Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1846-06-18

miles and cast anchor upon the left bank the of
deep bay. He there drew up chart Of what he hid dis
covered Of this liver and Of the neghboTng country ano
after having tTaficked with the natives 1.-THE object Tor
which he these coas he regained the and
soon after met Captain Vancouver, who was sailing uoer the
orders Of the British government in search oil discoveries
Captain Gray made known 70 him the discovery which ne
bad made and communicated the chart OF which he
had drawn ID Vancouver sent his first lieutenant, bTough-
ton, who assembled niles took possession Of
in the name of his Brtsnic majesty gave Il the name OF
Columbia and to the bay where Gay had stopped the name
Of Gys bay Since this period the country mas Oeen much
frequented, especially by Americans"
This brief and plain account of the discovery of
the Columbia is valuable for showing frS, that we
discovered the river; secondly, that showed it to
British navigators and, thirdly, that one Of those to
whom showed it Immediately claimed it as Brit
ish property. We shall soon that the British
government, or its agents in these parts, the North
west Company, gave attention to this claim of Mr..
BrOughton, little crediiable to his candor and JUS
tice Vancouver like man of honor, never claimed
Capt Gray's discovery, but assigned to him the
tire credit Of it, with thanks for his communication of
it to himself.
The design Of Mr.. Astor's establishment is thus
spoken of:
"Mr John Jacob Astor merchant of New York. car
ed alone the trade in furs the south of the great
Lakes Huron and SUPERIOR and who had acquired by this
commerce prodgous fortune, believed he could yet aug
ment this fortune by forming the banks Of the Columbia
establishment, Of which the entepot should
mouth He communicated his views TO the agents of the
Northwest Company be wished make this estab-
lshment in concert with them but after negotiations
the winering partners es ProPretdres hrndnts having
rejected his propositions Mr. Asor determined 10 make the
attempt alone Ii was essential to his that he
should have persons along accustomed trade with
dams, and he did not delay to find them: Mr. Alex
ander Mckay 1.-THE same who accompanied Sir Alexander
Mackenzie in his voyages bold and enterpriSing,
joined him; and, AFTER Messrs. Duncan, McDOuga
Donald Mackenzie ia the service Of the North
west CompanyO David Stuart and Robert Stuart ali OF
Canada did the Finally, in the winter of 1910, Mr.
Wilson Price Hunt Of St Louis, the Mississippi having
also joined hem they determined that the expedition should
take place the following spring."
| This shows a direct communication of Mr.. Astor's
design to the Northwest Company, and of their reu-
sal to act in concert with him, because of the Amer
character of the enterprise; also the reason why
he employed many Canadians in his service. 1t was
for the sake of having experienced traders to assist in
conducting his business 1t shows also that, among
other Canadian gentlemen, he had employed Mr.. Al.
exander Mckay, the faithful companion of Sir Alex
ander Mackenzie in his expedition to the Pacific ocear
in 1893. This gentleman knew where Mackenzie:
discoveries were, and whether Mr.. Astor was abOu
to tresPass upon them. This, then, was the time tc
speak, on the contrary, the companion of Mackenzie
goes on to assist in laying the foundation of the Amer
lean colony the Columbia
Mr.. Franchere proceeds
cit well to state that, during sojoun in New York
and before leaving that city, Mr. Mckay, believed
be prudent 10 Mr. Jackson the minister plenipotenta
Of his Britannia Majesty in order TO inform him of the OBJ
ect for which he about TO embark and to ask his advc
to what he should do in case OF rupture between IN
two intmatng him that all British
ec and that we were going to trade under the American
flag. After some moments reflection Mr.. Jackson said {
him : that going to form a mercantile establish
ment the risk of lives all could promise
was that in case Of war between the two powers, W
should be respected British subject and traders This
appeared satisfactory and Mr. Mckay believed he
nothing more 10 feaf fIom that quarter"
| This was in the year 1S10-seventeen years afte
the discoveries of Mackenzie, and eight years afte
Mr.. Broughton took possession of the Columbia in tn
name of his Britannia majesty; and at this time tn
minister of Great Britain, special communica
ton made to him of Mr. Astors design to occupy tn
Columbia, has not word to say against it. Up t
that time it had not occurred to the British govern
ment that the Columbia river was theirs.
Il (Concluded in our merit