Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 20.pdf/335

 RESTORATION OF ASTORIA "Draft

317

"Foreign

Office,

Jan. 26, 1818. Comnirs. of the

"I have this day addressed to the Lord Admiralty, acquainting their Ldps [Lordships] that Mr. Bagot, His Ms Minister in America, having transmitted intelligence that the U.

war Ontario has been

sloop of

sent by the on the Columbia River, R H's held by that state on the breaking out of the war, it is in that of the 1st of Article the pursuance pleasure Treaty of Ghent (without, however, admitting the right of that Govt to the Possession in question), due Facility should be given to

Amn

Govt

S.

to reestablish a Settlement

H

the Reoccupation of the said Settlement by the officers of the United States, and I am to request that Your Lp will be pleased to take such steps in furtherance of that object, as

you may

judge expedient." [Signed] CASTLEREAGH.

That same January Simon McGillivray sent to Henry Gouldburn the letter in which he states that he had instructed Mr. Keith, in charge of Fort George, to obey any instructions given

him with regard

On

February

32 up Fort George. 1818, Lord Castlereagh wrote

to giving 4th,

Charles Bagot as follows

to

Sir

33

"Foreign

Offiice,

Febr. 4, 1818.

"You will observe, however, that whilst this Government is not disposed to contest with the American gov't the point of possession as it stood in the Columbia River at the moment of the rupture, they are not prepared to admit the validity of title of the Govt of the United States to this Settlement.

the

In signifying therefore to Mr. Adams the full acquiesence of your govt in the re-occupation of the limited Position which the U. States held in that River at the breaking out of the war, you will at the same time assert in suitable terms the Claim

of Great Britain to that Territory upon which the American 32 F. O. 33 F. O.

5, 5,

Vol. 139. Vol. 129.

(Enclosure by Gouldburn, Feb.

2,

1818.)