THE NORTHWESTERN BOUNDARY -LINE.: 209 
that the River Columbia, first entered by Captain Rob- 
ert Gray of the American ship Columbia, of Boston, 
in 1792, and named by him, and afterward by the 
English explorer, Captain Vancouver, was “the great 
river of the West,” the Oregon of Carver. 
That coast had already been explored with more 
or less of diligence by Spanish navigators, fitted out 
by the Viceroys of New Spain, who gave to many of 
the islands, straits, and channels the names they still 
retain; and Spain, if any-Power anterior to the Unit- 
ed States, had title by discovery in those parts of 
America. 
But the earliest settlement on that cab was the 
factory of Astoria at the mouth of the River Colum- 
bia, established by John Jacob Astor, 
Then came the war between the United States and 
Great Britain: the first effect of which, as to the pres- 
ent question, was the military occupation of Astoria 
and of the country on the banks of the Columbia by 
British forces: subsequently to which, on the conclu- 
sion of peace, although Astoria was surrendered to us 
in obedience to the stipulations of the Treaty of Ghent, 
yet Great Britain set up claim to the valley of ibe 
Columbia as against the United States, and, indeed, 
to all the country intervening between the actual oc- 
cupations of Spain to the south in California, and those 
of Russia to the north in Sitka. 
Claims of Great Britain in this quarter, with but 
weak foundation, had already been asserted against 
Spain to the south of the River Columbia. 
Controversy on the subject between the United 
