Quebec,
the strongest fortress in North Amer
lea, one planned by the ingenious
Mr.. Robson, and forty years in the
building?
The real secret for such extensive
powers is revealed in the list of
stockhoIderssH His Royal Highness the
Duke Of York; Prince Rupert, the
kings cousin; Sir George Cartsret,
vice chamberlain to the king and
treasurer Of the navy: William. Earl
of Craven, a personal friend Of Prince
Rupert: Henry, Earl OF Arlington:
Anthony. Earl of Shaftesbury. min
lister Of Charles; Sir John Robinson.
Sir Robert vyner and Sir Peter Col
Teton.
Their little ship. the Nonsuch. was
we'll named. and their captain. Zacha-
riah Gillian, from our own New Eng
land, well selected. Two hundred and
fifty-four years ago she set sail from
Gravesend for Hudson bay and today
the ships Of the company plow the
Atlantic back and forth laden deep
with the richest products Of the north.
"other men come and co." says the
native, ''but the company is here for
ever"
No longer the despot with unim-
peachable rights which have been
bitterly assailed from every quarter;
yet the old company still stands
guard at its posts, gripping its shield.
ornamented with fox, beaver. caribou
and sledge and the words PRO Pelle
cutem'-"Skin for skin"
Copyright, 192c.)