APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 383 



IS^O. 13. 

 Hudson's Boy Company to Mr. George Canning. — {Received September .) 



Hudson's Bay House, London, September 25, 1823. 



Sir: I have the honour to address you, on behalf of the Hudson's 

 Bay Company, upon the subject of the claim set up by Kussia to that 

 part of the north-west coast of America which is to the north of the 

 51st degree north latitude. 



It appears to the Directors of this Company that the claim of Kussia 

 is not Avell founded, and as the interests of the Company and of the 

 British fur trade would be essentially and greatly injured, should the 

 claims of Kussia be admitted by the British Government, I feel it to be 

 incumbent upon me, in addition to the rei^resentations which I have 

 already made upon this subject, to state briefly the progress of the 

 British fur trade iji that part of North America, and to apprize you of 

 the forts or trading stations, situated to the north of the 51st degree 

 north hititude, which are now occupied by the traders and servants of 

 this Company. 



In the year 1793 Sir Alexander McKenzie crossed the Rocky Moun- 

 tains in 56° 30' north latitude, and penetrated to the Pacific Ocean in 

 latitude 52° 20'. Immediately after his return the British fur traders 

 sent expeditions and established trading posts in the country to the 

 westward of the Kocky Mountains. New trading stations have been 

 gradually formed, as the country was more fully explored, and 

 18 until 1821 the whole trade of an extensive district named New 

 Caledonia, and extending from the mouth of Eraser's River, situ- 

 ated about 49° uorth latitude to about 60° north latitude, was carried 

 on by the British North-West Company. 



The partnership of the British North- West Company being then 

 about to exi)ire, arrangements were made in 1821 by which the Hud- 

 son's Bay Company acquired possession of all the forts and trading sta- 

 tions of that Association situated in New Caledonia, as well as in other 

 parts of British North America. • 



The principal forts or permanent and centrical trading stations in 

 New Caledonia, now occupied by the traders and servants of this Com- 

 pany, are situated at the Kocky Mountain j^ortage in 5G° north latitude 

 and 121° west longitude; on Stewart's Lake, in 51° 30' north latitude 

 and 125° west longitude; on McLeod's Lake in 55° north latitude and 

 124° west longitude, and on Fraser\s Lake in 55° degrees north latitude 

 and about 127° west longitude, and there are several minor trading posts, 

 the situation of which are occasionally changed according to local cir- 

 cumstances. By these means an extensive trade is carried on with all 

 those Indian tribes which inhabit the country from about 60° north lati- 

 tude as far south as the mouth of Fraser's River, which is in about 49° 

 north latitude, and between the Rocky Mountains and the sea. 



The British fur traders have never met with the traders of any other 

 nation in that country, and it does not appear that any part of it has 

 ever been occupied by the subjects of Russia or of any other foreign 

 Power, 



All the considerable rivers which fall into the Pacific Ocean in this 

 extent of coast have not yet been sufficiently explored to ascertain 

 whether any of them are navigable with large boats, and have safe 

 harbours at their discharge into the sea; the furs procured in that coun- 

 try have therefore been brought to England dow^n the Peace River and 

 through the Hudson's Bay Company's territories. But it is probable 



