APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 421 



[In closure 1 in No. 37.] 

 Hiidsoii'a Bay Comj^any to Mr. G. Canning. 



Hudson's Bay House, London, January S, 1S24. 



Sir : In reference to the conversation which I liad tlie honour of havin fj with you on 

 Monday last, I beg to call your attention to my letter of the 25th September, 1822, on 

 the subject of the trading stations of the Hudson's Bay Company in the countries 

 on the north-west coast of America. 



In addition to what is therein stated, I have to inform you that it appears, by the 

 intelligence received this last season, tliat our traders are extending their posts still 

 farther to the northward in the country to the west of the Rocky Mouutains. 



It may be proper for me also to mention, that the Hudson's Bay Comjiany have a 

 cliain of trading posts on the McKenzie's River as far north as about 67"^ north lati- 

 tude, and that Indians trade at those posts who come from the countries lying to the 

 west of that river and to the north of 60" north latitude, and that our traders are 

 extending their posts to the westward into that country. 



The Russian station called "Sitka" is an island, and can give no claim by occu- 

 pation to any part of the continent. But, even if they had stations on the sea coast 

 of the continent, this could not be held to give to Russia a better claim to a 80uth(>rn 

 boundary on a line of latitude eastward than our stations iu 67° north latitude gives 

 to Great Britain to one on a line of hititude^westward. 



From a want of accurate knowledge of the courses of the rivers or ranges of 

 mountains, it is difiicult to suggest any satisfactory boundary iu the interior of the 

 country iu cjuestion, and (if consistent with your views) it might, perhaps, be onf- 

 ticient at present to settle a boundary on the coast only and the country 50 or 100 

 miles inland, leaving the rest of the country to the north of tluit point and to the 

 west of the range of the mountains, which separate the watej-s which fall into the 

 Paciiic from those which flow to the east and north, open to the traders of both 

 nations. 



In this case, I would suggest the northern end of the inlet called Chatham Straits 

 as the most southern point at which the coast boundary ought to be fixed. This is 

 but a little (if at all) to the north of the most northern trading station in the country 

 to the west of the Rocky Mountains. 



The islands lying to the west of Chatham Straits maybe given to Russia; but the 

 Russians not to trade either on the coast or iu the interior south of the boundary, 

 and the British not to trade on the coast north of it. 



If it is considered proper to lix at presc'ut the interior boundary, I would suggest 

 a line drawu from the above-mentioned point at" Chatham Straits due north, until it 

 strikes the range of mouutains which separate the waters (being the supposed con- 

 tinuation of the range called the Rocky Mountains), and thence to follow the ridge 

 of these mountains to the Frozen Ocean. 



This is the greatest concession which I think it would be advisable to make to 

 Russia with regard to the interests of the British fur trade, and it would be desir- 

 able, as the means of preventing the risk of collision between the traders of 

 51 the two nations, if Mount Elias on** the coast at 60° north latitude was taken 

 as the boundary point, from whence the line of longitude should be drawn. 

 I have, «fcc. 



J. H. Pelly. 



[Inclosure 2 in No. 37.] 

 Memorial rela1i)>y to the Xorth-Wcst Coast of America. 



The principal Settlements of the Russian Fur Company in the North Pacific Ocean 

 are on the Aleutian or Fox Islands, the Island of Kodiak being the great entrepot or 

 magazine of the peltries, which are collected in the neighbouring islands and from 

 Cook's Inlet, Prince William's Sound, Avhere, however, it does not appear the Rus- 

 sians have establishments inland, but the furs are collected by a coasting trader in 

 the "baidarkat" or canoes. 



Mr. G. S. Langsdorif, who accompanied Captain Krusenstern in his voyages in the 

 years 1803, 1804, 1805, 1806, and 1807, in giving an account of the fur trade, gives the 

 following statement and history of the S<'ttlemeut of Lichta: 



"The constant decrease in the number of sea otters up(m the coast of Kamschatka 

 induced the Russians to extend their possessions eastward, liist to the islands between 

 the coast of Asia and America, and finally to the north-west coast of America. 



* Q>/- or. 



