A. D. 1749. 271 



paflage to the fea of Japan, that the Huclfon's-bay company had not 

 hitherto encouraged any attempts for finding fuch a paflage, and that a 

 more extenfive and beneficial trade might be carried on to the countries 

 about Hudfon's bay if the trade were hud quite open ; the houle of 

 commons appointed a committee to inquire into thofe allegations, while 

 petitions from Briftol, Liverpool, &c. were fent up, for laying that 

 trade open. Neverthelefs, upon a full inquiry and examination of wit- 

 nefiTes who had lived at Hudfon's bay, their report gave very little rea- 

 fon to hope for any great increafe of commerce there, the country be- 

 ing very inhofpitable on the fea-coafis ; yet it appeared that the inland 

 countries to the fouth and weft of that bay abound with fine woods, 

 wild-fowl, wild beafts, river-fifli, &c. and that corn and pulie would 

 grow thereon, wefe plantations made. That, however, confidering the 

 company's capital, &c. it did not appear, that they had not, in the main, 

 done as well as could be expected for promoting the commerce there : 

 that moreover it feemcd very doubtful, whether, if the trade were laid 

 quite open, it might not be gradually loft from us to the French of Ca- 

 nada. Neither did tlie committee's report give any great hope of a fafe 

 pallage likely to be difcovered inany pradicable latitude. One Mr. Rob- 

 fon, indeed, who had been furveyor to the company, and who feemed 

 now a difgufted evidence againft them, tells us, that the company's four 

 fmall factories contained only 130 fervants, and two fmall houfes with 

 only eight men in each : that their annual exports were about L4C00 

 in value ; having, in time of peace, three fliips each of [50 to 200 tons 

 burden, with two or three fmall floops ftationed in the bay : that there 

 are inconteftable evidences of rich copper and lead mines, yet the com- 

 pany give no encouragement for working them, nor for their iervants 

 going into the inland countries : that the probability of a paflage is far- 

 ther ftrengthened from the late dilcovery of bays, inlets, and broken 

 lands, the weftern ends of which are not yet difcovered, there having 

 been no rivers as yet obferved on the north-weft coaft : that the true 

 rcafon of the company not acting for the general benefit of the nation 

 is, becaufe they have had no legal (i. e. parliamentary) right to their 

 exclufive trade fince th.c year 1698, at which time the acl of parliament 

 expired, which confirmed their charter for feven years. If therefor, 

 fays Mr. Robfon, at this period, the leaft evidence had been fuifered to 

 tranfpire, that the climate is very habitalile, the foil rich and fruitful, 

 fit for corn and cattle, rich in mines, and the filherics capable of great 

 improvement, and that the trade may even be extended by means of a 

 naval paflage, or at leaft by a fliort land paflage, to the Weftern ocean, 

 had proper experiments been made thereof at that time; die legiflature 

 would have taken the right into their own hands, and would have fet- 

 tled the country, and laid the trade open for the benefit of Britain : 

 die company therefor have contented themfelvcs with dividing among 



