At The End Of The Last Century, Or The Beginning Of This, Mr. Ellice's
Father, As Mr. Ellice Stated, "Had
Supplied a great part of the capital
by which the whole north-west trade was conducted." Profitable trading
brought division
Of interests; and, in addition to smaller swarms from
the parent hive, a new organization, called the "X. Y. Company," or
"Sir Alexander Mackenzie and Company," carried on trade in competition
with the original "North-West Company of Canada." Mr. Ellice became
connected with this "X. Y. Company" in 1805. The leading spirit of the
North-West Company was Mr. McGillivray: and Mr. McGillivray and Mr.
Ellice were, as a rule, cordial allies. Two leading firms engaged in
the fur trade were McTavish, Fraser & Co., and Inglis, Ellice & Co.
Competition raged amongst these Canadian interests, and between them
and the Hudson's Bay Company, whose affairs were administered from
England. The business was carried on, therefore, with great
extravagance. The Indians were tempted and corrupted by strong drink.
Frequent collisions took place between the Indians and the whites, and
everything grew worse till 1811. In 1811 Lord Selkirk joined the
Hudson's Bay Company. He became not only a stockholder in the Company,
but took great interest in the trade; and he was the proprietor of a
large tract of territory on the Red River, acquired from the Hudson's
Bay Company under a deed dated 12th June, 1811. In this territory, he
made settlements for the purposes of agriculture.
The conflict of interests between the Canadian fur traders and the
Hudson's Bay Company became more and more violent, and ended in
bloodshed.
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