422 PROOFS AND ILLUSTRATIONS. [D. 



that smuggling had increased, that several usurpations prejudicial to 

 Spain and the general tranquillity had been suffered to be made, they 

 gave orders that the western coasts of Spanish America, and islands and 

 seas adjacent, should be more frequently navigated and explored. 



They were also informed that several Russian vessels were upon the 

 point of making commercial establishments upon that coast. At the time 

 that Spain demonstrated to Russia the inconveniences attendant upon 

 such encroachments, she entered upon the negotiation with Russia, upon 

 the supposition that the Russian navigators of the Pacific Ocean had no 

 orders to make establishments within the limits of Spanish America, of 

 which the Spaniards were the first possessors, (limits situated within 

 Prince William's Strait,) purposely to avoid all dissensions, and in order 

 to maintain the harmony and amity which Spain wished to preserve. 



The court of Russia replied, it had already given orders that its sub- 

 jects should make no settlements in places belonging to other powers, 

 and that, if those orders had been violated, and any had been made in 

 Spanish America, they desired the king would put a stop to them in a 

 friendly manner. To this pacific language on the part of Russia, Spain 

 observed that she could not be answerable for what her officers might do 

 at that distance, whose general orders and instructions were, not to permit 

 any settlements to be made by other nations on the continent of Spanish 

 America. 



Though trespasses had been made by the English on some of the 

 islands of those coasts, which had given rise to similar complaints having 

 been made to the court of London, Spain did not know that the English 

 had endeavored to make any settlements on the northern part of the 

 Southern Ocean, till the commanding officer of a Spanish ship, in the 

 usual tour of the coasts of California, found two American vessels in St. 

 Laurence, or Nootka Harbor, where he was going for provisions and stores. 

 These vessels he permitted to proceed on their voyage, it appearing, from 

 their papers, that they were driven there by distress, and only came in 

 to refit. 



He also found there the Tphigenia, from Macao, under Portuguese 

 colors, which had a passport from the governor ; and, though he came 

 manifestly with a view to trade there, yet the Spanish admiral, when he 

 saw his instructions, gave him leave to depart, upon his signing an en- 

 gagement to pay the value of the vessel, should the government of Mexico 

 declare it a lawful prize. 



With this vessel there came a second, which the admiral detained, 

 and, a few days after, a third, named the Argonaut, from the above- 

 mentioned place. The captain of this latter was an Englishman. He 

 came not only to trade, but brought every thing with him proper to form 

 a settlement there, and to fortify it. This, notwithstanding the remon- 

 strances of the Spanish admiral, he persevered in, and was detained, to- 

 gether with his vessel. 



After him came a fourth English vessel, named the Princess Royal, 

 and evidently for the same purposes. She, likewise, was detained, and 

 sent to Port St. Bias, where the pilot of the Argonaut made away with 

 himself. 



The viceroy, on being informed of these particulars, gave orders that 

 the captain and the vessels should be released, and that they should have 

 leave to refit, without declaring them a lawful prize ; and this he did, on 



