272 EARLY HISTORY OF OREGON. 



nients with the Russians, and was involved in the common 

 fate of the crew of the " Tonquin." 



The circumstances, however, of this establishment under- 

 went a great change upon the declaration of war by the United 

 States against Great Britain, in 1812. Tidings of this event 

 reached the Factory in January, 1813, through Messrs. McTa- 

 vish and Laroque, partners of the Northwest Company, who 

 visited Astoria with a small detachment of persons in the em- 

 ployment of that Company, and opened negotiations for the 

 dissolution of the Pacific Fur Company, and the abandonment 

 of the establishment at Astoria. The Association was, in 

 consequence, dissolved in July, 1813, and on the 16th of 

 October following, an agreement was executed between Messrs. 

 McTavish and Mr. John Stuart, on the part of the Northwest 

 Company, and Messrs. McDougal, McKenzie, David Stuart, 

 and Clarke, on the part of the Pacific Company, by which all 

 the establishments, furs, and stock in hand of the late Pacific 

 Fur Company, were transferred to the Northwest Company, 

 at a given valuation, which produced, according to Mr. 

 Greenhow, a sum total of 58,000 dollars. 



The bargain had hardly been concluded when the British 

 sloop-of-war, the " Racoon," under the command of Captain 

 Black, entered the Columbia River, with the express purpose 

 of destroying the settlement at Astoria ; but the establishment 

 had previously become the property of the Northwest Com- 

 pany, and was in the hands of their agents. All that remained 

 for Captain Black to perform was to hoist the British Flag 

 over the Factory, the name of which he changed to Fort 

 George. There have been no changes in the Territory since 

 1813, worthy of particular notice. 



