336 APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OP GREAT BRITAIN. 



Britain, on the other hand, ad- to the 55tli degree of latitude; but 

 vauces the riglits of the Hudson's Great Britain, on her part, repre- 

 BayCompany,whose trading posts sents the rights of the Hudson's 

 and stations are being pushed far- Bay Company, whose trading posts 

 ther and farther into the interior or refuges, penetrating further and 

 of the country, and have almost further into the interior of the 

 reached the north-west coast under lands, have nearly reached the 

 the same parallel. The basis upon north-western coast, on about the 

 which these conflicting claims are same parallel. The bases of these 

 founded is almost identical, and mutual pretensions are similar in 

 it cannot be denied that through character; at the same time it 

 injudicious action on either side must be foreseen that out of the 

 the most serious and unfortunate misunderstandings now arising 

 consequences might at any time disagreeable consequences may in 

 arise. Prudence demands a speedy time ensue, and prudence demands 

 agreement between both sides in- that the interests of both parties 

 terested. The most practicable should be quickly reconciled, 

 solution seemed this : To establish For this only one expedient pre- 

 at a certain distance from the shore sents itself: to establish at some 

 a boundary line which both our distance from the coast a frontier- 

 trappers and hunters and the em- line which shall not be infringed 

 ployes of the Hudson's Bay Com- by our establishments and trap- 

 pany must be forbidden to cross, pers, as also by the hunters of 

 The representatives of both Powers the Hudson's Bay Company. The 

 recognized the necessity of such a Plenipotentiaries on both sides 

 boundary, but the width of the equally recognized the necessity of 

 strip of coast necessary for the this measure; but the width of the 

 X)eaceable prosecution of the en- coast-line necessary for the safe 

 terprises of our Colonies, the di- existence and consolidation of our 

 rection of the line, and its initial Colonies, the direction of the fron- 

 point on the mainland of America, tier, and even its starting point 

 are subjects still under discussion, on the Continent of America, still 

 since the Envoy of His Britannic form subjects of negotiation, and 

 Majesty declares he must wait for the British Ambassador has de- 

 further instructions from his Court, clared that for continuing them he 

 It is hardly necessary for me to re- must seek new instructions from 

 peat that in all these negotiations his Court. I shall not repeat that 

 with England we have recognized, in these negotiations with England 

 and always will recognize, the par- we took, and will continue to take, 

 amount importance of the interests into equal consideration on the one 

 of the Eussiau - American Com- side the requirements and inter- 

 pany in this matter ; on the other ests of the establishments of the 

 hand, we must consider the extent Russian- American Company, and, 

 of rights in the interior and the on the other, the degree of its 

 most practicable means of secur- rights of possession in the interior 

 ing and maintaining the same, of the Continent of America, and 

 As I observe above, it is necessary the measure of the methods for 

 for the i)eaceable existence of our firmly securing to the Company 

 Colonies that their boundaries be the possession of these territories, 

 defined with the greatest possible As I have said above, for the 

 accuracy. The extent of territory peaceful existence of our Colonies 

 between the coast and this bound- more than all is it necessary to de- 

 ary should be sufficient for the termine with accuracy the frontier, 

 requirements of all our establish- the extent of the country between 

 ments now existing, as well as of the coast, and this frontier must be 

 such as may be founded in the sufficient and be in correspondence 



