Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 20.pdf/334

 KATHARINE

316

West Company that

it

is

B.

JUDSON

traders in that quarter, clearly to understand, being upon the spot pre-

only in the event of their

viously to any attempt being made by citizens of the United States to establish settlements, that they are to take into their

own hands the assertion of the territory, they may perhaps be induced to dispossess by force American settlers whom they may find there, and by so doing greatly embarrass any negotiawhich may hereafter take place upon the subject, if they do not occasion yet more serious consequences. "I have the honour to be, &c., &c. &c., CHARLES BAGOT."

tion

?

The next day, Sir Charles wrote again to Lord Castlereagh. 29 The letter is somewhat confused. The three commissioners he had mentioned as in the Ontario, were he

said,

presumably

Mr. Graham, late the chief clerk in the Department of State, Mr. Rodney, and Walter Jones, District Attorney of the United

The Ontario, he said, sail destined to in summer of 1817 [ which the originally the letter of Sir Lucas Yeo, given above] but explains James States in the District of Columbia.

was

was delayed for unknown reasons.

So

comand he seemed to have difficulty in getting exact information on this mysterious Ontario did not sail on the Ontario, but went on the frigate Chesapeake to South America, in a diplomatic that the three

missioners, so far as Sir Charles could

make out

capacity.

On

30 January 6th, 1818, Sir Charles reported to Lord Castlehad that he received no answer from Secretary Adams reagh

to his note of

November 26th regarding

the sailing of the

Ontario.

On January 26th, 1818, Lord Castlereagh notified Lord Bathurst as follows, the draft of the letter only being found in the Records: 31 29 F. O. 30 F. O. 31 F. O.

5, 5, 5,

Vol. 123. Vol. 130. Vol. 139.