Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-10

but was unable at that time to verify his
opinion, because the Lady Washington
grounded. and his men were attacked by
:avages Early in lTe2. after wintering in
certain whether there really was a river in
the region OF - degrees north. During this
exploring cruise he met an English yes
sci. In command OF an officer named Van
couyer. who discredfted Capt. Gray's opin-
Ion In regard to tho river, because he,
for go miles, had scrutinized the coast so
infinitely that. according to his own record
stantiy seen from the masthead TO break on
its shores" Thus. by installing for surf
breakers on its fearful bars. Vancouver
lumbia.
Earlier explorers had suspected the exist
ence OF this stream. and the old Spanish
charts bore vague reference to It under
the name of "the ST. Rogue" yet neither
the Spaniards, who under the edict of Pope
Alexander vi, In 1893. claimed eminent
domain on the Pacific coast. nor the later
English discoverers. were able TO find the
mouth of the stream. An Englishman
named Meares. led estray by the old Span
ish charts, was vainly lsd to explore for
1t In the Straits OF Fuca
Discovered the Columbia River.
On the afternoon OF the day that he met
Vancouver Capt. Gray. undaunted by the
formers skeptieism. sailed stin farther
south. and on May passed through an
entrance which closely resembled a harbor.
He found himself in bay sheltered from
the sea by sand bars and splits To the
bay he gave the name of Bislfnch's harbor.
-Four days later, bearing east southeast for
distance of six leagues. he anchored In a
large river or fresh water. He sailed up
ward twelve miles farther. being then
twenty-five miles from the rivers mouth.
On May 20 he regained the Pacific having
discovered the mighty stream which in
honor OF his ship, he named the Columbia.
lie sailed to Nootka sound. and there pre-
sented to the Spanish commandment charts
and descriptions of Bulhnch's harbor and
6he newly discovered river. In September
he set sail for Canton and the following
year returned to the United States.
This voyage financially was scarcely
more profitable than the first. yet It led TO
vast results. From the discovery Of tho
columbia to the war of iSl2-i4 the trade
between. China and the coast OF North
America was almost entirely in the hands
OF citizens OF the United States. The Brit
ish merchants were restrained from pur-
suing 1t by the opposition of that gigantic
monopoly, the East India Company; the
Russians were not admitted to the Chi
nese ports. and few ships of other nations
were seen In that portion Of the world.
From the United States went fine ships or
briggs laden with valuable cargoes OF the
products of the West Indies. Great Britain
France and Spain. The owners were men
OF large capital and high reputation In the
commercial world, and. In few instances.
British companies, but to control their OPP
.erations.
The claim of the United States to tho
Oregon territory" which included a tract
four times large as Great Britain and
Ireland. and sixty-three times the size of
the state of Massachusetts,. was based on
four separate and Independent titles: Prior
discovery. the Louisiana purchase, prior ex-
ploration and prior settlement The oues-
ton was not definitely decided until after
almost sixty years of controversy. Gray's
discovery of the Columbia river, the first
title. was also the point most strongly
urged by our negotiators in their efforts to
establish the claims OF the United States
to that portion of the continent through
which 1t flows.
BY general consent the discovery of the
ST. Lawrence had given the basin of that
river to the French. that OF the Hudson TO
the Dutch and that of the Potomac to the
English while the coasts and basins OF
New Spain, became the Inheritance of old
Spain. On the same principles and usages
which had become the law of nations the
United States claimed the country drained
oy the Columbia. since that river had been
discovered and explored by an American
mariner. The British statement of the case.
1S26-Z7. conceded to Capt. Gray. the discov-
cry of the Columbia Lewis and Gfarixs fully
fifteen years later than Gray found the
headwaters of the Columbia and followed
them to its mouth. thus giving to Americans
the honor of discovering its source. as well
as its outlet.
Almost coincident with the Explorations of
Lewis and Clark was the death in Charles
ton, s. c.. in 1896 of Captain Gray who IN
his busy seafaring life had known little
of the Importance of his discovery, and died
suspecting still less the international COM
piieations that his achievement was des-
tined to bring about. The full acrimofsx of
this question did not eliminate until many
years after he had passed away but 1t is
beyond doubt that to the brave and I'M
assuming navigator who first bore our flag
around the world is due the honor that the
lfa ha
Oregon is now part of the republic.