Hudson's Bay Company

Organized by a number of English gentlemen, who

sent out a trading expedition to Hudson Bay, in the Nonsuch, in 1668.

This initial venture proved so successful that two other ships were sent

out in 1670; and the same year King Charles granted a charter

incorporating them as "The Governor and Company of Adventurers of

England trading into Hudson's Bay." For many years the operations of the

Company were confined to the s ores of Hudson Bay, but the pressure of

competition eventually forced them inland, and at the height of their

power they had established trading-posts from Labrador to the Pacific,

and from California almost to the Arctic. In 1821, the rival North West

Company (q.v.) was absorbed; and in 1869 the company surrendered to

Canada its territorial rights in British North America. =Index=: (Count Frontenac era)

203; trading done and posts established by, 204; redress claimed by, for

losses inflicted by the French, 343. (Lord Dorchester era) Its territory not included in

Canada, 7. (George Brown Era) Deputation of Red River settlers sent to England to

complain of misgovernment by, 212; Gladstone admits charter of Company

not valid, 212; Globe on company's misgovernment of North-West

Territories, 213-214; attacked in series of letters in the Globe,

signed "Huron," 215-216; Toronto Board of Trade on, 216; George Brown

on, 219; Canada takes over North-West Territories, and compensates

Company therefor, 220-221. (Mackenzie / Selkirk / Simpson era) Early policy of, 1; attitude of natives

to, 2; opposition of Montreal traders (afterwards North West Company),

2, 3; sends Hearne inland, 3; averse to conflict with North West

Company, 5; builds posts in Assiniboine and Red River country, 5, 6;

absorbs North West Company, 8; policy towards natives, 51; sends George

Clarke to explore, 56; his incompetence, 56; then sends Philip Turner,

1791, 56; legal basis of its title, 143-145; Selkirk purchases tract of

land in Red River valley, 146; Parliamentary Report of 1857, 212; union

of the Companies, 213-214; takes over management of Selkirk colony, 222;

establishes Council of Assiniboia, 223; notable leaders after the union

of the Companies, 220-223; its influence on side of government, in

Rebellion of 1837, 242; its license to trade renewed, 271; the Report of

1857, 271; opposition to further renewal, 271; evidence taken by

committee, 272-278; committee's report, 279; defended by Sir George

Simpson before Parliamentary committee, 272-278. (Sir James Douglas era) Influence upon

development of Pacific coast, 4; operations typical of British colonial

policy, 11; established in the interior, 12; conserves British interests

in Western America, 17, 18; charged with neglecting to search for route

to Pacific, 51; absorbs North West Company, 1821, 73, 93; birth of, 73;

provisions of its charter, 73-74; its trade and explorations, 74; its

organization, 75-76; its Western department, 76-77; trade routes, 77-78;

its farms on Puget Sound, etc., 78; grist mills and other enterprises,

78; supplies Russians with flour, etc., 78; opens coal mines on

Vancouver Island, 78; influence of these industries on settlement, 79;

treatment of Indians, 79-81; trading-posts, 82; brigades and "York

boats," 82; famous officers of, 83-86; ambitious designs on Pacific

coast and beyond, 114; attempt to establish post on Stikine River,

119-120; permission obtained from Russians to build post on Taku River,

121; operations on Liard and Yukon, 123-125; invades California before

1830, 126; builds post at junction of Sacramento and Jesus Maria rivers,

126; establishes post on San Francisco Bay, 127; sells post and retires

from San Francisco Bay, 127; meets competition of American traders and

companies, 134-136; attitude towards Oregon settlers, 143-144; license

to trade of 1821 renewed in 1838, 191; its provisions, 192; acquires

Vancouver Island, 194; attitude towards settlement there, 194-195;

quarrels with settlers, 198-199; Report of Committee, 1857, 201-202;

license to trade in British Columbia revoked, 1858, 229; relations

towards British Columbia government, 1858, 233-234; Douglas's relation

towards, 263; defends its policy, 264-265; officers of Company at

Victoria, 265; influence with natives, 266-267; builds first Protestant

church at Victoria, 1855, 269. (Sir Georges E. Cartier era) Cartier and MacDougall sent to

England by Canadian government in 1869 to negotiate purchase of

Company's territories in North-West, 68; Company asks exorbitant price,

68; persuaded by Lord Grey to accept L300,000, 68. (General Brock era) Its voyageurs

assist in capture of Michilimackinac, 210. (Sir John A Macdonald era) Its claims investigated,

83; terms upon which it agreed to transfer to the crown its rights to

North-West Territories, 156; protest against unauthorized proceedings in

Red River Settlement, 157. See North-West Company; X Y Company; Fur

Trade; Selkirk. =Bib.=: Bryce, Hudson's Bay Company; Willson, Great

Company; Laut, Conquest of the Great North-West; Burpee, Search for

the Western Sea; Bryce, Romantic History of Lord Selkirk's Colonists;

Ross, Red River Settlement; Hargrave, Red River; Begg, History of

the North-West.