Company's Claims Mentioned in Declaration of War -- Parliament Grants Company's Application for Confirmation of its Charter -- Implacability of the Felt-makers -- Fort Albany not a Success in the hands of the French -- Denonville urges an Attack upon Fort Nelson -- Lewis Despatches Tast with a Fleet to Canada -- Iberville's Jealousy prevents its Sailing to the Bay -- Governor Phipps Burns Fort Nelson -- Further Agitation on the part of the French to Possess the West Main -- Company Makes another Attempt to Regain Fort Albany -- Fort Nelson Surrendered to Iberville -- Its Re-conquest by the Company. 146 CHAPTER XIV.--1696-1697. Imprisoned French Fur-Traders Reach Paris -- A Fleet under Iberville Despatched by Lewis to the Bay -- Company's four Ships precede them through the Straits -- Beginning of a Fierce Battle -- The _Hampshire_ Sinks -- Escape of the _Dering_ and capture of the _Hudson's Bay_ -- Dreadful Storm in the Bay -- Losses of the Victors -- Landing of Iberville -- Operations against Fort Nelson -- Bailey Yields -- Evacuation by the English. 158 CHAPTER XV.--1698-1713. Petition Presented to Parliament Hostile to Company -- Seventeenth Century Conditions of Trade -- _Coureurs de Bois_ -- Price of Peltries -- Standard of Trade Prescribed -- Company's Conservatism -- Letters to Factors -- Character of the Early Governors -- Henry Kelsey -- York Factory under the French -- Massacre of Jérémie's Men -- Starvation amongst the Indians. 169 CHAPTER XVI.--1697-1712. Company Seriously Damaged by Loss of Port Nelson -- Send an Account of their Claims to Lords of Trade -- Definite Boundary Propositions of Trade -- Lewis anxious to Create Boundaries -- Company look to Outbreak of War -- War of Spanish Succession Breaks Out -- Period of Adversity for the Company -- Employment of Orkneymen -- Attack on Fort Albany -- Desperate Condition of the French at York Fort -- Petition to Anne. 187 CHAPTER XVII.--1712-1720. Queen Anne Espouses the Cause of the Company -- Prior's View of its Wants -- Treaty of Utrecht -- Joy of the Adventurers -- Petition for Act of Cession -- Not Pressed by the British Government -- Governor Knight Authorized to take Possession of Port Nelson -- "Smug Ancient Gentlemen" -- Commissioners to Ascertain Rights -- Their Meeting in Paris -- Matters Move Slowly -- Bladen and Pulteney return to England. 198 CHAPTER XVIII.--1719-1727.