HUDSON BAY COMPANY

Waipa Post, Volume 37, Issue 2179, 5 July 1928, Page 2

HUDSON BAY COMPANY

~,.,,,1TS EARLIER HISTORY. . (By Fred/J. Templeton.) The seventeenth century was one in which fresh ideas and wide outlook revealed themselves; in which the more progressive European countries sought Colonial expansion; in which the methods* of Science were beginning to recognition. In England the Royal "Society was established and the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, was built with the definite object of contributing aid to Englishmen in the navigation of the unknown seas. The exploration of the New World attracted venturesome English gentlemen of wealth and position and their pioneering ships left that country in search of new lands in far-distant climes. Whatever may have been the weakenesses of Charles II he was riot without vision in the encouragement of over-seas adventures promising national advantage and benefit to his realm. The, influence of >: cousin, Prince Rupert, carried weight in securing support for an expedition to explore the territory around Hudson Bay, and on June 3rd, 1668, two tiny ships, the Nonsuch and the Eaglet, left Gravesend to follow the treacherous ocean course charted by Henry Hudson more than half a century before. The journey across the Western was accomplished by both of the vessels, but, on approaching Hudson Straits, the captain of the Eaglet decided that the venture was hopeless and returned home again. The little Nonsuch, however, passed trough Hudson Bay to Jamesi Bay where she spent the winter and in the succeeding summer sailed for England with a cargo of furs. Realising the important results which might follow the expedition Charles signjed and sealed the Charter of the Hudson Bay Company on May 2nd, 1670. He visualised the "great advantage to Us and Our Kingdom" which the expedition foreshadowed, and created "The Governor and Company of Adventurers of England trading into Hudson's Bay the true and absoulte lords and proprietors of the same limits and confines aforesaid."

For some years after its foundation the Company confined its operations strictly to its trade in furs, establishing posts on the shores of Hudson Bay to which the natives brought furs to exchange for goods. The storekeeper determined the value of the pelts and handed to, the Indian trapper the appropriate number of quills (later brass tokens were introduced) which, on presentation at the Company's store, were exchanged for "comodityes." The nature of these these articles may be judged from what an H.B.C. ship (1672) brought out from England for- trading purposes: her inventory included. 200 brass kettles, 200 fowling pieces, 12 gross old knives, 900 hatchets. A few years later were added such things as! tobacco,, looking; glasses, flints, boxes of red lead, fish nets, glass beads, and pewter dishes. Prince Rupert continued to act as Governpr until his death in 1662; James,; Duke ',of Yc-rk; held offic'e! from 1683 to 1685, being followed by John, Lord Churchill (afterwards Duke of Marlborough). The extraordinary position which the Hudson's Bay Company had acquired by the close of the century deserves a word of comment in passing. Starting in a comparatively small way, this body of merchantadventurers had won| for itself in less than twenty-five years a commanding position among the great commercial undertakings of the time. Itis chief office was not only accepted but sought for by the greatest men in the kingdom. The competition of the French merchants established in Montreal did not markedly disturb the confidence of the Indian trappers, but the Peace of Ryswick (1697), which restored to France "all countries, islands, forts and colonies" possessed by her before the war broke out in 1690, was a severe blow to the fortunes of the H.B.C. Hostilities soon began again in Europe and when the Treaty of Utrecht was signed in 1713, Great Britain saw to it that her interests in the New World were made firm and security came to the Company. Monetary consideration for the depredations committed by the French against H.B.C . forts was claimed but never actually paid. With this restoration to certainty of tenure and freedom for trading, the larger question of opening up territory forced itself on to the attention of tlje Governors. Long and arduous journeys were undertaken into the interior by servants of the Company. One of them, Samuel Hearne, pushed north to the shores of the Arctic Ocean and Alexader Mackenzie (then in the service of the North-West Company; afterwards Sir Alexander), discovered the mighty river which bears his name and journeyed westwards to the Pacific, thus making Canada for the first time a land stretching from ocean to ocean. The North-West Company, organised by Simon McTavish, came into

the story as an active.competitor, and later John Jacob, Astor, gave battle founding the American Fur Company and the South West Company. The position of the Hudson's Bay Company was one of immense responsibility. Without an army, without any formal methods of control, it governed a huge and thinly-populated territory in which the Indian people had to be impressed by relentless yet even-handed justice. "It is a wonderful .demonstration of ability and judgment that with an autocratic power exercised over this vast territory during a period of two hundred years no Indian war should mar its record. The Indians early learned that the Company's agents could be trusted." The triumph of the Hudson's Bay Company is indeed one of the most amazing and astonishing stories in the history of the British Empire. For a business corporation to goyern a .territory so vast and so unexplored and to hold it against cont iriuous French attacks or penetration was an actievement as remarkable as it is inspiring. During the earlier years of the nineteenth century the rivalry bebetween the H.B.C. and the NorthWest Company became .acute. The actual bone of contention was the Red River Settlement, established by the Earl of Selkirk for the purpose of establishing Scottish crofters who had been turned out of their holdings at home. These men endured great hardships, were frequently attacked by half-breeds in the employ of the North-West Company, and suffered famine following failure of their crops. The death of the Earl of Selkirk in 1820 paved the way for the fusion of the two companies in the next year. There remained, however, the difficult task of harmonising the methods of the companies in Canada; but the painstaking work of Sir George Simpson, a man of rare ability and vision, achieved wonders and he was successful in bringing about modifications which blended into an effective unity.

In 1849 the Hudson's Bay Company added to its already heavy responsibility by proposing to the British Government to take over the task of colonisation on a large scale in the region now known as British Columbia and after much discussion the island of Vancouver was granted to the Company for a term of years. A decade later James Douglas (one of the H.B.C. Governors in Canada) was appointed by the Crown as Governor of British Columbia and Vancouver Island while retaining his position with the Company. Douglas retained the governorship of British Columbia and Vancouver Island, unftil 1863. During his term of office gold was discovered in British Columbia and the wisdom with lwhic(h he acted* both then and later, proved him to be a truly great administrator. To James Douglas, British Columbia is deeply indebted. Twenty years after the settlement of Vancouver Island the decision was reached that it was desirable for the Company "to surrender to Her Majesty all the rights.of property, etc., in Rupert's Land, and also all similar rights in any other part of British North America, not in Rupert's Land, Canada, or British Columbia." A sum of £300,000 was paid over by the Canadian Government to the H.B.C. and the Company also retained its posts and stations within the '•'fertile belt," the limits of which were defined.

Within the scope of the present article it has not been possible to do more than give an outline of the story of the H.B.C. up to more recent times, but it should be added that the Company's activities during the Great War were on a scale such as might be expected. The Hudson's Bay Company undertook a vast enterprise for the French Government, organising a service for supplying France with goods of var-* ious kinds from all over the world. During the war years i fourteen million tons of goods were thus transported by the Company for the French, and in that service enemy submarine attack destroyed 110 steamers with cargoes valued at £25,000,000.

While not deprecating' the splendid achievements of other Chartered Companies in the building up of safe to say that none can surpass' the record of the Hudson's Bay Company.