Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1846-07-02
another of the advantages

tended it; and this will be another of the advantages
resulting from the occupation of the Columbia.
And now, Mr. President, this is the reason
why the British want the Columbia. They want it
tile indispensable link In their own projected
North American route 20 India. This is shown In
McKenzles history of his voyages Of discovery in
17S9 and l193. On both occasions he was seeking
river line of communication between Hudsons bay
the Pacific. In the first voyage he followed up Un-
jigah, Peace river. bearing northwest through the
Great Slave lake and the Great Bear lake. and after
two thousand miles of navigation, found himself at
the Frozen ocean, north rather east of Behring's
straits. That was too far north to any pur-
pose. In the year 1898, he set out again to find a
more southern river to the Pacific On both VOYAGES
he set out from the same point--Fort Chipewyan on
the Athabaca lake. Instead of descending the Un-
ligah he ascended it-went up to its head in the
Rocky mountains-paSsed through low gap-found
stream flowing west, and followed it from its source
in % deg. of north latitude and followed down to 80
deg. Finding II TO bear south, and becoming large
river, Mckenzie believed it to be the Columbia, al
ready discovered by Cray and thereupon left it. and
crossed direct the Pacific ocean, which he reach
ed some distance north Of Vancouver's island This
voyage, like the other. had failed in its object it
found naygabe British river leading to the Pacific
And then new idea struck the disappointed explor-
er, which he gave to the country and impressed upon
the British government, eight years afterwards in his
History of the Fur Trade. That work, published in
west passage could not be found and declaring that
the Columbia the only line of interior communi-
cation with the Pacific ocean, boldly proposed to take
1t on no other ground than that it was indispensable
to the commercial communication between Hudson's
bay and the Pacific, and no obstacle In the way but
American adventurers who would instantly disappear
from before well-reguated trade that is to saw be-
fore the power of the British fur-tradng companies,
backed by the power of the British government. Here
is the extract from McKenzie's History which very
cooly recommends all this policy, if the taking
American river, and making the Americans disappear
from 1t, was justihable an operation as that Of
catching beaver, and killing him for his skim Here
is the proposition of Mckenzie earnestly pressed up
on his government:
"The Russians who first discovered that along the coasts
OF Asia no useful regular navigation existed opened
interior communication by rivers &c. and through that long
Asia from America which they passed the American
continent Our situation is at length in degree SINH
lar TO theis the of practicable passage by
sea, and the existence of through the continent
clearly Proved and it requires only the and
support Of the British government 10 increase in a very
ample proportion, this national advantage and the
trade Of that country to its Subjects @By the rivers
discharge themselves into HudsOn's Bay at Port Nelson
IS proposed TO the trade their head
oil The Saskatchwine river, which rises 10 the Rocky
ans not eight degrees Of longitude from the Pacific ocean,
The Columbia flows firm the mountains, aud dehar-
ges itself om the Pacific in north latitude s6 90 Both Of
them capable of receiving ships at their mouths and
navigabIe throughout for boats Rut whatever corso
be taken from the Allan c the Columbia of
munic0tiOn from the Pacific pointed out BY nature
IL is the only navigable river in the whole extent of Van
couver's minute of that banks ALSO form
the FIRST level country IN all the southern Of continent
tai coast from Cooks entry; and consequently the
northern situation suitable 20 the residence of civilized peo
pie By opening this intercourse between the Atlantic and
Pschc oceans, and forming regular establishments through
the INTERIOR aud at both extremes well along the coast
and islands, the entire command of the fuT-trade of North
America might be obtained from latitude AS TO the pole,
cep that portion of il which the Russians have in the Pa
CHIC To this may be added the fishing both and
the market Of the four Of the globe Such would be
the held Tor commercial enterprise and ncalculabe would
be the produce OF il when supported by the operations Of
that credit and capital which Great Britain preemnenty
possesses Then would this country begin be
ted for the expense has sustained discovering and
veying the Of the Pacific ocean, which is present
left TO American ADVENTURES who, without regularity
capital the desire of conciatng future confidence look
altogether the interests Of the Such Adventures
land many Of them have been informed have been very
successfully would instantly disappear from before we'll
regulated trade" "Many political which il is
here 10 enumerae themselves to the
minds of every acquainted with the enlarged system
and capacities of British commerce. in support Of the
measure which have briefly suggested, promising the
most important advantages 10 the trade OF the United King
doms."
For boundary line between the United States and Great
Britain west Of the Mississippi Mckenzie proposes the ls
tude of IS degrees because that latitude necessary give
the Columbia river to Great Britain His words et the
line begin where may the Mississippi it must be
tiDued west m terminates in the Pacific ocean, TO the south
| Of the Columbia"
ITO be Continued