North-West America. D Built by Meares at Nootka—first ship launched in what is now British Columbia, 28; seized by Martinez, 28; crew sent to China, 29.
North-West Coast. D Spanish influence delays colonization, 4; history of, affected by Russian occupation of Alaska, 4; by British trade interests by sea, 4; by North West Company, 4; by Hudson's Bay Company, 4; by Astorians, 4; unvisited by European navigators during whole of seventeenth and three-quarters of eighteenth century, 11, 12; final era of exploration of, 18; American voyages to, 23, 24, 25; La Pérouse explores in 1788, 25; Étienne Marchand explores in 1791, 25; Malaspina's voyage to, in 1791, 25; Elisa's and Quimper's visit to, 26. Bib.: Bancroft, History of the North-West Coast.
North West Company. Organized in 1795, by a number of merchants chiefly of Montreal, engaged in the fur trade. The first "partners," or bourgeois, of the Company were Simon McTavish, Joseph Frobisher, John Gregory, William McGillivray, Angus Shaw, Roderick McKenzie, Cuthbert Grant, Alexander McLeod, and William Thorburn. Most of them had previously been in the North-West as independent fur traders. A new agreement was entered into by the then partners in 1802; in 1804 the Company absorbed its vigorous rival, the X Y Company, and in 1821 was itself absorbed by the Hudson's Bay Company. Index: MS Early beginnings—Montreal traders enter the North-West, 2; oppose the Hudson's Bay Company, 3; the Frobishers build a post on Sturgeon Lake, 4; penetrate to Lake Athabaska, 5; their aggressiveness, 5; more than a match for the Hudson's Bay Company, 6; Company organized, 1783-1784, 6; opposition (X Y) Company formed, 6; absorbs rival interests, 1787, 6, 16; growth of fur trade, 7; amalgamates with Hudson's Bay Company, 8; rearrangements of partners and stock, 58; operations extended to Hudson Bay, 99; absorbs X Y Company, 1804, 99; opposes Red River settlers, 161-164; resents Miles Macdonell's proclamation, 170-171; sends Duncan Cameron and Alexander Macdonell to Red River, 172-173; breaks up the colony, 174-176. D Influence upon development of Pacific slope, 4; conserves British interests in western America, 17, 18. Hd Establishment of, 261-263. Bk Its headquarters at Montreal, 99. See also Hudson's Bay Company; X Y Company; Montreal Company. Bib.: Mackenzie, Voyages; Henry, Travels and Adventures; Henry-Thompson, Journals, ed. by Coues; Harmon, Journal; Narrative of Occurrences in the Indian Country; Sketch of the British Fur Trade; Bancroft, History of the North-West Coast; Bryce, Hudson's Bay Company; Begg, History of the North-West; Masson, Bourgeois de la Compagnie du Nord-Ouest; Tassé, Canadiens de l'Ouest; Laut, Conquest of the Great North-West; Burpee, Search for the Western Sea.
North-West Passage. D Tenacity of belief in its existence, 50; Mackenzie's journey to Pacific is additional blow to belief in, 55.
North-West Rebellion. See Riel Rebellion.
North-West Territories. Comprised all the western portions of Canada, except Manitoba and British Columbia. Its early history is the history of the western fur trade, whose forts became in time centres of settlement. In 1870, the territories were transferred to Canada by the Hudson's Bay Company. In 1882, four provisional districts were formed—Assiniboia, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Athabaska. In 1905 these were made into the two provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Index: B Annexation of, advocated by George Brown, 137; communication to be opened with, 166; value of, 174; acquisition of, 186; Brown's interest in, 211-213, 217, 218-221; R.B. Sullivan's address on, 1847, 211; warns Canadians of danger of American occupation, and urges immediate steps to settle and develop the country, 211; Isbister's work on behalf of, 212, 213; Globe article on, 213-215; value of the country, 214; Edward Fitzgerald on agricultural possibilities of, 214; "Huron's" letters in the Globe on, 216; Toronto Board of Trade urges acquisition and settlement of, 216; Globe carries on vigorous campaign, 216-217; William Macdougall an enthusiastic advocate, 217; incorporation of, adopted as part of Reform Convention of 1857, 217; project ridiculed by Niagara Mail, 217-218; and Montreal Transcript, 218; matter taken up by Canadian government, and arrangements made for acquiring the territories, 220-221; bill for government of, provision for separate schools opposed by George Brown, 249. Md Terms upon which Hudson's Bay Company transfers territory to the crown, 156-157; causes of discontent and rebellion involved in annexation of, 157-163. See also Assiniboia; Alberta; Athabaska; Saskatchewan. Bib.: Adam, Canadian North-West; Tassé, Canadiens de l'Ouest; Dugas, Légendes du Nord-Ouest; Begg, History of the North-West; Hind, North-West Territory; MacBeth, Making of the Canadian West.
Northern Railway. Chartered in 1849 as the Toronto, Sarnia, and Lake Huron Railway. The line ran north from Toronto to Lake Simcoe, thence to Georgian Bay. In 1879 the Northern acquired the Hamilton and North-Western; and in 1888 was itself absorbed by the Grand Trunk. Index: E Construction of, stimulated by provincial guarantee, 1849, 99.
Norton, John. Born in Scotland. Came to America and settled among the Mohawks, who made him a chief. After the close of the War of 1812, went to Georgia. Died in Scotland. Index: Bk In battle of Queenston Heights, 310. Bib.: Richardson, War of 1812, ed. by Casselman.
Norway House. Also known at one time as Jack River House. A post of the Hudson's Bay Company, on Little Playgreen Lake, at the northern end of Lake Winnipeg. The post formerly stood on Mossy Point, where the Nelson River flows out of Lake Winnipeg, but was burnt to the ground about 1826. The present fort was completed in 1828. It is described in McLeod's Peace River, pp. 49-50. In Sir George Simpson's day, Norway House was the headquarters of the Company, where the governor and Council met annually to discuss and arrange its affairs. The name originated in the fact that a party of Scandinavians had been employed in building the old fort. Index: MS Selkirk colonists at Jack River, 163-164, 175; becomes headquarters of Hudson's Bay Company, 216; Governor Simpson at, 1828, 233-236. Bib.: Bryce, Hudson's Bay Company; Laut, Conquest of the Great North-West.
Notre Dame de la Recouvrance. First parish church of Quebec; built by Champlain, 1633, and enlarged, 1635. Totally destroyed by fire, June 14, 1640. Replaced in 1645 by the Church of Notre Dame de la Paix, now the Basilica of Quebec. Index: Ch First service in, 239; Champlain's bequest to, 239; gifts to, 240; consecrated under name of Immaculate Conception, 240; burnt, 241. Bib.: Doughty, Cradle of New France.