No. XVIII.

AN ACCOUNT OF THE ORIGINAL STOCK OF the HudsON'S BAY COMPANY WITH THE INCREASE OF THE SAME.

In obedience to the Order from the Committee of the Honourable the House of Commons, dated 10th March, 1748, requiring an account of the original subscribed stock, and whether it hath been increased, &c.

EXTRACTS FROM THE ORDERS GIVEN BY THE HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY TO THEIR CHIEF FACTORS IN THE BAY, IN ANTICIPATION OF AN ATTACK OVERLAND FROM CANADA.

Mr. Joseph Isbister and Council, at Albany Fort.

GENTLEMEN :

LONDON, 10th May, 1744.

5th. The English and Freuch having declared war against each other, and the war with Spain still continuing, we do hereby strictly direct you to be always on your guard, and to keep a good watch, and that you keep all your men as near home as possible.

8th. We do also direct that you fix your cannon in the most proper places to defend yourselves and annoy an enemy, after which you are to fire each cannon once with powder to see how they prove, and instruct your men to the use of them without firing. And that you keep them constantly loaded with powder and ball, ready for service. You are also to keep your small arms loaded and in good order and at hand, to be easily come at ; and that those loaded arms be drawn or discharged once a month, and be well cleaned; and you are to exercise your men once a week till they are well disciplined, and afterwards once a month. And you are also to keep a sufficient number of your trading guns loaded and at hand in case of an attack; and if there be any Indians you can confide in, and will be of service in your defence, we recommend it to you to employ them in such manner as you think proper.

15th. We have wrote to the factory at Moose River, that in case they have any intelligence of the French coming down their river to attack them, they are immediately to send you notice thereof, that you may make the necessary preparations for your defence, and that there be a constant correspondence and intelligence between each factory for the safety of both.

16th. As we rely on the courage and conduct of Mr. Isbister, our chief, in case of an attack from the enemy, which, if done at all on your factory, we apprehend it will be by

land, in the winter, from Canada; in which case the enemy not being able to bring down any cannon with them, we doubt not of your frustrating their designs and repulsing them.

18th. In case you are attacked at Henly House, and notwithstanding a vigorous resistance, you should have the misfortune to be overpowered, then you are to nail up the cannon, blow up the House, and destroy everything that can be of service to the enemy, and make the best retreat you can to the factory.

19th. We direct that you get the best information you can from the trading Indians whether the French are making any preparations to come down to the factory, or have lodged any provisions, stores, or ammunition at certain distances for their supply. We also direct you, for your better security, at all times to keep two Indians in the factory, with civil and kind usage, and send them out every morning for intelligence to a proper distance, so as that they may return in the evening, and provided they do not return that it be an alarm to you, and that you thereupon prepare yourselves for a vigorous defence. But you must not upon any consideration let those Indians have the least knowledge of the use you intend to make of their not returning.

Mr. Joseph Isbister and Council, at Albany Fort.

GENTLEMEN :

LONDON, 3rd May, 1745.

4th. As the war continues with France and Spain we cannot be too strict in ordering and directing you to be always on your guard, and to keep a good watch and all your men as near home as possible.

11th. We have augmented the complement of men (as you desired) at your factory and Moose Fort, that in case of need you may assist each other, and thereby we hope you will be enabled to baffle the designs of the enemy.

13th. We do direct that not only a continual correspondence be kept between you and Moose Fort, but that you correspond with the factory at Slude River, York Fort, and Prince of Wales' Fort as often as you can, and if under any apprehensions of an attack to give immediate notice to Moose Fort.

15th. We still recommend your diligence in getting intelligence and information of the designs of the French.

Mr. Robert Pilgrim and Council, at Prince of Wales' Fort.

GENTLEMEN :

LONDON, 6th May, 1747.

3rd. War still continuing with France and Spain, we renew our former order of being always on your guard, and to keep a good watch and your men near home, except those that are guarding the battery at Cape Merry, but not to hinder a proper number to be employed in providing a sufficient quantity of the country provisions to prevent the complaint of those persons that murmur for want of victuals; and we recommend sobriety that you may be capable of making a vigorous defence if attacked.

4th. We again recommend your keeping the land, round the Fort and the Battery at Cape Merry, free from everything that may possibly conceal or shelter an enemy, that you may thereby prevent being surprised.

10th. We again direct that you keep up a general correspondence with all the Factories, and get what intelligence you can of the designs of the French.

Mr. Spence and Council, at Albany Fort.

GENTLEMEN :

LONDON, 5th May, 1748.

4th. War still continuing with France and Spain we again hereby strictly order you to be always on your guard, and to keep a good watch and your men near home,

but not to hinder a proper number to be employed in providing a sufficient quantity of the country provisions, particularly geese, which we find you constantly employ the Indians only to kill for you, and which we are dissatisfied with; that being such a material article, you ought always to blend some of your people with the natives in the goose seasons, that they may understand how to kill them, and thereby lessen your dependence on the native hunters.

Mr. Joseph Isbister and Council, at Prince of Wales' Fort.

GENTLEMEN :

LONDON, 5th May, 1748.

7th. We do also direct that you constantly keep your great guns loaded with powder and ball, ready for service during the time the rivers are open; you are also to keep your small arms loaded and in good order, and at hand, to be easily come at, which loaded arms and cannon are to be drawn once a month and well cleaned, and to exercise your men as often as requisite whom we expect by this time are artists, not only in the use of small arms but also of cannon, that the great expense we have been at in this particular may answer the end proposed thereby in case of an attack. You are also to keep a sufficient number of your trading guns loaded and at hand, which charges are also to be drawn every month, and if there be any Indians you can confide in, and will be of service to you in your defence, we recommend it to you to employ them in such manner as you think proper.

No. XXVII.

CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE COMPANY AND THEIR AGENTS ON THE BAY.

SETTLEMENT OF PORT NELSON.

To John Bridgar, Governor of Port Nelson.

MAY 15th, 1682.

We having thought fit to make a Settlement in the River of Port Nelson, in Hudson's Bay, have chosen you out from amongst those who have formerly served our Company, as a person whom we judge qualified for such a charge, wherein we hope you will never give us reason to think ourselves mistaken; but that you will behave yourself with that prudence, integrity and industry that becomes you in so great a trust, both for your own reputation and the interest and advantage of the Company.

In the first place, upon your arrival there, you are, with the advice of Captain Guilham, to choose out the most convenient place for building a house and fort for your safety and accommodation.

TRADE WITH THE INTERIOR.

To Henry Sargeant, Esq.

APRIL 27th, 1683.

You are to choose out from amongst our servants, such as are best qualified with strength of body and the country language, to travel and to penetrate into the country, t draw down the Indians by fair and gentle means to trade with us.

From Henry Sargeant.

CHARLTON ISLAND, 13th September, 1683.

I shall not be neglectful as soon as I find any man capable and willing for to send up into the country with the Indians, to endeavour to penetrate into what the country will and may produce, and to use their utmost in bringing down the Indians to our Factory; but your honours should give good encouragement to those who undertake such extraordinary service, or else I fear there will be but few that will embrace such employment.

To Henry Sargeant, Esq.

22ND MAY, 1685.

We perceive our servants are unwilling to travel up into the country by reason of danger and want of encouragemennt. The danger we judge is not more now than formerly, and for their encouragement we shall plentifully reward them when we find they deserve it by bringing down Indians to our Factories, of which you may assure them. We judge Robert Sandford a fit person to travel, having the linguæ and understanding the trade of the country; and upon a promise of Mr. Young (one of our adventurers), that he should travel, for which reasons we have advanced his wages to thirty pounds per annum, and William Arrington, called, in the Bay, Red-cap, whom we have again entertained in our service, as also John Vincent; both which we do also judge fit persons for you to send up into the country to bring down trade.

From Governor Sargeant.

CHARLTON ISLAND, August 24th, 1685.

Mr. Sandford does not accept the terms your honours propose, but rather chooses to go home. Neither he nor any of your servants will travel up the country, although your honours have earnestly desired it, and I pressed it upon those proposals you have hinted.

[B.]

VALUE OF EXPORTS AND IMPORTS FROM HUDSON'S BAY IN THE UNDERWRITTEN YEARS, AS THEY STAND IN THE INSPECTOR-GENERAL'S BOOKS AT THE CUSTOM HOUSE.

N. B.-These values are cast up by fixed and standing estimates, and not at the real

cost they were bought and sold at.

Custom House, London, 13th March, 1748.

STATIONS OF THE HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY, AND THE NORTH-WEST COMPANY, RESPECTIVELY, AT THE PERIOD OF THEIR COALITION, 1820-21.*

Statement furnished by the Hudson's Bay Company to the Dominion Government for the purposes of the present arbitration.

Many of these N. W. Co's Stations as Matagamie, New Brunswick, Abitibi, Waswanipi, Long Lake etc., are north of the northerly watershed of the St. Lawrence. As this Company was also lessee of the "King's Posts," no doubt many of them would be found on the same side, of the watershed.