ration in British America, and to imperil the interests and authority of the British Crown in the territories now occupied by the Company.

We therefore respectfully submit for Earl Granville's consideration, whether it is not expedient that the Address of the Canadian Parliament be at once acted upon, under the authority of the Imperial Act of 1867.

But, if his Lordship should see any sufficient legal or other objection to that course, then we ask, on behalf of the Dominion Government, for the immediate transfer to that Government of the "North-West Territory," or all that part of British North America, from Canada on the east, to British Columbia, Alaska, and the Arctic Ocean, on the west and north, not heretofore validly granted to and now held by "The Governor and Company of Adventurers of England trading into Hudson's Bay," by virtue of a Charter of King Charles the Second, issued about the year 1670.

EXTRACT FROM VOL. I., POWNALL'S MANUSCRIPTS, “TRADE" (Page 64).

A Deduction of the Right and Title of the Crown of Great Britain and therein, of Our Most Gracious Sovereign Lady, Queen Anne, to all the streights, bays, seas, rivers, lakes, creeks, islands, shores, lands, territories and places whatsoever within Hudson's Streights and Hudson's Bay, and of the right and property of the Hudson's Bay Company, derived from the Imperial Crown of Great Britain by letters

patent of incorporation, and a free grant of all the premises from King Charles ye Second, Ao. 1670.

That Hudson's Bay (with all that belongs thereto, within Hudson's Streights, in North America), was first discovered by Sr. Sebastian Cabbat, Grand Pilot to King Henry the Seventh, who gave English names to several places of the said Bay.

Sr. Martin Furbisher, in Queen Elizabeth's time, made three voyages to the said Bay in 1576, 1577 and 1578, and gave English names to several places there.

Captain Davis made three voyages thither in the year 1585, 1587 and 1588, and gave English names to several parts of the said Bay.

Henry Hudson, an Englishman, sailed to the Streights and Bay, from him called Hudson's Streights and Hudson's Bay, and keeps that denomination to this day in all the authentic maps in ye world, and even in the maps of the best geographery of France. The said Hudson stayed a whole winter there, took possession thereof in the name of the King of England, traded with the salvages, and gave names to several other parts of the Streights and Bay.

Sir Thomas Button pursued the discovery and possessions of the aforesaid Hudson, sailed into the Streights and Bay with two ships, and particularly into Port Nelson, where he wintered, and buried the commander of his ship there, in memory of whom he gave it the name of Port Nelson, and called that particular bay Button's Bay (as it is still called in the maps), took possession thereof in the name of his master, King James the First, and gave several other English names to other places in the Bay, and erected a cross there, declaring thereon the right of the Crown of England.

Captain Luke Fox, by command of King Charles the First, made a voyage to Hudson's Bay, and amongst other places entered Port Nelson, and finding there the cross erected by Sir William Button, with the inscription defaced, and almost worn-out, he erected it again with a new inscription, declar

ing the right and possession of his then Majesty King Charles the First, named the adjacent country New North Wales, and published a journal of his voyage. Note.-That the troubles and civil wars which soon after broke out in England, might be one principal cause why those voyages were not prosecuted, trade in general then failing, and navigation and discoverys wanting the encouragement of the Governmenttill after the Restoration of King Charles the Second. Yet it is observable that all that while (for so many years) that those places and countries lay neglected and unfrequented of the navigation or commerce of any European nation. The French do not in the least pretend to have then visited those parts, to have formed a possession, or attempted any commerce with any people upon those coasts, nor do they pretend that ever any French vessel sailed Hudson's Streights or Hudson's Bay till of late years.

It was, then, after the happy Restoration of King Charles the Second, that trade and commerce began to revive, and in particular that from noblemen and other public-spirited Englishmen, not unmindful of the discovery and right of the Crown of England to those parts in America, designed at their own charge to adventure the establishing of a regular and constant trade to Hudson's Bay, and to settle forts and factories, whereby to invite the Indian nations (who lived like savages, many hundred leagues up in the country), down to their factories, for a constant and yearly intercourse of trade, which was never attempted by such settlements, and to reside in that inhospitable country, before the aforesaid English Adventurers undertook the same.

Wherefore, after a long time of consultation, and the necessary preparations for so great a charge, in the year 1667, one Zachary Gilham was provided of a ship and goods in London, sailed through Hudson's Bay to the bottom of the Bay, settled a trade, and built a fort there, which he called Charles Fort, on a river which he named Rupert's River, in honour to Prince Rupert, who was pleased to be concerned with, and

was one of those Adventurers; in which place the Hudson's Bay Company continued a trade, and had there a factory, until the same was unjustly taken from them by the French, in time of peace.

Another voyage was undertaken by the same Adventurers, and one Captain Newland was sent, who entered Port Nelson, settled there, and anew declared right and title of his Majesty to that river and the countrys adjacent, and there fixed up his Majesty's Arms, as a mark of his sovereignty over the said places.

After the charge of those voyages, and the experience by these settlements, that a great trade might be brought to England by beavers, furs and other commodities, for the just encouragement of so good and public a benefit, and the persons that had laboured in it, his then Majesty King Charles the Second was graciously pleased, in the year 1670, according to the undoubted and inherent right of His Imperial Crown of England, by his Royal letters-patent to incorporate the said Adventurers, and to grant unto His Highness Prince Rupert, the Duke of Albemarle, Earl of Craven, Lord Arlington, Lord Ashley and divers others and their successors for ever, all the lands and territories aforesaid, to be reckoned and reputed as one of His Majesty's plantations and colonies in America, by the name of Rupert's Land, and further, to create and constitute them and their successors the true and absolute lords and proprietors of the same; and of all the territories, limits and places thereto belonging, to have, hold, possess and enjoy the same for ever, as of His Majesty's mannor of East Greenwich, in free and common soccage, &c. In the same year the Company so incorporated sent out one Charles Baily as Governor of their factories and settlements in the Bay, with whom Monsieur Frontenac, then Governor of Canada, by letters and otherwise, entertained a good correspondence, not in the least complaining in several years of any pretended injury done to the French, by the said Companies settling a trade and building of Forts at the bottom of the Bay.

The said Charles Baily (as the Company's Governor) sent a ship from the bottom of the Bay, called the Imploy, to Port Nelson, to settle a trade there with the natives.

As did also Captain Draper, with the ship Albemarle.

But after about 15 years' labour and charge, continual voyages, Factorys and Settlements, and the trade with the natives established; the French began to annoy this new and growing Trade, and thought it worth their while to study some pretences to invade and rob the English, and to deprive them of some part of the said country.

When the English Company were building a Fort and settling a Trade at Port Nelson, the French, having formed a private expedition at Quebec, in Canada, by confederacy of one La Chanay, and other private persons, came suddenly with two ships into the said river of Port Nelson, and with a stronger force surprised the said Company's men, and dispossessed them of their place and settlement, carried them prisoners to Canada, and pretended to settle a Trade there themselves; but this was the first time that ever the French did sail a vessel into the Hudson's Bay since the beginning of the world. This was a piratical expedition, and the authors of it were prosecuted as such, by frequent memorials from hence at the Court of France, where the same was disowned by His most Christian Majesty, and satisfaction promised by him accordingly.

But as the French seldom want assurance for their pretensions or claim to anything for their advantage; so they never fail of artifice or force (when they can) to back such their pretences; and when by violence, rapine and murder, they got themselves into an unjust possession, as aforesaid, then they pretended to expostulate all by a treaty, (as if they were upon an even foot with the right possessor,) and they seconded this injurious invasion and assault, a year or two after, and by taking a ship of the Company's, one Edward Humes, Com mander, with the goods, and carried the men away prisoners, and for above a year fed them on bread and water.

They formed a greater design, and went with a considerable