376 LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT- ROSS. 
be obliged to re-construct their habitations in a safei and more 
distant quarter. 
On Commander Ross being* called upon to deliver his senti¬ 
ments, an attention was observable amongst the auditors, simi¬ 
lar to that, which was observed when a Canning or a Mackintosh 
rose to address the House of Commons. He began by stating, 
that he dissented in toto from the plans proposed by the two 
former speakers, as the first was dependent on a contingency 
which, under the present circumstances could not possibly be 
brought into effect, and the second was founded upon premises, 
which were decidedly erroneous. It was true, that the Com¬ 
mander of the Victory, as in the case of all former navigators 
who had visited unknown countries, had very properly, and as 
in duty bound, taken possession, according to the accustomed 
form of planting the standard of Great Britain on a lump of snow, 
of all the territory within any certain degree of longitude, that 
might hereafter be determined upon, by commissioners ap¬ 
pointed for that purpose. 
So far the Commander of the Victory, as the representative, 
for the time being, of his Britannic majesty, was the reputed 
sovereign of all the land, and territories, of which he had taken 
possession, with all rights, powers, privileges, and immuni¬ 
ties to treat the natives thereof, as the people of a conquered 
country. Respecting the latter point, he would not now stop 
to discuss the question, as it must be well known to all present, 
the exact mode of treatment which has been adopted towards 
them {hear, hear, from Capt, Ross.) It is, however, allow d 
that there is not a country, which fulfils its treaties and en¬ 
gagements with greater faith, scrupulousness and honor, than 
England, except in those cases, where it is found to be her con¬ 
venience and interest to infringe them ; and therefore in the pre¬ 
sent instance, it certainly might be admitted, that their worthy 
commander had become possessed de facto of the right and 
power to exercise his control over those natives, who might com¬ 
mit any abuses upon the land, of which he had taken formal pos¬ 
session ; but, had he been present at the time, when the ceremony 
of taking possession was performed, he would have called the 
