§ MR. CRAWFORDsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether any progress has been made in the negotiations between Her Majesty's Government and the Hudson's Bay Company relative to the establishment of telegraphic communications with the Pacific through British North America, and whether arrangements for the future management of the territory of the Hudson's Bay Company are still the subject of negotiation?
§ MR. ARTHUR MILLSsaid, he would also beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether Her Majesty's Government exercise at the present moment any control over the territory claimed by the Hudson's Bay Company, and stated in their Prospectus issued in July last to comprise 1,400,000 square miles; and, whether it is in contemplation to establish a Crown Colony in any portion of this territory?
§ MR. CARDWELL,in reply, said, at the present moment no authority was exercised over the territory in question except by the Hudson's Bay Company. Negotiations for some time past had been going on between Her Majesty's Government and the Hudson's Bay Company, having for their object the transfer of a large portion of their territory to the Crown, and the establishment of a Colony in Rupert's Land, and a telegraphic communication with the Pacific. Negotiations had been commenced last Session, but no satisfactory answer had as yet been received.