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Historical Records of New Zealand

Lord Grenville to the Lords of the Admiralty. — (Banks Papers.)*

page 122

Lord Grenville to the Lords of the Admiralty.
(Banks Papers.)*

Whitehall, 11th February, 1791.

My Lords,—

His Majesty having judged it expedient that an expedition should be immediately undertaken for acquiring a more complete knowledge than has yet been obtained of the north-west coast of America, I am commanded to signify to your Lordships his Majesty’s commands that the necessary measures should be adopted for that purpose. The Discovery and Chatham, brig, being, as I understand, in readiness for this service, it is desirable that no time should be lost in their proceeding to the Sandwich Islands, where the officer commanding those vessels should be instructed to winter.

During the time of his remaining at those islands he is to employ himself in the survey and examination of them; and as soon as the weather is favourable, which may be expected to be in February or at latest in March, 1792, he should be instructed to repair to the American coast for the purpose of his survey.

It having been agreed by the late convention between his Majesty and the Catholic King that the buildings and tracts of land situated on the north-west coast of the continent of North America, or on islands adjacent to that continent, of which the subjects of his Britannick Majesty were dispossessed about the month of April, 1789, by a Spanish officer, shall be restored to the said British subjects, the Court of Spain have agreed to send orders for that purpose to their officers in that part of the world; but as the particular specification of the parts to be restored may still require some farther time, the King’s orders for this purpose must be sent out to the Sandwich Islands by a vessel which may carry out a farther store of provisions for the Discovery and Chatham, and should sail from this country in time to reach the Sandwich Islands in the course of the ensuing winter. If in consequence of the arrangement to be made with the Court of Spain it should hereafter be determined that the Discovery should proceed in the first instance to Nootka or elsewhere, in order to receive from the Spanish officers such lands or buildings as are to be restored to his Majesty’s subjects, orders to that effect will be sent out by the vessel above men-

* Indorsed: “Copy of a letter from Lord Grenville to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, dated Whitehall, 11th Februray, 1791 (two enclosures).“ The enclosures are missing. A different plan was proposed in the first instance; ante, p. 113. Instructions to Lieut. Menzies; ante, pp. 115–117.

The King of Spain.

Nootka Sound, on the north-west coast of America. (Vancouver Island.)

page 123 tioned
. But if no such orders should be received by the commanding officer of the Discovery previous to the end of January, 1792, he should be directed not to wait for them at the Sandwich Islands, but to proceed in such course as he may judge most expedient for the examination of the coast of north-west America comprised between lat. 60 north and lat. 30 north.

In the examination of this coast the principal objects which he is to keep in view are:–

First.—The acquiring accurate information with respect to the nature and extent of any water communication which may tend in any considerable degree to facilitate an intercourse for the purposes of commerce between the north-west coast and the countries upon the opposite side of the continent which are inhabited or occupied by his Majesty’s subjects.

Secondly.—The ascertaining with as much precision as possible the number, extent, and situation of any settlements which have been made within the limits above mentioned by any European nation, and particularly by Spain, and the time when such settlement was first made.

With respect to the first point, it would be of great importance if it should be found that by means of any considerable inlets of sea, or even of large rivers, communicating with the lakes in the interior of the continent, such an intercourse as I have already mentioned could be established. It will, therefore, be necessary that for the purpose of ascertaining this point the survey should be so conducted as not only to ascertain the general line of the sea-coast, but also the direction and extent of all such considerable inlets, whether made by arms of the sea or by the mouths of large rivers, as may be likely to lead to or facilitate such communication as I have described.

This being the principal object of the examination, as far as relates to this part of the subject, it will probably appear to your Lordships that a considerable degree of discretion must be left to the officer commanding the expedition as to the best means of executing the service which his Majesty has in view.*

* * * *

But as far as any general instructions can here be given on the subject, it seems desireable that, in order to avoid any unnecessary loss of time, he should be directed not to pursue any

* A blank occurs here. Twelve lines written by the transcriber, which the Minister, presumably, did not wish to go out of the office, have been erased.

page 124 inlet or river further than it shall appear to be navigable by vessels of such burthen as might safely navigate the Pacific Ocean. But as the examination of such inlets, even to the extent here stated, may possibly require that the officer commanding the expedition should proceed up them further than it might be safe for the Discovery to go, it seems necessary that such officer should be authorised by your Lordships to take the command in person of the Chatham, brig, at all such times and in such situations as he shall judge it necessary or expedient, and that corresponding orders should be given to the officer commanding the latter vessel.
The particular course of the survey must, of course, depend on the different circumstances which may arise in the execution of a service of this nature. It will, however, be proper that the officer commanding on this expedition should be directed to pay a particular attention to the examination of the supposed Straits of Juan de Fuca, said to lay between 48 and 49 north lat., and to lead to an opening through which the sloop Washington is reported to have passed in 1789, and to have come out again to the northward of Nootka.* The discovery of a near communication between any such sea or strait and any river running into or from the Lake of the Woods, which is commonly laid down nearly in the same latitude, would be particularly useful. If the vessels employed on this service should fail in discovering any such inlet as I have spoken of to the southward of Cook’s River, there appears the greatest probability that it will be found that this river rises in some of the lakes already known to our Canadian traders and to the servants of the Hudson’s Bay Company. This point it would in that case be material to ascertain with as much precision as the then existing circumstances of the expedition may allow. But the discovery of any similar communication more to the southward, should any such exist, would be much more advantageous for the purposes of commerce, and should therefore be preferably attended to. With respect to the second of the points above mentioned, it is probable that more particular instructions will be given by the vessel to be sent to the Sandwich Islands after the Discovery. But if not, the officer commanding the expedition is to be particularly directed in the execution of this and of every other part of the service with which he is entrusted, to avoid with the utmost caution the giving any ground of jealousy or complaint to the subjects or officers of his

* The passage was found. The land which is separated by it from the American continent is called Vancouver Island, in honour of Captain Vancouver, who circumnavigated it.

page 125 Catholic Majesty; and if he should fall in with any Spanish ships employed on any service similar to that committed to him, he is to afford to the officer commanding such ships every possible degree of assistance and information, and he is to offer to him that they should make to each other reciprocally a free and unreserved communication of all plans and charts of discoveries made by them in their respective voyages.

If in the course of any part of this service his Majesty’s ships or officers should meet with the subjects or vessels of any other power or state, they are to treat them in the most friendly manner, and to be careful not to do anything which may give occasion to any interruption of that peace which now happily subsists between his Majesty and all other powers.

The whole of the survey above mentioned, if carried on with a view to the objects here stated, without too minute and particular an examination of the detail of the different parts of the coast laid down by it, may, as I understand, probably be completed in two summers. In the intermediate winter the ships are to be directed to return to the Sandwich Islands, and during their continuance there to endeavor to complete any part that may be unfinished of their examination of those islands.

After the conclusion of the survey in the second summer the commanding officer should be directed, supposing the state and circumstances of his ships should admit of it, to return by Cape Horn, for which the season will then probably be favourable. It seems doubtful how far the time may admit of his making any particular examination of the western coast of South America. But if this should be practicable, he should begin such examination from the south point of the Island of Chiloe, which is in about 44 south latitude; and he should direct his attention to ascertaining what is the most southward Spanish settlement on that coast, and what harbours there are south of any such settlement.

In the execution of every part of this service it is very material that the commanding officer should be instructed to use every possible care to avoid disputes with the natives of any of the parts where he may touch, and that he should be particularly attentive to endeavor by presents and by all other means to conciliate their friendship and confidence.

I herewith enclose to your Lordships lists of such articles as have been procured for the purpose of presents. These will be delivered into the care of the commanding officer, to be disposed of by him according to the regulations which have been observed in similar cases.

I am, &c.,

Grenville.