nd many factories were
built in the western portion of the Province. The company thus soon
became a formidable competitor with the Hudson's Bay Company and
for a period of two years, an actual state of war existed between
them. This condition of affairs finally terminated in a consolidation
of the two organizations, under the name of the Hudson's Bay Company,
the privileges of which extended over all the territory formerly
occupied by both.

Thus, we have the history of the famous Hudson's Bay Company, from
its origin to its perfect organization. It is a most stupendous
concern, and its annual shipment of furs, is something amazing.
Their great sales take place in the month of March, in order to
be completed before Easter; and again in September, every year
at London, and are attended by purchasers from nearly all parts
of the world. Leipsic, the famous fur mart of Germany, is also
the scene of a great annual fair, for the sale of skins.

The importance of the fur trade in this country, led to the
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early settlement of the Western territories of the United States;
and many a frontier city, like St. Paul, has been built up by the
enterprise of the trapper. Mackinaw and Montreal owe much of their
growth to the traffic of the fur trade; and many a kingly fortune--John
Jacob Astor's, for instance--has been founded on peltry.

Besides the above fur sales in London a moderate portion of those
annually collected in the United States are retained for use, amounting
to about 150,000 mink and 750,000 muskrat skins, besides a number
of other furs which are manufactured and worn.

The annual yield of raw furs throughout the whole world is estimated
at over twenty millions of dollars in value; and when we include
the manufactured articles therefrom, the amount will swell to a
hundred millions or over. This will serve to give some idea of
the immensity and value of the business.

American dealers divide our native furs into two classes, viz.,
_home_ and _shipping_ furs; the former being chiefly utilized in
our own country, while the latter are exported to all parts of
the world. New York City is the great fur mart and depot for the
shipping trade in this country, and the annual value of its exports,
in this one branch of trade is enormous.

The principal shipping furs are the silver, red and cross Fox, Wild
Cat, Raccoon, Fisher, Muskrat and Skunk.

Among the home furs are the Marten, Mink, Opossum, Wolf and Muskrat