Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1846-01-06

claim advanced by the United States or
the ground oe prior discovery and prior
exploration and settlement.
In that part of the memorandum Of the
American plenipotenliary which speaks Of
the Spanish title, it is stated that the mouth
of the river, afterwards called the Column.
bia River.was first discovered by the Span.
ISL navigator Heceia. The admission OF
this fact would appear TO be altogether ir-
rsconcileable with claim TO priority of
discovery from any thing accomplished by
Capt. Gray. To one, and to one only, OF
those commanders, can be conceded the
merit of first discovery. IL Heceta's claim
is acknowledged, then Captain Gray is 20
longer the discoverer ofthe Columbia Riv-
er. If, on The other hand, preference is
given TO the achievement of Capt. Gray,
then Heceta,s discovery ceases to be of
any value. But it is argued that the Uni
ted States now represent both titles-the
title of Heceta and the title of Gray; and,
therefore, that, under one or the other, il
matters not which, enough can be shown
to establish case of prior discovery, as
aginst Great Britain. This may be true
as far as relates TO the act Of first seeing
and first entering the mouth Of The Column
ba river; but ifthe Spanish claim TO pri-
or discovery is TO prevail, whatever rights
may thereon be founded, are necessa riv
restricted by the stipulations Of the treaty
Of 1880, which forbid a claim 10 exclusive
possession
If the act Of Captain Gray, in passing
the bar and actually entering the river, is
10 supersede the discovery OF the entrance
which is all that is attributed to Heceta-
then, the principle Of progressive or grad
ual discovery being admitted as conveying,
in proportion to the extent Of discovery or
| exploration, superior rights, the operations
of Vancouver in en'ering, surveying and
exploring TO considerable distance inland,
the river Columbia, would as necessary
consequence, supersede the discovery Of
Capt Gray: to say nothing of the act of
taking possession in the name Of his sover.
eign-which ceremony was duly performed
and automatically recorded by Capt Van
couver.
This brings US TO an examination Of the
conflicting claims Of Great Britain and the
United States on the ground of discovery
which may be said 10 form the essential
point in the discussions; for it has been
shown that the claim derived from France
must be considered as Of little or no weight.
while that derived from Spain. in as far as
relates TO exclusive dominion, is neu'ralized
by the stipulalions of the Noo,ka conven-
lion.
1t will be admitted that when the Uni ted
States became an independen, nation, they
passed no claim direct or indirect, TO the
Columbia territory. Their western boun-
Diary in those days was defined by the trea-
~ Of 1888. Grea, Britain, on the contra
ry, had at that time already directed her at
tention TO the northwest coast of America,
as is sufficiently shown by The voyage and
discoveries of Capt. Cook, who in ITS,
visited and explored great portion of it,
from latitude 44'deg northwards.
Thet Great Britain was the first to ac-
quire what may be called beneficial in
terest IN those regions by commercial in>
tercourse, will not, either be denied. In
proof Of this fact, we have the voyages Of
several British subjects, who visited the
coast and adjacent islands previously 10 the
dispute with Spain; and that her CONNER rec.
actual as we'll as prospective, in that part
of the world, was considered matter Of
great national importance, is shown by the
resolu'e measures which she took for its
protection VIXEN Spain manifested q dispo-
sition TO interfere with it.
The discoveries OF Meares, in 1888, and
the complete survey Of the coast and its ad-
inro FL Lot dc
northwards, which was effected by Captain
Vancouver, in 1892, 1893 and 1894, would
appear TO give to Great Britain, as against
the United States. as strong claim, on
the ground Of discovery and exploration
coasl-wise, as can be well imagined, limi
ted only by what was accomplished by
Captain Gray at the mouth Of the Columbia
which as far as discovery is concerned,
forms the strong point on the American
side of the question.
In point Of accuracy and authenticity, it
IS bel eyed that the performance Of Cook
d Vancouver stand pre- eminen,ly superior
to those Of any other country whose vessels
had in those days visited the northwest
coast; while in poin. of value and impor-
lance, surely the discovery Of single har-
Dor, although at the mouth of an important
river, cannot, as giving claim to territory
be placed in competition with the vast ex
tent of discovery and survey accomplished
by the British navigaiors.
As regards exploration inland, entire JUS
tice must be done 10 the memorable exploit
of NJ. NJ. Lewis and Clark: but those dis
linguished travellers we're not the first who
effected passage across the Oregon Ter
ritory from the Rocky Mountains 20 the
Pacific. As far back as 1893. that feat had
been accomplished by Mackenzie British
subject In The course of this expedition,
Mackenzie explored the upper waters of
river, since called Fraser's river. which. in
process of time, was traced to lis junction
with the sea, near the 49,h degree of lati-
tude; thus forming. in point of exploration.
counierpoise TO the exploration Of that
part of the Columbia which was first visi-
ted By Lewis and Clark.
Priority of se,,lemen, is the third plea on
which the American claim proper is made
10 rest.
In 1911, an establishment for the pur.
poses of trade was formed a, the south side
OF the Columbia river. near 10 its month.
by certain American citizens. This estab-