244 California and the North-west Coast. 



The reasons for the neglect to make voyages of dis- 

 covery to complete the coast outline of the new world, 

 are not difficult to be found, notwithstanding each new 

 discovery had excited the admiration and had been a 

 source of wealth to the old world. The principal reasons 

 are the following: 



First: Spain, the only nation having territory on the 

 south seas or Pacific, was satisfied with the abundant flow 

 of wealth from her mines, and with annually dispatching 

 ships laden with silver from Acapulco for the East India 

 trade at the Philippines. These ships almost invariably 

 followed the same route, sailing on the same Hues of 

 latitude, rarely north of 15°. And the}' feared that the 

 extension and spread of the news of discoveries would 

 create for themselves, rivals in trade among the other 

 powers of Europe. 



Second: The vessels of other powers that entered the 

 Pacific, went as buccaneers or privateers or for trade, and 

 not for purposes of discovery; such were the voyages of 

 Drake, Cavendish, Shelvocke, Van Noort and Spilbergen 

 and the successful one of Anson in 1743. They were satis- 

 fied in case they could fall upon the Spanish galleons 

 laden with silver. Anson watched more than a year for 

 the one which he captured with over a million and a half 

 of dollars. 



Third: After the discovery of the passage around Cape 

 Horn which was mainly favorable to the Spaniards and 

 Portuguese, the English and Dutch flattered themselves 

 with the hope of becoming most effectually their rivals, 

 by a northern passage either to the west or east. They 

 were especially sanguine of securing a passage by the 

 west, on account of the universal persuasion that the new- 

 continent was narrow in its northern parts: and they de- 

 voted themselves for centuries to securing a passage 

 through Baffin's or Hudson's bays. As late as 1748, the 



