Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1843-02-17

| barrier 10 tneIr Ut>lynS upon HE COiuul-
bin river. The Anerit an. Cap,ain Gray.
had first discovered the river AT its no,Ah.
in 1890; Lewis ard Clarke had discover
ed it from lis head 10 the sea in 1870 rs ;
and these discoveries Of contiguous Terri
Tory gave us the rights OF first discovery
over the whole river. in addition To the
rights derived from treaties. But M soon-
er had Captain Gray discovered this great
river, than the BRUSH coveted ii, and sen,
out M'kenzie to discover j. over again.
and especially TO tind It's head in high
northern latiuies. To do this, M'Ken-
zie, proceeding from t'anada. bore far to
the north missed all the waters of the
onmbIa fell upon the Iacouche 1erse;
and struck The ocean five hundred miles
(i"Iowing the coasD TO the north of the
Columbia. Thus, this attempt 10 hatch Il
claim IT, this river. by discovering il Il, the
head. after we had disco, cred il a, The
mouth. entirely failed; and the BRUSH
were left i.houi a pre.ext for claiming
our property. In this dilemma, MKeu
zie proposed to make short work of i,
with the United States: he prnposed to
seize the river. and To hold it. because il
was necessary to the British scheme of
trade aud dominion in laai quarter: and
10 expel all american adreniurers' from
il. Ills advice was in these words:
The Russians. who first discovered
that along the coasts Of Asia no useful or
regular navigation existed, opened an in,e.
rinr communication by rivers, &c and
lhro' that long and wide extended cont.
ncnt. III the strait that separates Asia from
America. over which they passed TO the
American continent Our situation is al
length in some degree similar to theirs
the non-exis,ence Of practicable passage
by sea. aud the existence OF one through
the continent, are clearly proved; and j,
requires only The counienance an! support
OF The Of the British Government u in
crease, in very ample proportion. this ma
,i.asal atin ~, ..s'pl secure tho 'sie -
BY The rivers Which
discharge themselves into IIudson's Bay
at Por. Nelson. i, is proposed tOcasry "I
the trade 10 their source at the head at ,hes
Saska,chiw inc river. which rises in Tie
Rocky Mountains, not eight degrees Ion
giude from The Pacific ocean. The CO.
Iumbia flows from The same mountains.
and discharges into the Pacific in north
latitude SO degrees 20 minutes. Both 1T
then, are capable Of receiving ships at their
mouths, and are navigable Throughout, for
boats.
But whatever course may be taken from
The Atlantic, The Columbia is the line Of
communication from the Pacific ocean.
pointed on, by nature. as i, is the only
navgabIe river in the whole ex,en, Of
Vancouver's minute survey Of the coast.
lis banks also form the first level country
in all the southern extent Of continental
coast from Conk's entry, and, consequent.
~, the most northern situation suited Cor
The residence Of civilized people. By
opening this intercourse between the Al
lanrlc and Pacitic oceans, and forming reg
! ular establishments through, the interior.
| aud al both extremes. rs we'll as along the
| coasts and islands. the entire command of
the lnr-,rade Of North America might be
obtained from latitude Is to The pole, ex,
cept that portion of il which the Russians
have in The Pacific. 10 this NAV be ada.
cd The fishing in both seas and The mar
ke,s Of tile four quarters Of the globe -
Such would he The field for commercial
enterprise; and incalculable would be The
produce of il. when supported by The OPP
era'ons Of that cred. and capital which
Great Britain so eminen,iy possesses
Then would This country begin To be re-
Enumerated for the expense il has sustained
in discovering and surveying the coast of
the Pacific ocean, which is at present left
To American advennrcrs, who, without
regularity or capital. or the desire Of con.
cIia,ing future confidence. look altogether
IL The interests OF the moment. Such adj
ven,urers land many Of them. as have
been informed. has G been very successfully
would Instantly disappear befote a well
regulated trade
Mamv political reasons. which il is no;
necessary here to e,,umera,e, must present
themselves IL the mind Of every man ac-
quainted will, the enlarged system and ca
pacilies of British commerce. in support
ii the measures which have briefly stg-
ges,ed as promising the most important
advaasagss, to the ,trade Of the United
Kingdom. - - Lei
the line begin where it may on the Mis-
sissippi. j, mas. be continued west, ill i
terminates in The Pacific ocean 10 the
souil, Of The Columbia river
This was the proposition If M'Kenzie;
and from that moment the labOrs of the
British Government became systematic
and incessatt IL seize the Columbia
Their frs, step i'll this work was 10 abro-
gate. or mntiia,e. the established boundary
ri the 49.h eegree If nortl, la Jude; for.
1