The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-06-17

mission to examine them was very rarely
accorded. Through the good offices of
Irving, however, this was obtained, ana ii
was the privilege of young Price to assist
in making extracts from the manuscripts.
While in Granada he visited the estates of
the Duke of Wellington, presented to him
by the Spanish Government. On mention
ing TO the manager the fact that he ex-
pected TO spend several weeks III London,
that official insisted that he should call
upon the Duke in person, and gave him
letters of introduction.
The reception that followed on my ar
rival in London" related the Governor,
twas most hospitable. My first meeting
with him was at the House of Lnrds,
where we lunched. Subsequently he called
at our hotel, and we dined together at
Wellesley House, and l rode to the
hounds with him. He was as Tollicking
as a boy and without particle of non
sense in his demeanor Wherever we
wished to go he introduced us, and, of
course. such an in.rodu ction was like
letter of credentials everywhere. He was
then in his prime, courtly and distin-
guished looking. There was nothing Sc
date about him in the company OF his
friends. Shaping me on the back one
day. for | was many years his junior. he
said: Price, my boy, why don't you 60
over and talk with some of the ladies'
Come with me, and I'll make you ac-
into bevy- of some of the handsomest
girls in England. Even his daughters were
older than |. 1t Is only a few years ago
that one of them was in New York. shop
iEg at Stewards. While there she missed
a purse containing $500 or $500, but, being
a plain-looking woman, when she reported
the loss her story was doubted. In some
accidental way she happened TO mention
my name as one who had been the guest of
her father, and that she was merely
transient visitor in the United States. be-
ing on her way around the world and en-
gagged in the inspection of hospitals. asy-
lums and other charitable work, but it
served her purpose. and she was greatly
pleased in being able to recover her
money"
On his return TO the United States Mr..
Price received orders TO join the slonp-of-
war Cyane. bound for the Pacific Coast.
James K. Polk had been elected Presi-
dent and George NJ. Dallas of Pennsyl-
vania Vice-President George Bancroft
was Secretary of the Navy. The admis-
sion of Texas into the Union in 1916 occa-
stoned an Immediate rupture between the
United States and Mexico. But the naval
officers en- route to the Pacific Slope were
not aware that hOstilities were already in
progress. Practically, therefore, the rep
resentatives of the United States Govern
ment in the Territory of California were
left TO exercise their individual iudg-
ment. Fremont, in his capacity of
explorer, with a picked command Of fifty
or sixty froDtieTsmeE and Delaware
Indians, had crossed the continent and
reached point not far from Monterey.
An American squadron under Commodore
Sloat was already on the west coast of
Mexico, and an English squadron under
Sir George Seymour had concentrated at
MaZatlan, It's unmistakable object being
to seize or assume protection of California
in case Of war, as indemnity for the debt
Il i
Lieutenant Archibald Gillespie, of the
Marine Corps, had been sent from Wash
jDgton by the shortest route through
Mexico to MaZatlan with dispatches to
Fremont, who. as the son-in-law of Senator
Thomas ID. Benton, was presumably
familiar with the purposes of the admins
tration so far as they related to California,
and who, as it afterward appeared. was
instructed to Cooperate with the military
and naval forces active in the acquisition
Of California.
Such was the situation on the arrival of
the Cyane at Monterey By this time. the
latter part OF June, 1916, news bad been
received of the battles of Palo Alto and
Resaca de la Palma in the preceding Nav.
and it was also known that an English
frigate, the Juno Qorty-four guns, had
reached Santa Barbara, and that an Fno-
lish priest. Father Mcnamara, who was on
board, had already begun negotiations
with the authorities for an immense grant
of land in California, on which he pro-
posed to settle at once 10000 Irish immi-
grants. The first colonists we're to be es-
tabished on the bay of San Francisco and
TO consist of 1000 families. A second col
oDy was to be established at Monterey and
third at Santa Barbara. One square
league was to be given to each family free
of all cost
The necessity for immediate action on
TIE part of the Americans was apparent
but Commodore SloaI was averse to the
assumption of any respon sibility. He de-
sired to take no step that would conflict
with the treaty stipulations with Mexico.
This was Mr.. Prices opportunity. Before
leaving Washington he had spent much
time with President Polk and Secretary
Bancroft and learning the Intentions of
the administration with regard 20 Cali
fornia, he made known to his brother
officers of the Cyane his determination to
call on the commodore, whom he knew
Intimately, and endeavor to change his
mind. The captains gig was therenpon
ordered by Lieutenant, afterward Admiral