The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-12-15

identified. The separate discoveries, explorations,
and settlements OF the two powers previous 10 that
date must now be considered il they all had been
made by the United States alone. Under this palpa-
BILE view OF the subject, the undersigned was sur
prised to find that In the comparison and contrast
instituted by the British pie nipo tertiary between the
claim OF Great Britain and that OF the United States
he had entirely omitted to refer the disco veries
explorations, and settlements made by Spain. The
undersigned will endeavor to supply the omission.
But, before he proceeds 10 the main argument on
this point he feels himself cons ira med 10 express
his surprise that the British penipote niiary should
again have invoked IN support OF the British title
the inconsistency between the Spanish and Ameri-
can branches of the title of the United States. The
undersigned cannot torbear to congratulate himself
upon the fact, that gentleman of Mr.. Paken hams
acknowledged ability has been reduced TO The neces-
sity of relying chiefly upon such support tor sus-
tanning the British pretentlons. Stated IN bref, the
argument is this the American ntle is not good
against Great Britain, because inconsistent with that
OF Spain; and the Spanish title is not good against
Great Britain, because inconsistent with that OF the
United States. The undersigned had expected sOme
thing far different from such argument in circle
He had anticipated that the British plenp0tentiary
would have attempted to prove that Spain had no
right to the northwestern coast OF America; that II
was vacant and unappropriated and hence, under
the law OF nations, was open 10 discovery, explora-
ton, and settlement by all nations. But no such
thing. On this vital point OF his case, he rests his
argument solely on the declaration made by the un-
dersgned, that the title OF the United States 70 the
valley OF the Columbia was perfect and complete be-
fore the treaties of Joint occupation OF October lSl8
and August, 1927 and before the date OF the Flori-
da treaty. in 1919 But the British plenipotentiary
ought to recollect that this title was asserted to be
complete not against Spain, but against Great Bri
tain; that the argument was conducted not against
Spanish. but British penipotentiary and that the
United States, and not Great Britain, represent the
Spanish title. And further, that the statement from
which he extracts these declarations was almost ex
clusively devoted TO prove, In the language quoted
by the British Plenipotentlary himself that Spain
had a good ute, as against Great Britain, to the
uhalD nj tlon farv Tba m orC luoc
has never as he before Observed Instituted any COM
parison between the American and the Spanish IL
ties. Holding both-having perfect right to rely
upon both, whether Jointly or separatey-he has
strongly asserted each OF them in their turn, fully
persuaded that either the one or the other is good
against Great Britain and that no human ingenuity
can make the Spanish title, now vested in the Uni
ted States, worse than II would have been had II re-
manned in the hands OF Spain.
Briefly to illustrate and enforce this title, shall be
the remaining task Of the undersigned.
And In the first place. ne cannot but commend
the frankness and candor OF the British plenipoten
tiary in departing from the course OF his predeces-
sors, and rejecting all discoveries previous to those
of Captain Cook, in the year IT'S, as foundations
of British title. Commencing with discovery at
period late, the Spanish title the score OF an
tquity. presents strong contrast TO that OF Great
Britain The undersigned had stated as a historical
and striking fact, which must have an important
bearing against the claim of Great Britain, that this
convention, (he Nootka,) which was dictated by
her to Spain, contains no provision lmpalrlng the
for nearly three centuries over the whole western
side of North America as far north as the 6lst de-
gree of latitude, and which had never been serious
ly questioned by any European nation. This had
been maintained by Spain with the most vigllant
jealousy ever since the discovery of the American
continent, and had been acqulesced In by all Euro
pean governments. 1t had been admitted even be-
yond the latitude OF 81 deg. 40 min. north, by Rus
STA, then the only power having claims which could
come in collision with Spain and that too, under
sovereign peculiarly tenacious OF the territorial
rights OF her empire These historical facts had
not been, they could not be- controverted by the
British penipotentiary, although they wereUrought
under his particular observation. and were even
quoted by HIM with appreciation, for the purpose OF
showing the inconsistency of the several titles held
by the United States. In the language Of Count
Fernan de Nunez, the Spanish ambassador at Paris,
to M de Monimorin. the Secretary Of the Foreign
Department OF France, under date OF June 10th,
| 1889: BY the treaties, demarkatlons, takings OF
possession, and the most decided acts of sovereign
~ exercised by the Spanlards in those stations from
the reign OF Charles III, and authorized by that mo-
march in 1892, the original vouchers for which shall
be brought forward in the of the negotiation,
all the coast TO the north of the western America,
on the side OF the South sea- as far beyond what
Is called Prince Williams Sound, which Is in the
6ls degree, is acknowledged to belong exclusively
to Spain" EH.f
Compared with the ancient claim of Spain, ac-
guessed in by ali European nations for centuries
the claim OF Great Britain, founded on discoveries
commenced at so late period as the year 1776
must make an unfavorable first impression.
Spain considered the northwest coast Of America
as exclusively her own. She did not send out ex-
petitions to explore that coast for the purpose Of
rendering her title more valid When 1t suited her
own convenience or promoted her own interest, she
hted out such expeditions OF discovery to ascertain
the character and extent of her own territory; ,nd
yet her discoveries along that coast are far earller
than those OF the British.
That Juan de Fuca, Greek In the service of
Spain, In 1892, discovered and sailed through the
strait now bearing his name, from its southern to It's
northern extremity, and thence returned by the same
passage, no longer admits OF reasonable doubt. An
account of this voyage was published in Londor.
IN 1925, In work called the Pilgrims, by Samuel
Purchas. This account was received from the lips
Of Fuca himself at Venice in April, 1886, by Michael
Lock, highly respectable English merchant.
During long period, this voyage was deemed ia
bilious, because subsequent navigators had IN vain
attempted TO find these straits Finally, after they
had been found, II was discovered that the descrp
their geography, and the facts presented by nature
upon the ground, that 1t was no longer possible to
consider his narration fabulous 1t is true that
the opening Of the straits from the south lies between
the 18th and 49th parallels of latitude, and not be-
tween the 47th and 4Sth parallels as he had suppos
ed; but this mistake may be easily explained by the
inaccuracy SO common throughout the sixteenth GEN.
fury In ascertalnng the latitude of places in newly
discovered countries.
1t is also true that de Fuca after passing through
these straits supposed ne had reached the Atlantic
and mad discovered the passage so long and SO anxi
ously sought after between the two oceans; but from
the total ignorance and Misrepresentation which
prevailed at that early day of the geography OF this
portion of North America, it was natural for hun
to believe that he had made this important disco
very. t9a
Justice has at length been done to his memory,
and these straits which he discovered will, in all
future time, bear his name. Thus, the merit of the
discovery of the straits OF Fuca, belongs to Spain
and this nearly two centuries before they had been
entered by Captain Berkeley, under the Austrian
flag.
II is unnecessary to detail the discoveries OF the
Spaulards. thew regularlv adya need n north
from their settlements on the western coasts of
North America, until we reach the voyage OF Capt
Juan Perez, in 1774. That navigator commits
stoned by the viceroy Of Mexico to proceed, IN
the corvette Santiago, to the Goth degree OF north
latitude; and from that point to examine the coast
down to Mexico He sailed from San Bias on the
18th January, l774. In the performance OF this
commission he landed first the northwest coast
of Q.aax, nd the h1h deuree Of