MANITOBA, RED RIVER, Or SELKIRK, SETTLEMENT, was a colony in British North America (of which the chief part is now known as MANtronA), lying along the Red river -of the north. Iu 1811 the earl of Selkirk, a tnember of the Hudson's Bay company, -attracted by the fertility of the soil on the banks of the Red river, obtained from the company a grant of a large tract of land on both banks of the river, extending some distance within the present frontier of the United States. Next year he brought-out a number of settlers from the highlands of Scotland. The right of the Hudson's Bay mompany to ,,,oTant this land was, however, disputed by the Northwest company; and when the settlers commenced to build, they were driven off by the servants of the North west company. Hostilities continued between the servants of the two companies for several years, and in 1816 there was a pitched battle between them. The earl of Selkirk :arriving soon after found his settlers scattered; but by his energetic measures, and by help of 100 disbanded soldiers from Europe whom he had brought with him, he secured lor his old and new protecrees a peaceful settlement. They established themselves near fort Garry, and in 1817 the earl obtained from the Indians a transfer of their right to the land two miles back from the Red river on both sides. Still the settlers had some difil ,culties to overcome, especially from visitations of grasshoppers. These were gradually surmounted; but the population, including now a large number of half-breeds, remained very isolated, having little communication with the outside world.
In the year 1869 the Hudson's Bay company surrendered all their claims to the north -west territory to the British government, which in the following year transferred that ter Titory to Canada. The Canadian government now organized that portion of the Red river district between long. 96° and 99° w. and lat. 49° and 50' 30' n. as the PROVINCE OF MANI TOBA. Its area is about 14,000 sq. miles. The Red river valley is a level plain or prairie, with a soil unsurpassed in fertility by any in the world. It consists of from two to four
feet of rich black mold, resting on a marly clay which elsewhere would itself be reek .oned good soil. In places the ground has been cropped for fifty years without any apparent diminution of its fertility. The surface was generally treeless and ready for the plow, though a few miles to the eastward the country was -wooded. The rich natu ral grasses of Manitoba afford a very favorable pasture for cattle. At the time of the Iransfer, the population was about 12,000. Since then there has been a steady influx of immigrants from the eastern provinces, from Britain, from the United States, from Iceland, and elsewhere. In 1879 the population of the province was calculated at 75,000: "Trade has increased; saw-mills and flour-mills have been established. The seat of gov ernment is at fort Garry, now called Winnipeg, a town of near 10,000 inhabitants in 1879. The university of Manitoba, at Winnipeg, embraced the college of St. Boniface (Roman Catholic), St. John (Episcopal), and Manitoba (Presbyterian). Provision has already been made for common schools throughout the province.
The province is represented in the senate of the dominion by two members, and in the house of commons by four. The government of Manitoba consists of a lieutenant .governor, appointed by the dominion government; an executive council of five members; aid the lffrislative assembly of twenty-four members, the province being marked off into %hat number of divisions. While the proposed transfer to the British crown of the Hud son's Bay company was pending, this portion of their dominions was the scene of consid erable contention and violence. The. French-speaking population, led by Louis Riel, 'organized a force, imprisoned their English and Scotch opponents, seized fort Garry, 'established a provisional government, robbed the strong-box, and dictated terms to the governor of the Hudson's Bay company, to which he had to submit. A military force arrived in the province July, 1870, and Riel, fearing capture, escaped, an event which put an end to the insurrection.