The Hudson Bay Company officially discouraged settlement because it interfered with the lucrative fur trade. Two developments in the late 1830s made a reappraisal of Hudson's Bay Company operations in the Columbia Department necessary. Apprehensions about American antagonism rose due to US Senator Lewis F. Linn, who in 1838 called for a naval force to be dispatched to the Columbia River, although the measure never passed. Favorable relations with the Russian-American Company (RAC) were established with the signing of the RAC-HBC Agreement in 1839.
the hudson bay company officially discouraged settlement because it interfered with the lucrative fur trade two developments in the late 1830s made a reappraisal of hudson's bay company operations in the columbia department necessary apprehensions about american antagonism rose due to us senator lewis f linn who in 1838 called for a naval force to be dispatched to the columbia river although the measure never passed favorable relations with the russian-american company (rac) were established with the signing of the rac-hbc agreement in 1839