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 RESTORATION OF ASTORIA

309

guard against any design which may possibly be American government to re-establish the settlement which they formerly attempted to make at the mouth of that river, and of which your Lordship will see by a reference to Mr. Baker's despatch No. 24, of the year 181 5, 20 that soon after the peace they endeavored to claim the restitution under the 1st article of the Treaty of Ghent ." But Simon McGillivrary, down in New York City, had also heard rumors, and he took prompt means to communicate with the British representative at Washington, as below 21

upon

their

in contemplation of the

.

.



"New "To

York, November 15th, 1817.

his Excellency,

the British Ambassador. "Sir,

am

induced to take the liberty of addressing this letter to your excellency, in consequence of information which I have "I

obtained, relative to the destination of the United States ship Ontario, which sailed about six weeks ago for South America,

and which, according to newspaper report, is likely to have gone to the Pacific Ocean. "I am not at liberty to mention the channel through which I have received the information in question, but it comes from a source which in my opinion entitles it to attention. Otherwise, I certainly should not have presumed to make this application to your Excellency upon the subject. "My information is that the Captain of the Ontario has instructions to proceed ultimately to the Columbia River, and to seize or destroy the establishment and trade of the North West Company upon that Coast, what pretext may hereafter

be set up to justify this attack I really cannot imagine unless it should be the recent act of Congress prohibiting foreigners

from any trade or intercourse with the Indians within the of the United States, and the assumption that the country bordering upon the Columbia River form a part of

territories

20 Quoted above. 21 F. O. 5, Vol. 123.