New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-05-08
NEW-YORK TRIBUNE.
The survey of the Umpqua River.

rantAble attack upon the official conduct of the
late Lieut. Commanding VIM. P. Macarthur U. s.
/ Navy, assistant in the Coast Survey which attack
upon my lamented friend and late commander |
feel called upon TO refute here-as have once
before done. when the same scandal was set on
foot on the Western Coast, in September, 1880.
Your correspondent says:
"CspL Scott with thst spirit Of en,erp lee which hu
ever oeen prominent trait 81 ne cha4c er sp-n' me
Winter Fl l49 sn6 80 ia exploring ihe country west "
~ .siJeuent wiki vie~ Of 6odioe practicable lsnd
ccnrsct with ma usvigsoe pat o. ~ Umpqus
Rvsr sTd having ,urce,ded 10 hi, object ssry 10 zoe
Spring Stol- To the month Of VA cnnnbs for
Ne ~ p'" OF ealing Ire shenNon Of he otee,s ~ the
T. sYlre squadron The iw poFsncs II the Umo
qu- srd TO induce them, n possible. Ia attempt ina en-
trsfcs tie hsi interview. whil- there. With Capt
Macarthur. be officer charR q he lvenm-n schooner
/ Ewing nc eute I'd into ssrsem-nt with bin to
plore The h'rbor Tor which service he scot vn TO pay
tie sun ofsl 600 appsars highly culpshle act
on the part Of 90 officer Of the L. Government to
orreceve norey 9r The performance Of service INC
10 perform HE part OF The contract thereby saving Capt
Scout The expense"
Which allegation | pronounce entirely untrue
ard set On foot by it's author to laud and astter
capt Scott at the expense Of the character of
az pure man as ever wore the uniform Of the
United States.
The late It. Comdt Macarthur enjoyed a most
envisble reputation in all the departments of the
Government, with which be has been associated
testimonials of bis courage in the serious wounds
he received while serving his country in the field
while his c1Uil services have been spread through
the country for several years, by the reports OF
the Chief of the U. 3 Coast Survey. This state
ment IL due 10 the memory of a true man, who is
rot with Us to defend his fame from the attacks of
irresponsible scribblers
Now for the facts connected with the visit Of
"CaDt Scott 70 1t COmdt Macarthur, at she
T a. 40 in
1t was not early in the Spring, bat in July, 1880
that the undersigned then being engaged with
the late 1t Comdt Macarthur in the surveys Oh
the bars and hsrbOrs of the mouth of the Coum'
bia River, D T. was In the office OF Gen John
Adair. the Collector of the District, at Astoria,
when he was introduced to Capt. Scott who
stated that he lived on the Umpqua River, and
was ANXIOUS to see Capt. Macarthur, for the pur-
pose of enlstiDg In him an interest In finding the
mouth OF the Umpqua, and surveying the depth
! Of water on the bar. In the course OF converse
ton. the said Capt. Scott gave it as his opinion
/ that one vessel, the U. B Surveying schr Ewing,
could enter the river and that II he could induce
! him lhuArthur) to go there, he would willingly
give s 600, IS it would be OF great pecuntdry
benefit 20 him, Scott The undersigned at once
told said Scott that we (meRniRg the expedition
had alre ady determined to find the mouth OF the
| Timpuua River, and cross its bar II Il should be
found practicable, and should proceed at the ear
| Hest moment down the coast, on general recon.
noissance and survey, and then stated 10 sad Scott
that he must not presume 10 make a Dr0p0Stio8 TO
! Cant. McArthur, as IL toOuid be Indignantly re.
! jected beside, il was unnecessary as we should
! 20 there with the utmost certainty. Gen. Adair,
! t. &. Collector subsequently remarked to the
| undermined that the said Scott had oTttten to
! Capt Macarthur 10 the same effect. told him
was sorry for u, ard al once declined any ilrther
conversation with Scott and without asking
| whethe. the letter had been sent TO Capt. McAr
| thur proceeded to the vessel to inform Capt. Nc
Arthur Of what had learned On my relatiDgt0
| Capt Macarthur what had heard, he wssvery In
| dignant that any one should suppose he would re-,
| ceiye fee or be induced by q promise Of repdTd
10 do what bis duty called for, and remarked;
"Wel, | suppose in charity we must impute II
! 10 the old mans ignorance OF ns and our duties
! bat we will get all the information from him we
can as to the river, as it will save the Expedition
much time If we can know when we are really at
the mouth Of the Umpqua and not mistake It m
! others have done.
CAPT Macarthur then added that he would see
| the said Scott, and tell him when the Ewing
would probably be in the latitude Of the Umpqua
and induce him Scott TO be there with signals
flying, to prevent disappointment Subsequent
| " sSid Scott visited the Ewing, the undersigned
| being present ia the conversation which &C.
| cured said Scott stated that he came down Tor
! the purpose Of inducing the expedition to 90 20
/ the JJupaua when Capt. McArthar checked him
! and said in substance, Capt. Scott we want no
inducements offered for IS TO visit the UmPqua;
but if you are so very DESTROYS TO have the navl'
CATION Of the Umpqua made araiiabIe 10 commerce,
! YOU can easily spend thousand dollars or more
! in placing buOys, after we have found out the
channel and depth of water; aRd II we find the
| depth suttcient | would advise you to DO this.
/ Should you WISH we will point out the places
where they should be placed; bat must say to
you that there is no appropriation under winch
| we can buoy the Umpqua We are preparing
! buoys for the Columbia River, but it Is under
specific appropriation, and would not apply to she
Uppqua or any other.
Cspt. Macarthur further told him that he would
aid him in every possible way In opening me
navigation Of the Umpqud, and would tAaHH n,m
for bs Scott assistance In making signals a. tne
mouth of the river to direct our movements on
arriving of there. Capt. Macarthur informed Mr.
| Scott that he intended TO be at the mouth oil tne
! Umpaua on the 9Th Of August
! Haying complied with our orders A. tne
Columbis, and completed the surveys OF the Dns
and Harbors we (early in August proceeoeu
! down the coast and in due time Il have nos tno
| 5atea AZ hand anchored OF the mouth OF zoe
| Tunona which we found in Lac. AZ ~ OF lfS
milea diatant from the South Ban OF the Ooiamois'
We arr hored in fteen fathoms water. ano WIZ
our glasses scrutinized the coast ana tne 0fS 5
| az, on the Bar less than mile distant Inc
| .bora being about two miles, we 5000 discovered
In6isns on the beach in considerable numbers,
| .Td canoe crossed the breakers, bat returned
without coming out 20 the vessel Presently We
discovered small red flag 6ying on the beach,
| and an appearance like white one In the oend
Of the river, bat two hours close search with our
glasses could not discover the least indication Of
the presence Of white men, or their signs' except
the red flag. ,.L 0,,b
Not doubling, however, that We bad ne NOUN .HI
Of the Umpqus under view, Capt MICA ;.s 80. 20
| charge Of the best whale boat ana wiz
officers and five men, pulled IN ior sns hsfoys bs
Les. .s 80 -. w.re Go sIoyt handed 70 try any
San s Sspss -. srpeyimsnts-.nd fall knOwledgs
any ,ocden. should haRDsn :. s0s OSes az
u IN ~, "a ha would not attempt the Bar II
hnb.S snv doubt OF complete success
Ixs,chs5 bim With intense anxiety as he near
u 80 ssr which to me seemed 20 hold itself IN
81 scb-rouG state Of quiet as II 70 coax MIN
HtNON' GnJf.rlt saH IL break on both