Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 19.djvu/107

Rh agreement known as the Nootka Convention, a treaty figuring largely in later discussions between representatives of Great Britain and the United States. After providing that the buildings and tracts of land, of which British subjects had been dispossessed, should be restored, and that reparation would be made, the Convention (Art. III.) proceeded to state:

"And, in order to strengthen the Bonds of Friendship, and to preserve in future a perfect Harmony and good Understanding between the two Contracting Parties, it is agreed that their respective subjects shall not be disturbed or molested, either in navigating or carrying on their Fisheries in the Pacific Ocean, or in the South Seas, or in landing on the Coasts of those Seas, in places not already occupied, for the purpose of carrying on their commerce with the Natives of the Country, or of making Settlements there; the whole subject, nevertheless, to the Restrictions and Provisions specified in the three following Articles."

The restrictions included (Art. IV.) a promise on the part of His Britannic Majesty to take effectual measures to prevent navigation and fishing by British subjects from becoming the pretext for illicit trade with Spanish settlements, with the express stipulation that British subjects should not go within ten sea leagues of the coasts already occupied by Spain. Furthermore, it was allowed that at Nootka and other parts of the Northwest Coast, north of the Spanish settlements, "wherever the subjects of either of the two powers shall have made settlements since the month of April, 1789, or shall hereafter make any, the subjects of the other shall have free access, and shall carry on their trade without any disturbance or molestation."

As to the coasts of South America (Art. VI.) no settlements were to be made, although "the said respective subjects shall retain the liberty of landing on the coasts and islands so situated for the purpose of their fishery, and erecting thereon huts