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M A M M A L S OF N O R T H E R N C A N A D A 255
to the Then general abundance of beaver, and the advent of
competition i n the trade, this much desired course had to
be gradually abandoned. For the twenty- five years from
1853 to 1877, the Hudson's Bay Company sold a total of
nearly three million skins ( 2,965,389) of this important
animal i n the world's fur mart, London. The yearly catch
from 1S53 with 55,456 pelts to 87,013 i n 185S exhibited a
steady increase. The year 1859, with 107,196 pelts, was,
I believe, the first to reach and exceed the' century mark since
the union i n 1821, but 1S60 dropped to 91,459. While 1861
was only 926 skins below 1S59. 1862 produced 115,580 pelts,
1S63 produced 114,149, and 1S64 produced 142,998, yet
the last- mentioned year's sale was immediately followed by
a decline of 24,750 pelts. The balance of the series from
1S66 to 1877 varies between the minimum. 115,646 i n 1877,
and the maximum, 175,170 i n 1871, certainly the highest
and best since 1821, and probably one of, i f not, the most
productive in the history of the Hudson's Bay Company.
An old writer of repute, however, writes that 175,000 beaver
skins were collected by the '' ancient concern " i n one year
about the middle of the eighteenth century. It is possible
that this large number may have comprised the country trade
of two seasons. European wars were rather frequent and
somewhat protracted in those days, while it is on record
that one or two of the Company's ships failed i n making the
annual round voyage between London and Hudson Bay. I
think it is a matter of regret that the two recent historians
of the Hudson's Bay Company, while throwing
much light on the earlier and some of their later trade operations,
have not also given us some definite statements of
their yearly fur shipments and sales, which would have
been generally appreciated. Mr. Beckles W i l l s o n has, however,
given an interesting account of the Company's first
London public sale, which took place on January 24, 1672.
On this occasion the 3,000 pounds weight of beaver were put
up i n thirty lots, and fetched from 36 to 55 shillings a
17
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| Title | Page 279 |
| OCR | M A M M A L S OF N O R T H E R N C A N A D A 255 to the Then general abundance of beaver, and the advent of competition i n the trade, this much desired course had to be gradually abandoned. For the twenty- five years from 1853 to 1877, the Hudson's Bay Company sold a total of nearly three million skins ( 2,965,389) of this important animal i n the world's fur mart, London. The yearly catch from 1S53 with 55,456 pelts to 87,013 i n 185S exhibited a steady increase. The year 1859, with 107,196 pelts, was, I believe, the first to reach and exceed the' century mark since the union i n 1821, but 1S60 dropped to 91,459. While 1861 was only 926 skins below 1S59. 1862 produced 115,580 pelts, 1S63 produced 114,149, and 1S64 produced 142,998, yet the last- mentioned year's sale was immediately followed by a decline of 24,750 pelts. The balance of the series from 1S66 to 1877 varies between the minimum. 115,646 i n 1877, and the maximum, 175,170 i n 1871, certainly the highest and best since 1821, and probably one of, i f not, the most productive in the history of the Hudson's Bay Company. An old writer of repute, however, writes that 175,000 beaver skins were collected by the '' ancient concern " i n one year about the middle of the eighteenth century. It is possible that this large number may have comprised the country trade of two seasons. European wars were rather frequent and somewhat protracted in those days, while it is on record that one or two of the Company's ships failed i n making the annual round voyage between London and Hudson Bay. I think it is a matter of regret that the two recent historians of the Hudson's Bay Company, while throwing much light on the earlier and some of their later trade operations, have not also given us some definite statements of their yearly fur shipments and sales, which would have been generally appreciated. Mr. Beckles W i l l s o n has, however, given an interesting account of the Company's first London public sale, which took place on January 24, 1672. On this occasion the 3,000 pounds weight of beaver were put up i n thirty lots, and fetched from 36 to 55 shillings a 17 |
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