2o8 A. D. 1790. 



royal alfo arrived in Nootka found, and was allowed to depart by the 

 Spaniard, who then put onboard her the furs taken out of the fchooner, 

 except twelve of the beft of them. In the beginning of July the Argo- 

 naut arrived, and, Captain Colnett unfortunately trufting to the fair 

 fpeeches of the SpaniHi commander, not only his own fhip, but alfo the 

 Princefs-royal, which returned for inftrudlions from him, were feized, and 

 fent to S'. Bias, a Spanifli port on the weft coaft of Mexico. 



While the Britifh vefTels were thus I'eized, and their officers and crews 

 treated with cruelty and infult by the .Spamfli commander, the Colum- 

 bia and the Wafbington, two American vefTels under the command of 

 Captain Kendrick *, which were then alfo in Noovka found upon the 

 fame bufmefs of colleding fea- otter furs, were favourably treated by 

 him, and were employed to carry the Britifli feamen, and fuch part of 

 the fuvs as he thought proper to reftore, to China, for which, by his or- 

 der, they were to have the extravagant allowance of thirty per cent on 

 the amount of the fales in the name of freight. 



This affair produced remonftrances from both courts. The Spaniards 

 made the firft complaint, and required, that Britifh veflels might be or- 

 dered to abftain from trading or iifliing on the weft coaft of America, 

 in refped to the exclufive right of fovereignty, navigation, and com- 

 merce, in that part of the world, belonging to the crown of Spain. In 

 anfwer to this demand, the Britifh miniftry required, that, previous to 

 any confideration of the matter of right, Spain fliould make atonement 

 for the infult oft^cired to the Britifli flag, and the depredations commit- 

 ted on the property of Britifli fubjeds. Mr. Fitzherbert, the Britifli 

 ambaflTador extraordinary to the court of Spain, infifted, not only on re- 

 paration for the lofles and fatisfadion for the infult, but alfo on an ac- 

 knowlegernent of the right to trade, and to eftablifli fettlements, with 

 the confent of the natives, on thofe parts of the coafts of America where 

 no European nation had previoufly made any fettlements. And the 

 Spanifli court, without, however, giving up any part of their claim of 

 fovereignty, confented to make full reparation to the parties injured 



In the meantime a powerful fleet was fitted out by Great Britain in 

 order to give efFed to the negotiation, or to be ready for hoftilities, if 

 the negotiation fhould fail. The Spanifli court, appearing flncerely in- 

 clined to pacific meafures, agreed to every thing that was demanded ; 

 and a convention was figned by Mr. Fitzherbert and the conde de Flor- 

 ida Blanca (Odober 28'"), whereby 

 Aricles i'', 2") Spain agreed to reftore the buildings and trad of land 



* Captain Kendrick, apparently with a view to vefTels, the firft which carried the flag of the Unit- 

 cRablifh a permanent fettlement, purchafed a traft ed ftates into that part of the ocean, failed from 

 sf land, 2_|.o miles fquare, fiom the natives. Thefe Bofton. [_lVai!Jliom on colc/mzalion, p. 363.3 



