THE NORTHWESTERN BOUNDARY - LINE. 915 
all other royal fishes in the seas, bays, inlets, and rivers within 
the premises and the fish therein taken, together with the roy- 
alty of the sea upon the coasts within the limits aforesaid, and 
all mines royal, as’ well discovered as not discovered, of gold, 
silver, gems, and precious stones, to be found or discovered 
wilin the territories, limits, and places aforesaid, and that, the 
said Jand be from henceforth reckoned and reputed as one of our 
Plantations or Colonies in America, called ‘ Rupert’s Land.’” 
‘This concession was induced, as the preamble of 
the charter sets forth, by the reason that the parties 
“Have, at their own great cost and charges, undertaken an 
expedition for Hudson’s Bay, in the northwest part of America, 
for the discovery of a new passage to the South Sea, and for 
the finding some trade for furs, minerals, and other considerable 
commodities, and by such their undertaking have already made 
such discoveries as do encourage them to proceed farther in 
pursuance of their said designs, by means whereof there may 
probably arise very great advantage to us and our Kingdom.” 
The Company’s Charter, in common with others of 
that period, conveyed to them the right to hold the 
territory granted with all rights and jamsdicbions ap- 
pertaining thereto, as of the manor of East Green- 
wich in Kent; the Company became lords and pro- 
prietors of Rupert’s Land on condition of a yearly 
payment to the Crown of “two elks and two black 
beavers;” and no legal impediment existed to the es- 
tablishment on Hudson’s Bay of a local political gov- 
ernment such as existed in Massachusetts or Virgin- 
ia; but, in reflecting on the slow growth of the Brit- 
ish Colonies in the more temperate latitudes of North 
America, it will be readily seen that no colonization 
could be effected on the frozen and desolate shores 
of Hudson’s Bay. In effect, the Company very soon 
