The daily union., 1846-06-29
TO THE EDITOR OF THE UNION.

u
and to cast aside the Justice done to Captain Hud-
son by iRsinuauons and to many Of the officers Of
the expedition, who were engaged IN the survey OF
the Columbia river. Al the time, ] am far
from wishing TO detact from the credit due 10 Pass
ed Mid. (now Lleuteaant) Knox for his services.
| Passed Md, Blair represents that the survey OF
| the mouth Of Columbia river was conducted and
completed by Lieut.. Knox" Such is not the fact.
In the most material part of the work-the trlangu-
atIon-the officers Of the Peacock and Porpolse only
were employed.
The survey was Originally begun by Capt. Hud.
and his officers the 22d Juy, four days after
the wreck of his ship, IN a most pralseWorhy man
ner, while many OF them had scarcely clothes to
their backs, and persevered in until the 7th OF Az
gust when arrived off the mouth of the river with
the VIncennes and Porpoise. Circumstances ren.
dered It necessary for me TO take command of the
PorpOse and to send the Vlncennes, (after the ne
cessaTy exchanges of officers had been made under
Lieut.. COmmandant Ringgold, to San Francisco
Amer the departure Of the Vincennes examined
the progress that had been made in the survey and
the necessity Of changing the whole plan of II,
IN order to expedite the duties we were required to
perform Orders given accordingly to erect sig
mails at suitable points Tor the tnangulauOn; and on
the 10Th OF August the following Oihcers-VZ:
Lleuts. Perry, Maury, North, and DE Haven, and
| Acung Masters Baldwin and Sinclair occupied the
points Of the trlangulatlon designated around the
bay, whilst was stationed al a beacon erected on
the Middle Sands, by Captain Hudson, with great
labor and exertlon. Mr.. Knox and Mr.. Howlson,
my clerk on that day, noted my observations.
The whole of the observations necessary for cal
cuating and plotting the work finished on that
day, including both angles and sides (the latter be-
ing measured by sound The accuracy of these were
afterw Yards proved and identified with the base meas
ured by Lieut. Perry, on CIatsop beach.
| The data Obtained were calculated by the above
officers and myself after which | constructed skel-
eton chart large scale, which was handed to
Mr.. Knox, with particular directions to I'LL IN with
the soundIngs la order to enable HIM to do this
| duty prsmply two extra boats an officer, and
crew were ordered TO the Flying Fish
The survey Of the river was then proceeded
with, IN which all the officers attached TO the Por-
polse and Oregon engaged.
From Mr.. Knox received from time to time re-
ports OF his progress, the loss OF boats, and the d-
| hcuItles he was encOuntering.
On the lst OF October, again returned TO As
toria, afrer having by the ndeatgabe exerllons Of
| ALL surveyed the Columbia TO the head Of navIga'
uon, (l2O mIles,) the Willamette and CowIltz
rivers together with numerous small streams that
empty into the former.
then foundiha Mr. Knox had net been able to
finish all the soundings allotted to the Flying Fish,
| and that several days would be required 10 COM
plee IT, Fearing detention in losing the opportunity
to the bar that the fine weather then offered,
| every exeruon was made to expedite the depart
ure of the brgs, in order that might get them to
and thus avoid detention. They accordingly
! the day after dropped down TO Bakers bay, where
we found the Hudson Bay Company's schr Cad
| borough, Captain Scarborough, old and expert
| enced navigator Of the Columbia, who had been de-
| talned three weeks waiting for an opportunity to
get TO The fair weather continuing, after de-
ten'ion Of only three days, it was deemed advlsa-
ble to make the attempt, in which succeeded.
| When outside, orders given to the brIgs 10
stand off and on, and | returned in the Flying Fish
| TO JOIN the boats under Lieutenant DE Haven, who
| had been left to complete the soundings. In this
duty engaged for Ave days; when had
satisfied myself that the whole was complete, with
the exception Of few lines in the Clatsop channel
near its entrence, we got underway, taking the
boats In tow, and succeeded in getting out oyer the
bar in the Flying Fish. Had 1t not been for the
sweeps and extra men attached TO the boats, feel
confident we should not have succeeded
On joining the brlgs, was still desirouS that no
part should be left unexamined; and for this pur-
pose Mr.. Knox was directed TO remain, and sound
the few lines remaining at the entrance Of the Cat-
sop channel, to place beyond doubt that there wus
no lmpediments TO its entrance, which deemed
would not have required two hours the next
day TO finish. But after detention of ten days he
was unable TO execute It, account of the difficult
| ties he encountered, in all which time, his re
port to states, he had opportunity Of effecting
that object. An inspection of the chart of the Co
| umbla river will show the vacant lines of sound
ngs have reference to.
! In the survey you will perceive that almost all
the officers of the expedition present were engaged
the whole work fully and carefully examined
and combined by myself and the result is the chart
published. To Passed Midshipman May and Mr.
Agate, draughsmen to the expedition in
debted for the topography and views.
now come 10 other particulars. The South or
Clatsop channel is not of the discoveries of the
exploring expedition. 1t long before known
that channel existed there, by those who navigated
| the Columbia. Captain Sir Edward Becher was the
first person, with the boats Of the Sulphur and Star
ling, who attempted to survey it. They were shown
it 10y Captain Scarborough, before named Sir Ed
ward named it the Victoria channel. This informa-
ton received from Sir Edward at the Feiees and
from others, when | was at Astoria in May, two
months before the arrival of the Peacock and Flying
Fish. determined then to survey it, as | was not
satisfied that all the care had been taken that it
qulred to explore it; believing that, if it found
practicable, it would offer many facilities to small
vessels to escape the dangers of the cross-des in
the old channel In this | not disappointed.
There are times when small vessels may make use
of II; and for them, at times it becomes danger
Gus. Ordinary sized vessels will at all times incur
great risk in attempting to pass through 1t.
i The difficulties of sounding out the ground were
great, and am very far from Withholding from Mr..
Knox due credit for the perseverance with which he
executed the duty assigned him. In any other port
he would have finished these duties in one-sixth Of
the time.
Il Icannot but express my surprise that any Young
officer belonging to the expedition should charge
Captain Becher with ngratitude. want of knowl-
edge of the facts and circumstances alone ac-
count for it; and take this opportunity to say, that
feel satisfied he did everything in his power to re-
cprocae the assistance we had it in power to
afford him.
The mputation against Captain Hudson Passed
Mdshpman Blair's immediate commaDder,) as to
the loss Of the Peacock, is unwarrantable The
Flying Fish did not enter the Columbia until Cap
tain Hudson despatched old Ramsey, tho pilot, with
Lieutenant Emnons, to bring her in. The signal
spoken Of made to her to keep at distance,
out of the reach Of danger.
On reference to the log book Of the Flying Fish
and Mr.. knox's reports, find Passed Midshp pman
Blair is in material relative to the use made of
the South, or Clatsop channel. The Flying Fish
passed but twice through it, | could show the er .
roneous views and want of information on the sub
ect of the Winds tides currents, and defenccs, but
deem it unnecessary.
The statement Of Mr.. Maginn-a New York p-
LOTS so truly preposterous, that my only surprise
is that any one having any knowledge Of the calling
Of pilot, should attempt to draw such erroneous
conclusions. They but smile; and no far
Il Il