Early colonial defense works constructed before the 19th century were primarily small coastal batteries built of stone having anywhere from two to ten guns.Many of these municipalities continue to bear use the term fort in their names, regardless of whether or not the original fortification and/or trading post still stands.The majority of military fortifications in Canada were built by the British, French, and Canadian armed forces.However, several military fortifications were erected by the Hudson's Bay Company, whose royal charter required them to fortify Rupert's Land.Several private entities, most notably the Hudson's Bay Company, established outposts or forts, within northern Canada for the purposes of housing exploratory expeditions to the Arctic.