North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1840-05-13

has since been made By any civilized ma
ton 20 occupy IL. The Spaniards erdenv-
Toured, ssso, in the summer az f79o to re-
tablish 90 the South side Of the Straits uf
Fuco, bu' 10 a lew months afterwards
they abandoned il. Since that time no
effort whHever was made on the part Of
Spain to extend her dominion on the Paci-
/ tic North of the BAY of San Francisco, In
latitude 81 IL degrees, The most North.
efn point occupied by her subjects before
the conclusion OF the convention OF 1890.
In 1871, Capt, Robert Gray, the CON-
mander OF On American merchant shin, dis
covered the mouth Of river in the latitude
OF 4G degrees and 6 minutes. Being tlen
unable to enter the river, he returned
thither in May, 1902, and eailed up ii 10
the distance Of fifteen miles from the sea.
Upon this river Gray bestowed the name
OF his ship, The Coiambia, which, IL now
bears although attempts are made 10
identity i with supposed river, Oregon,
OF which Carver, O native of Connecticut.
pretended, falsely, no doubt--to have re-
ccived accounts, in 1906, from The indians
near the head waters of the Mississippi.
The opening 10 the American Coast
through which The Colun bia enters the Pa.
cific, is the same discovered by Heceta ia
i775, and called on some Spanish mans,
as before mentioned, the Rio de San Ro0ttr.
For this river, Meares had searched in
vain, although he examined its very mouth
in 1888; and he declares confidently, in
his journal published in 1870, thar none
such exists. Vancouver had also, in Aprl
l79o, during the interval between Gfav,s
first and second visits TO the mouth OF the
stream, minuiely explored that part Of the
coast and although he met Gray while
the latter was on his second attempt, ard
received an account OF the existence Of that
river, he still refused 10 credit il, and re-
corded in his Journal his conviction tina, no
river oil note entered the Pacific from A.
merica, between the doth and the 4Sth de-
gree Of latitude. Yet the same British
navigator did not hesitate 10 record, also.
IN his journal, the assertion, that his Lieut..
Bronghton, was the first discoverer Of tile
Columbia, and that Gray had never been
within twenty miles OF It's mouth. GRAY
also discovered n good barbor on The same
roast, little North Of The mnuih Of the
Columbia, which he called Bufnch's Har-
bour f; but which even upon American
maps, IL frequently named Whidbey's
Harbour, after Vancouver's lieutenant.
who subsequently surveyed il.
Between 1890 and 1894 the British and
Spaniafds completely explored the coasts
OF the continent from the forty-eighth 10
the fity-eighth parallels, and The numer-
ons islands adjacent, which form the great
Northwest Archipelago. The discoveries
OF the English are well known By means
OF The journals of Vancouver's VOYAGE /:
while little can be gathered respecting
those made by the Spaniards, from The on
ly source Of information, the inirodpc-
lion 10 the journals of the voyage OF tho
Suiil and Mexicana. To the American
for traders, however the world is indebted
for many other discoveries in that quarter.
as can be proved By documents sill exist.
ing. The Islands, Straights, Canes &C.
thus discovered, received from the British
naric at0rs, the names of various numbers
OF the Royal family, the Ministry, and
the Tory nobility and gentry of England.
These names may s!ill be found on our
maps, though few oi them will probable
ever he employed by those who inhabit that
part Of the world. The Russians, who oc- /.
cnpy The Northern part of the great Moth
west Archipelago and the adjacent Coasts
OF the Continent, studiously expunge from
their maps every name imposed by foieign
civilized nation.
In 1906, Spain declared war against G.
Britain /; and from that year 10 1914. the
trade of the North Pacific Coasts was
conducted exclusively by the Russians and
the citizens of The United Siaies.-With.
10 that space Of time the Russians had
formed numerous settlements and trading
posts on the Coasts Of America north Of
the 18th parallel, and one establishment
notiar from the bay OF San Francisco.
near the S0ih degree. The West branch
Of the Columbia River was explored in ia
whole course from the Rocky Mountains
10 the Pacific in 1905, BY Messrs. Lewis
and Clark. who had been dispatched Tor
The purpose by the Government of the
United States alter the cession Of Louisia-
IA TO thstpower by France. Settlements
anc trading posts were also established IN Il
1911, BY Citizens Of the Uniied States at
he mouth Of the Columbia River, and at
points on lie branches in the interior; and
BY the Northwest Company Of Montreal
n lSO6 and the following years, in the
.ouniry North OF the sources Of the Colurn-
pa which he'd been explored in 1898 by
Mackenzie. There is. however, no reason
L 4