Page:History of Oregon volume 1.djvu/541

490 Loughlin, to ascertain whether the launch could be given up to the provisional government, provided said government became responsible for its safe keeping and delivery to the United States authorities when demanded; to which inquiry McLoughlin returned a refusal to deliver the boat without an order from Wilkes or from the government of the United States. Gray pretends that the effect of Applegate's resolution was such as to produce this refusal, by destroying the credit of the provisional government with the Hudson's Bay Company; as if the company were retaining the launch for security! Gray was not unaware when he penned this absurd statement that McLoughlin published in the fourth number of the Oregon Spectator the letter of, Lieutenant Wilkes to him, enjoining upon him to have the launch kept at Fort George, under the special care of the company, to be used for the sole purpose of affording relief or aid to all vessels requiring assistance of any kind or pilots for bringing in vessels, until called for by some person authorized by him or by the government of the United States to receive it.

As a member of the body carrying on the correspondence, Gray must have known that the answer actually returned was, that it would afford him, McLoughlin, great pleasure to meet the wishes of the Oregon government, and to give up the boat on the conditions proposed, provided the government would take the necessary measures to cause the launch to be employed only for the purpose for which it was left with him, namely, to visit vessels and afford them assistance when in distress; that he could not, consistently with his respect for the flag that covered her, consent to her being employed in any other service. But it appears from the correspondence that no such pledge as the doctor required was given, and he declined to relinquish his trust.