Some of them - few in
number, I am happy to know, and impecunious - appeared to consider the
old corporation of the Hudson's Bay in the light of Blucher, when
driving through the streets of London, "Mein Gott! what a plunder."
Some of them tried their best to confiscate the property; and once or
twice, by weakness and vacillation in London, they almost gained the
day.
Governor Dallas and I also carefully considered the telegraph question;
the route, the cost, and the best agencies to complete its very early
construction.
The two agreements, which, as matter of history, I here copy, were
intended to bring about the complete connection of the Hudson's Bay
territories direct with England and with the United States.
"Memorandum of Agreement between Mr. Edward W. Watkin and Mr. O. S.
Wood (subject to the approval of the Montreal Telegraph Company and the
United States Telegraph Companies, affected by this Agreement, and also
by the Governor and Committee of the Hudson's Bay Company) for
completing telegraphic communication between the Atlantic and Pacific.
"1. The Montreal Telegraph Company to construct a new line of telegraph
between Father Point and Halifax, via Dalhousie and Mirimichi,
to be completed on or before the 1st October, 1865; and also a line
from the telegraph at Arnprior to the Hudson's Bay post at the Sault
St. Marie, to be completed on or before the 1st October, 1865, with all
necessary instruments, stations, staff, and appliances for a first-
class through and local telegraph line.
"2. The Hudson's Bay Company (directly or through parties to be
appointed by them, as they may elect) to construct a telegraph line
from Fort Langley to Jasper House, thence to Fort Garry, and on to the
United States boundary, near Pembina, to be completed on or before the
15th October, 1865; and also a telegraph from Fort Garry to the
Hudson's Bay post at Fort William, at the head of Lake Superior; and
also to make arrangements with other parties to erect a telegraph from
Fort William to the Sault St. Marie, with all necessary instruments,
stations, staff, and appliances for a first-class through and local
telegraph line: provided always that the construction of the telegraph
between Fort Garry and Sault St. Marie is dependent upon arrangements
with the Canadian Government, and that it is understood that, failing
or pending these arrangements, the route to be adopted shall be
via Detroit, St. Paul, and Pembina to Fort Garry.
"3. The telegraph from Fort Langley to Halifax to be worked for all
through business as one through system, and the through rates to be
divided pro rata the mileage, except that for the lines west of
the Sault St. Marie (to be erected by the Hudson's Bay Company as
above) an additional mileage proportion of thirty-three per cent.
