Mobile register and journal., 1845-05-14


 journal in the British Museum, "there ia only the f st part remaining :" which .tends with he arrival of the Golden Hind (Drake's sesseD in latitude 35 degrees south, of the of Chli.' aud of contonS not irard respecting e iiit 10 he north 0esf c0dSt of America. Moreover, from this same portion, and from other original dOcuments respecting the early proceedings of the voyage ii appears that the sad chaplain, Fletcher, was an abandoned scoun- drel; and ihai Drake, on one occasion, "caused a posy to be written and bound about Flecher's arm, with charge Ila if he took il off, he should then be hanged. The posN WAS, Francis Fletcher, the ialsest knaye that liVelh'
 So much for the authorities on which rests the serlon that Drake discovered the coast ol Oregon.
 The voyage of the od Greek pilot, Juan de Fuca. in 1082, long lay consigned, with those oi Fonte and Madonado. 10 ihe class ol ti,e fabulous; H has how ever, been brought back within the limits of the thentc, in consequence of the establishment of the general accuracy of the geogra Il cal descriptions contained in il. Fuca related that he had coasled alpng the western side of America norihward from Mexico, and had found a wide passage of the sea, opening iO the Pacific between the 47th and the 4Sth parallels of latitude, through ~hchlIe had sailed in various directions for many days, into great ocean, supposed by him 10 be ihe AtlanIc; and he had then returned by the same passage to Mexico.- Now, between the 18th and and the 18th parallels, wide passage does thus open, which extends far in the direction described by Fuca, until t opens again mot into the Atlantic, certainly; but into the Pa chc. The coTresL ondence between the Uteek's slo-
 
 strong to have been the result of accident; and the passage is called the strait of Fuca, in the excellent harbors ofwhich we co fdenIy hope, the American flag Will find home.
 In 1902 3, the northwest coasts were again exam ined by lhe Spaniards under Sebastian Visranio of whose voyage long and minute accounts exist while from his surveys constr ucied the hrst correct maps of he whole portion between the 4Sd degree of attitude and the southern extremity "t California That part of ihe world was then forgotten for d long Ng hayt knot Da n K iuu b, people or civilized nation until l170. when the Stinlards founded Monterey and other towns on ihe sides of California. The career of dis- cOvery was then agan entered by that nation, whose navigaos, in the course of the five succeeding years explored not only the whole coast of Oregon the Pacific, including the mouth of the Columbia, but tended their examInatUn along the western sides Of the great islands hanking the continent as far the 5Sh d, gree. In all these voyages, tho Spaniards landed in many places, of which their journals con tam minute descriptions; and on each landing they performed ceremonies of taking possession, sima to those afterwards observed by he English, and To which the historians and diplomatists of the latter nation seem to attach so much impurtance-the unly , observable difference being, that, whilst the Span iards said mass, the British commanders caused double allowance of grog 10 he ser,ed out to the sailors.
 At length in 177S aier the voyages of the Span ards had been made, and accounts o them had been published in Madrid, and even in London, Cook was sent from England seek northern passage for ] ships rom the Pacific 10 the Atlantic He reached the northwest coast of America in ITS, near the 43d degree ,f latitude, and thence ran along il To the l NouIka Sound m 49& degrees where he landed and refitted his ships He then continued his voyage northward, ,seldom approaching t,e coast until he had passed the limits ot the Spanish d.coyeries; and in i hIs chart we find the acknowledgement that the in- tervening and had been seen by the Spanards ln i September l775 On the strength of his voyage the British ministers, in the first negotiations with | the United States the subject of Oregon. claimed for Cook the exclusive merit of discovering the whole | northwest coast Ths claim seems now to be aban- doned; Tor in the whole debate of the 4th Of April Couk F name s mentioned only by Lord Clarendon mho as already shown places the date of his taking possession ol he country just thirteen fer his death.
 Cooks expedition led 10 the fur trade of the north l Pac fife, in which the Russians from Kamtschalka the Portuguese from Macao, the British from Eng land and the East Indies. lle Ausians from Osicnd inc Americans from Boston, and the French from MarseIiles, snrcessively engaged; but Il would be l improper to ,oiice them without first adverting ic another part ot Lord John Russel's speech in Par liament which must be deferred 10 future occasion
 Thus il will be seen thai, according 10 all reason able interpretation of the evidences the Spaniardi preceded the British and all other civilized nations the discovery oi every part of the American coast | west of the Rocky mountains, which is clamed by the United States, well in the performance ol the ceremonies of taking possession; and these acts voisan quanfum paent, all in favor oi the title United States, which succeeded to all the bene fits and advantages thereirom acclulng by the treat, with Spain n 1919. There is, indeed, need 0 gong back 10 the sixteenth cenuiy; let the voyages of CabrIo, Felrelo, Drake. Fuca, and Vascnino, b, alike consigned oblivion; but if those of the Span iards be thus condemned, certainly that of Drak, cannot ,inlain iis place in political discussion a' to the sovereignty of Oregon. or the discoveries and settlements, and agreements mace since l770 by all civilized nations, we have abundant and cir cuInstanial proofs; and the United States need no fear to challenge investigation, either account o th cir own direct claims, or of those derived from | another nation