"
Thus, the adventurers had exclusive rights of trade, exclusive
possession of territories, exclusive powers of government, and the
right to make war, or conclude peace.
By an Order of Council of 4th February, 1748, a petition from one
Arthur Dobbs, Esq., and from members of a committee appointed by the
"subscribers for finding out a passage to the Western and Southern
Ocean of America," was referred to the consideration of "A. Ryder" and
"W. Murray," who heard counsel for and against the Hudson's Bay
Company, and finally decided that, "Considering how long the Company
have enjoyed and acted under this charter without interruption or
encroachment, we cannot think it advisable for his Majesty to make any
express or implied declaration against the validity of it till there
has been some judgment of a court of justice to warrant it."
On the 24th April, 1749, a Select Committee of Parliament reported,
through Lord Strange, upon "the state and condition of the countries
adjoining to Hudson's Bay, and the trade carried on there." The report
begins by stating--
"The Committee appointed to inquire into the state and condition of the
countries adjoining to Hudson's Bay, and the trade carried on there;
and to consider how those countries may be settled and improved, and
the trade and fisheries there extended and increased; and also to
inquire into the right the Company of Adventurers trading to Hudson's
Bay pretend to have, by charter, to the property of lands, and
exclusive trade to those countries;--have, pursuant to the order of the
House, examined into the several matters to them referred, and find the
particular state thereof to be as follows:--
"Your Committee thought proper, in the first place, to inquire into the
nature and extent of the charter granted by King Charles the Second to
the Company of Adventurers trading to Hudson's Bay; under which charter
the present Company claim a right to lands, and an exclusive trade to
those countries; which charter being laid before your Committee, they
thought it necessary, for the information of the House, to annex a copy
thereof to this Report, in the Appendix No.
Pages:
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248