The Remarkable History of the Hudson's Bay Company. Bryce George

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СКАЧАТЬ laid before His Majesty William III., in 1694. This petition, which also contained the main facts of the claim of 1687, is so important that we give some of the details of it. It is proper to state, however, that a part of the demand is made up of what has since been known as "consequential damages," and that in consequence the matter lingered on for at least two decades.

      The damages claimed were:—

1682.	Captain Gillam and cargo on Prince Rupert. (Captain and a number of men, cargo, and ship all lost in hostilities.) Governor Bridgar and men seized and carried to Quebec	£	s.	d.
	Moderate damages	25,000	0	0
September 1684.	French with two ships built a small house and interrupted Indian trade
	Damages	10,000	0	0
1685.	French took Perpetuana and cargo to Quebec
	Damages	5,000	0	0
	For ship, master, and men
	Damages	1,255	16	3
1686.	French destroyed three of Company's ships at bottom of Bay, and also three ships' stores, etc., and took 50,000 beaver skins, and turned out to sea a number of His Majesty's subjects	50,000	0	0
1682–86.	Five years' losses about Forts (10,000 beaver skins yearly)	20,000	0	0
1688.	Company's ships Churchill and Young seized by the French	10,000	0	0
1692.	Company sent out expedition to retake Forts, which cost them	20,000	0	0
1686–93.	French possessed bottom of the Bay for seven years. Loss, 10,000l. a year	70,000	0	0
	Damages	20,000	0	0
	Total damages claimed	£211,255	16	3

CHAPTER VII.

       Table of Contents

      RYSWICK AND UTRECHT.

      The "Grand Monarque" humbled—Caught napping—The Company in peril—Glorious Utrecht—Forts restored—Damages to be considered—Commission useless.

      Louis XIV. of France, by his ambition and greed in 1690, united against himself the four nations immediately surrounding him—Germany, Spain, Holland, and England, in what they called "The Grand Alliance." Battles, by land and sea for six years, brought Louis into straits, unrelieved by such brilliant episodes as the naval prodigies wrought by D'Iberville on Hudson Bay. In 1696, "Le Grand Monarque" was sufficiently humbled to make overtures for peace. The opposing nations accepted these, and on May 9th, 1697, the representatives of the nations met at William III.'s Château of Neuberg Hansen, near the village of Ryswick, which is in Belgium, a short distance from the Hague.

      Louis had encouraged the Jacobite cause, James III. being indeed a resident of the Castle of St. Germain, near Paris. This had greatly irritated William, and one of the first things settled at the Treaty was the recognition of William as rightful King of England.

      Article VII. of the Treaty compelled the restoration to the King of France and the King of Great Britain respectively of "all countries, islands, forts, and colonies," which either had possessed before the declaration of war in 1690. However satisfactory this may have been in Acadia and Newfoundland, we find that it did not meet the case of the Hudson Bay, inasmuch as the ownership of this region was, as we have seen, claimed by both parties before the war. In the documents of the Company there is evidence of the great anxiety caused to the adventurers when the news reached London, as to what was likely to be the basis of settlement of the Treaty. The adventurers at once set themselves to work to bring influence to bear against the threatened result. The impression seemed to prevail that they had been "caught napping," and possibly they could not accomplish anything. Their most influential deputation came to the Hague, and, though late in the day, did avail somewhat.

      No doubt Article VII. of the Treaty embodies the results of their influence. It is so important for our purpose that we give it in full:—"Commissioners should be appointed on both sides to examine and determine the rights and pretensions which either of the said Kings have to the places situated in Hudson Bay; but the possession of those places which were taken by the French during the peace that preceded this war, and were retaken by the English during this war, shall be left to the French, by virtue of the foregoing articles. The capitulation made by the English on September 5th, 1695, shall be observed according to the form and tenor; the merchandises therein mentioned shall be restored; the Governor at the fort taken there shall be set at liberty, if it be not already done; the differences which have arisen concerning the execution of the said capitulation and the value of the goods there lost, shall be adjudicated and determined by the said commissioners; who immediately after the ratification of the present Treaty, shall be invested with sufficient authority for the setting of the limits and confines of the lands to be restored on either side by virtue of the foregoing article, and likewise for exchanging of lands, as may conduce to the mutual interest and advantage of both Kings."

      This agreement presents a few salient points:—

      1. The concession to France of rights (undefined, it is true), but of rights not hitherto acknowledged by the English.

      2. The case of the Company, which would have been seriously prejudiced by Article VII., is kept open, and commissioners are appointed to examine and decide boundaries.

      3. The claim for damages so urgently pressed by the Hudson's Bay Company receives some recognition in the restoration of merchandize and the investigation into the "value of the goods lost."

      4. On the whole, the interests of the Hudson's Bay Company would seem to have been СКАЧАТЬ