But arrangements must be entered into with the Colonial
Office for the settlement of the country; and at some future time it
would be, no doubt, his duty to inform their Lordships what these
arrangements were."
The Prospectus, as issued in London, for the new organization, at the
end of June, 1863, contained this paragraph: -
"With the view of providing the means of telegraphic and postal
communication between Canada and British Columbia, across the Company's
territory, and thereby of connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans by
an exclusively British route, negociations have been pending for some
time past between certain parties and Her Majesty's Government and the
representatives of the Government of Canada, and preliminary
arrangements for the accomplishment of these objects have been made
through Her Majesty's Government (subject to the final sanction of the
Colonies), based upon a 5 per cent. guarantee from the Governments of
Canada, British Columbia, and Vancouver Island. In further aid of these
Imperial objects, Her Majesty's Government have signified their
intention to make grants of land in portions of the Crown territory
traversed by the proposed telegraphic line.
"One of the first objects of the Company will be to examine the
facilities and consider the best means for carrying out this most
important work; and there can be little doubt that it will be
successfully executed either by the Hudson's Bay Company itself, or
with their aid and sanction.
