214: TIIK Tin: AT V OF WASHINGTON. 



ocean or some recognized i)osscssioii of another Power, 

 and, secondly, in virtue of tlie discoveries and I'iglits 

 of extension of Spain; and Great Britain claiming in 

 virtue of discovery and possession, and of rights of ex- 

 tension of her actual admitted j)ossessions in America. 



Tims we arrive at the cpiestion of what her actual 

 admitted possessions were: which is the key to the 

 Treaty of June 15, 184(5, the interi)retation of which 

 was referred to the Emjieror of Germany. 



On the restoration of Charles II,, j)i'ojects of colo- 

 nization and of remote conniiercial or speculative en- 

 ter])rises, which had been suspended in England dur- 

 ing the Civil War, began to be resumed with new 

 zeal, comprehending as well the Elist as the AVest 

 Imlies. 



Among the great territorial charters of tliat day, 

 one of the most interesting is that of the Hudson's 

 Bay Company, l)y which the King granted to sundry 

 persons, including the Prince I\U])ert, the Duke of 

 Albemarle, the Eail of Craven, l>.ord Arlington, Lord 

 Ashley, Sir John Bobinson, Sir Edward llungerford^ 

 and others | in part, it will be perceived, the same per- 

 sons wlio obtained a grant of the two Carolinas], 



"Tlio sole trade and commerce of all tliosc seas, straits, bays, 

 rivers, lak^s, creeks, and sounds, in Avliatsoevcr latitude tlicy 

 shall lie, tliat lie -w itliin tlic entrance of tlie straits coninionly 

 called Hudson's Straits, to!j;etlier with all the lands and tcrli- 

 tories upon tlic countries, coasts, and contines of the seas, bays, 

 lakes, rivers, creeks, and sounds aforesaid, that are not already 

 actually possessed by or granted to any of our subjects, or 

 possessed by the subjects of any other Christian Trince or 

 ►State, with tlic fishing of all sorts of lish, whales, sturgeons, and 



