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CHAPTER VII. 

 1780 to 1789. 



Commercial Results of Cook's Discoveries — Settlements of the Russians in America 



— Scheme of Ledyard for the Trade of the North Pacific — Voyage of La Perouse 



— Direct Trade between the American Coasts and Canton commenced — Voyages 

 of the English Fur Traders — Re-discovery of the Strait of Fuca — Voyage of 

 Meares, who endeavors to find a great River described by the Spaniards — First 

 Voyages from the United States to the South Pacific, and to Canton — Voyage of 

 the Columbia and Washington, under Kendrick and Gray, from Boston to the 

 North Pacific. 



Whilst Cook was engaged in his last expedition, Great Britain 

 became involved in wars with the United States of America, France, 

 and Spain ; and, as there was no prospect of a speedy termination 

 of the contests at the time when the ships sent out under that 

 commander returned to Europe, the British government considered 

 it prudent to withhold from the world all information respecting 

 their voyage. The regular journals of the ships, together with the 

 private notes and memoranda of the officers and men which could 

 be collected, were, in consequence, placed under the charge of the 

 Board of Admiralty, and thus remained concealed until peace had 

 been restored. Notwithstanding this care, however, many of the 

 occurrences of the expedition became known, the importance, or 

 the novelty, of which was such as to raise to the highest degree the 

 curiosity of the public, not only in England, but in all other civilized 

 countries. 



The wars having been, at length, concluded, the regular journals 

 of the expedition were published at London, in the winter of 1784—5, 

 under the care of the learned Bishop Douglas, with a number of 

 maps, charts, and other illustrative engravings ; and it is now 

 scarcely necessary to say, that the anticipations which had been 

 formed as to the importance of their contents, were fully realized. 



The information obtained during the voyage, respecting the 

 abundance of animals of fine fur on the north-west coasts of 

 America, and the high prices paid for their skins in China, became 



