From Hunts Merchant $ Magazine.for Sept. lSiO.


THE AMERICAN FUR TRADE
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While the French traders were ransack-
'ng the forests bordering the great lakes
IND the Mississippi and storing with furs
NE warehouses of France, gigantic cor
Doration belonging to a rival power, and


ow in existence, had sprung up in the


orth-a power which is now grasping
he entire dominion of the forest north of
he American bounds from Hudson's Bay
% the mouth of the Columbia. infringing
ppon our own territory, ond exercising an
ION despotism over the large body of
French Canadians, traders, half-breeds,
Ind Indians, who are in its employ and
subiect to its will. The English, for
hng period, had made extraordinary et-
iors to discover northern passage for
shps between the Atlantic and Pacific !;
and about the commencement OF the SIN


,eenth century, Hudson and Ballin had
Explored the two bays whose names they
Dear. 1t was believed that the communi-
eation could only be effected by one Of
| thc last named bays, and in order to en-
courage the project of exploration, Charles
II. granted to IA society of London mer-
shants, denominated TEe Hudson's Bag
company, charter in 1869, upon the I'M
Piled condition that they would strive to
sAectuate that object From this period,
lhere sprang forward monopoly not cx-
seeded in magnitude by any that has ex-
kted on this continent, which, at first con-
hnlng itself within the hyPerborean re-
tlons of the north, and acting as rival
81 the French for nearl y a century, has
sradually extended itself throughout the
Greater portion O. the western territory,
}nd without regard to chartered rights.
fppears to be destined to swallow up all


Pher commercial enterprises within its
Peach. But we shall treat more particu-
!ary ofits spirit and policy as we pOceed.


During the year 1871, the Northwest
company was organized. This company
y" established for the purpose OF pre-