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LONDON:

PRINTED BY T. BRETTELL, RUPERT STREET, HAYMARKET.

F

1060.4

•M38

PREFATORY ADDRESS.

ΤΟ

THE RIGHT HONBLE EARL GREY,

H.M. Secretary of State for the Colonies.

MY LORD,

The avowed ignorance of the nation generally concerning the Hudson's Bay Company, and the natural desire to know more of the territories and proceedings of an association to whom is now being confided the Colonization of Vancouver's Island, have induced me to examine various official and public documents on the subject, in the hope that the result of my inquiry might be useful to many who wish to be better acquainted with the facts of the case, and not unacceptable even to those with whose opinions I generally concur, although in this matter at variance with the conclusions at which I have myself arrived.

I have found a further incentive to my labours in the desire to ascertain how far additional information would confirm or negative the views I had formed when writing my History of the British Colonies in 1834.

The plan which I have pursued has been

First-To show the geography, physical aspect, and climate of the regions known as the Hudson's Bay Company's territories, and to furnish all the trustworthy information within my reach relative to Vancouver's Island.

Second-To detail the constitution and working of the Hudson's Bay Corporation at home and abroad.

Third-To ascertain the numbers, character, and treatment of the Indian or Aboriginal population.

Fourth-To investigate the conduct and policy of the ruling authorities.

Fifth-To inquire into the qualifications of the Hudson's Bay Company for the Colonization of Vancouver's Island.

The documents examined include the Parliamentary Papers of 8th August, 1842, and 10th August, 1848; the Report of the Aborigines' Parliamentary Committee in 1837; the Journal of the Bishop of Montreal to Rupert's Land in 1844'; the Annual Reports and Notices of the Church Missionary and Wesleyan Societies; the Official Narrative of Commodore Wilkes, of the American navy2, from 1838 to 1842; the History of Oregon and California in 1844, by Mr. Robert Greenhow, translator and librarian to the United States Governments; a "Journey beyond the Rocky Mountains in 1835-6 and 7," by the Rev. S. Parker, A.M., on behalf of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions*; Statement of the Earl of Selkirk's Settlement in North America"; Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America from 1836 to 1839, by Messrs. Dease and T. Simpson; Hearne's Journeys to the Northern Ocean from 1769 to 17727; Rae's Exploration of the Coasts of the Arctic Region; Sir George Simpson's

1 Published by Seeley, Hatchard, and Nisbett. London. 1845.

2 Published by Wiley and Putnam. London. 1845.

3 Published by Murray. London. 1844.

4 Re-published by Chambers. Edinburgh. 1841.

5 Published by Murray. London.

1817.

6 Published by Bentley. London. 1837.

7 Strahan and Cadell in 1795.

8 Times and Morning Herald, 1st and 2nd November, 1847.

Overland Journey round the World in 1841-29; several official papers deposited at the Colonial Office, Board of Trade, and Admiralty; the Royal Charter granted to the Hudson's Bay Company by King Charles II., 2nd May, 1670*; the Royal Licences granted by King George IV., 5th December 1821, and by Queen Victoria, 30th May, 1838, for exclusive trade with the Indians of all the countries in North America to the north and west of the territory of the United States, Upper and Lower Canada, and the territories of the Hudson's Bay Company granted to them by the Royal Charter of 2nd May, 1670*; the Deed Poll of the Company, which is a covenant between the chief factors and chief traders in America, and the stock holders in England; two letters from the Rev. Wm. Cockran and the Rev. J. Macallum, clergymen of the Church of England, on the state of the Red River settlement in July and August and other documents to which reference is made in this work.

1848*;

I now beg to submit to your Lordship the important evidence afforded by the statements of these impartial authorities, many of them eye-witnesses of

9 Published by Colburn. 1847.

* See Appendix.

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