The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-02-07

that of Nootka Sound, by Cook, in 1878;
when it has been demonstrated that
this port was first discovered by Per-
ez, in 1774. The exploration is that
by Vancouver, in passing through the
Straits of Fuca, in 1899, and examin-
ing the coasts of the territory in dispute,
when de Fuca himself had passed
through these straits in 1892, and Kend-
rick again in 1898; and complete ex-
animation of the western coast had been
made in l774 and l775, both by Perez
and Quadra. As to possession, if
Meares was ever actually restored 10
his possessions at Nootka Sound, what
ever these may have been, the under
signed has never seen any evidence Of
the fact. 1t is not to be found in the
| journal Of Vancouver, although this off,
Ger was sent from England for the
avowed purpose Of witnessing such a
restoration. The undersigned knows
moi whether any new understanding
took place between the British and
Spanish governments on this subject;
but one fact is placed beyond all doubt,
that the Spaniards continued in the un-
disturbed possession Of Nootka Sound
until the 1875, when they voluntarily
abandoned the place. Great Britain
has never at any time since occupied
this or any other position on Vancou-
ver's island. Thus, on the score of
either discovery, exploration, or pos
session, this island seems TO be the We
ry last portion of the territory in dis.
pute to which she can assert just
claim.
In the meantime, the United States
were proceeding with the discoveries
which served to complete and confirm
the Spanish American title to the whole
of the disputed territory.
Captain Robert Gray, in June, 1889,
in the sloop Washington, first explored
the whole eastern coast ofQueen Char
lotte's island.
! In the autumn of the same year, Cap
tain John Kendrick having in the
mean time surrendered the command
of the Columbia to Captain Gray-sail-
ed, as HIS been already stated, in the
sloop Washington, entirely through
the straits of Fuca.
In 1891, Captain Gray returned to
the North Pacific in the Columbia; and
in the summer of that year, examined
many of,he inlets and passages between
the 54th and 66th degrees Of latitude,
which the undersigned considers it un-
necessary to specify.
On the 9TH of May, 1892, he discov-
cred and entered Bul6nch's harbor,
where he remained at anchor three
days, trading with the Indians.
On the llth May, 1892, Captain
Gray entered the mouth ofthe CoIum-
bia, and completed the discovery of that
great river. This river had been long
sought in vain by former navigators.
Both Meares and Vancouver, after ex.
animation, had denied its existence. -
Thus is the world indebted to the en-
terprise, perseverance, and intelligence
of an American captain of a trading
vessel for their first knowledge Of this,
the greatest river on the western coast
of America: a river whose head springs
flow from the gorges of the Rocky
Mountains, and whose branches extend
from the 49d to the SD parallels oflat-
tude. This was the last and most i'm
portant discovery on the coast, and has
perpetuated the name of Robert Gray.
In all future time this great river will
bear the name Of his vessel.
1t is true that Bruno Heceta, in the
year i775, had been opposite the Bay
of the Columbia; and the currents and
eddies of the water caused him, as he
remarks, to believe that this was "the
mouth OF some great river, or of some
passage to another sea-" and his opin-
ion seems decidedly to have been that
this was the opening Of the strait dis
covered by Juan de Fuca, in 1892
To use his own language: "Notwith-
standing the great difference between
the position Of this bay and the passage
mentioned by de Fuca; / have little
difficulty in conceiving that they may
be the same, having observed equal or
greater differences in the latitudes of
other capes and ports on this coast, as
| shall show at its proper time; and in
all cases the latitudes thus assigned are
higher than the real ones" o.
Hecta, from his own declaration, had
never entered the Columbia; and he
was in doubt whether the opening was
the mouth Of a river or an arm of the
sea and subsequent examinations ofthe
coast by other navigators had rendered
the opinion universal that no such riv-
er existed, when Gray first bore the
American flag across its bar, sailed up
lis channel for twenty-five miles, and
renamed in the river nine days, trading