The Nootka Sound Controversy

PYING NOOTKA SOUND-THE CON

who first suggested the planting of a Spanish colony at this point. This is contrary to the notion prevalent in the minds of the diplomats when the controversy was at its height, a notion which has been more or less accepted ever since, viz, that one or more of the Governm

e had gone under a royal commission to investigate the Russian settlement

having been discovered by the Russian commanders, Behring and Estericol [Chirikov], under orders from the Russian Court in the year 1741. For this reason it seems to me advisable that an attempt should be made next year, 1789, with such forces as you may have at hand, to occupy the said port and establish a garrison in it. According to what is learned from the work of Cook and from what I saw on my first expedition to that place (which I made i

days later, in justification of his action, he wrote that it was true he was forbidden to incur expenses without special royal order, but since this was an extraordinary case, demanding prompt action, he begged for the royal approval.[57] This approval was granted, but not until April 14, 1789,[58] when Martinez was already well on his way to Nootka. It could not have been known in America in time to affect the events at Nootka. Far, then, from there being any ground for the suspicion that the Spanish Government had ordered the seizure of English vessels, which resulted from this undertaking, the Madr

suspicion that it had this end in view.[59] He told also of an overland trip made in 1766-67 from the English colonies,[60] and closed his observations on this point with the prophetic statement: "We ought not to be surprised that the English colonies of America, being now an independent Republic, should carry out the design of finding a safe port on the Pacific and of attempting to sustain it by crossing the immense country of the continent above our possessions of Texas, New Mexico, and California." He added: "Much more might be said of an active nation which founds all of its hopes and its resources on navi

1788. They were also to retain the same officers-Martinez as commander, and Haro subject to his orders. They were to sail from San Blas early in February. A packet boat would follow in March with supplies and re?nforcements, and would bring back a

o anticipate the English, and said "these designs of either nation are as pernicious to our country as their claims are unfounded." The Russian commanders failed to explore the ports, Florez continued, and the English captain, Cook, did not see Nootka until 1778, four years after the expedition of Perez "on which you

ng are his

s and their comma

ge, with some increase of troops, and an armament corresponding[304] t

hould sail not late

re?nforcements and supplies for Nootka, as

happened and an estimate of the necessary supplies and re?nforce

otka, copied from Cook's wo

d will of the natives: in this endeavor the discretion of the four missio

a meeting place to treat with the Indians and f

Part of the people were to be kept in this during the day

und for our establishment at Nootka, the superior right which we have for continuing such establishments on the whole coast, and the measures which our superior Government is taking to ca

fense and cause a rupture; but if, in spite of the greatest efforts, the foreigners should attempt to use force, you will repel

ean and given such assistance as they may need, without which they could not subsist in those seas; that consequently it would be a grave offense for the vessels of His Catholic Majesty to suffer hostilities in America at the hands of the Russians, furnishing just cause for a breach between tw

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tain Cook, since he reached Nootka, according to his own statement, in March of the year 1778, where he purchased (as he r

r ships. However, by a letter of the most excellent Se?or Viceroy of Peru, it is known that a frigate, which is said to belong to General Washington,[65] sailed from Boston, in September of

vernmental authority to take such measures as you may be able and such as appear proper, giving them to understand, as all other foreigners, that our settle

for it was intended that a careful survey of the

is expedition after the establish

uctions for t

the latter port being the rendezvous. The Viceroy would do all he could to c

the Indians and of any establishments or vesse

be employed to

vine favor and for the

ty to Captain Cook, July 6, 1776. Cook, he said, was not to touch at any port in the Spanish dominions on the west coast of America unless forced by unavoidable accident, in which case he

. Each expedition was sent without any knowledge that the other was even thought of. The instructions given to the commander of each were such as to leave no doubt in his mind as to his perfect right to carry them out. It was impossible for both to obey; hen

of the natives, indicated that Europeans had previously been somewhere in[307] the neighborhood, at least. No mention is made of his having taken possession of the place for England.[68] It seems that the Englishmen who were interested in the expedition of 1789 had no knowledge that any European had visited the place earlier than this visit of Captain Cook.[69] If they had such knowledge, they intentionally ignored it. This was looked upon as a real discovery and it was assumed that thereby England acquired such rights as discovery can give. Although Sir Francis Drake's landing on the California coast in 1579 was mentioned,

d Madrid through the Spanish ambassador at St. Petersburg that the Russians[308] were making settlements on the American coast north of California. In consequence of royal orders issued the previous year, an expedition, under the command of Juan Perez, was sent from Mexico in 1774 to investigate. He had orders to examine the coast as high as 60°, but did not get beyond 55°. As he was returning he anchored early in August in a port which he called San Lorenzo, and which was later identified with Nootka Sound. Some question was raised as to its identity, but there seems to be little doubt. The latitude agrees very closely-too closely, Bancroft says

ighth degree. This expedition made landings and took formal possession for Spain of at least three points between 47° and 58°.[74] In 1779 a third expedition sailed from Mexico to explore the coast still farther north. It reached the sixty-first degree, Prince William Sound.[75] By these three expedition

were not published, except in brief accounts.[77] It is a serious question whether a discovery which was not made known to the world could give a claim superior to one gained by a subsequent voyage whose results were made known. Reason and justice would seem to say it could not. But, besides these explorations, Spain still clung in theory at least to her ancient claim to sovereignty over the entire American continent west of the line drawn by the treaty of Tordesillas (1494), and sanctioned by Pope Alexander VI, who had drawn the arbit

ordering all viceroys, governors, etc., to prevent foreign ships from navigating the south sea without permission from Spain,[80] since no other nation had, or ought to have, any territories which it was necessary for them to pass around Cape Horn to reach. It is needless to say that this claim was not respected by other governments. The Viceroy's assertion of the right of Spain to occupy the coasts and exclude colonies

other words, either from lack of enterprise or from policy, the Spanish did not seem to care to develop the country or make any use of it themselves, but did wish to prevent any other people from doing so. Their reason for this policy of obstruction was probably an idle pride in retaining a shadowy sovereignty over this vast territo

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12 or 15 British vessels visited the coast to trade with the natives, several of them making return voyages, and most of them making shorter or longer stops at Nootka.[81] As has been stated, steps were taken from the very first to establish a post at Nootka as a center for these trading operations. A temporary one was actually set up by Meares in 1788, and an expedition was sent out for the purpose of