1792 .
September.
* Meaning
an eftablifh-
mentthey
had in the
entrance of
De Fuca’s
ilraits.
'Spaniards vilitedhim.and his fears v an ifh ed b u t as Captain'Colnett did
not confine his views 'to the commerce of the country; 'but- wiffiéd to
fórtify himfelf, and to eftablifh an Eng-lilh factory, Martinez arrefted
him'; andfent him to St. Bias. The like cbnduft was obferved towards
Thomas Hudfon, who commanded the Princefs Royal, on his return to
Nootka. The veflels o f both Were detained.
■ ‘This was the real fituation o f things, fays Sen" Ouadra, who offers to
dèmönftrate iri-the m o l unequivocal manner that the injuries, prejudices;
and üfurpations; as reprefented by Captain Meares, were chimerical: that
Martinez had no orders to make prize of any veifels, nor did he break
the treaty of peace,' or violate the laws o f hofpitality : that the natives
Will affirm, and that the documents accompanying his letter will proved
that Mr. Meares had no other habitation on the fhores of Nootka than
a fmall hut, which he abandoned when he left the place,-and which did
not ex ill on the arrival of Martinez: that he bought no land of the chiefs
Of the adjacent villages; that the Ephigenia did not belong to the Eng-
Ifflf; that Martinez did not take or detain the dealt part o f her cargo;
and that Mr. Colnett was treated with the greateft diftinftion at St. Bias,
and his officers and crew received the wages of the Spanilh navy for the
iiifle -of their detention: that the veffel and cargo were reltored, and
that Mr. Colnett obtained a great number of Heins on his return to
NoOtka.
Thefe circumftances duly confidered, adds Sen'- Ouadra, it is evident
that Spain has nothing to deliver up, nor damage to make good ; but that
as he was defirous of removing every obftacle to the eftablilhment of afolid
and permanent peace, he was ready, without prejudice to the legitimate
right o f Spain, to-cede to England the houfes, offices, and gardens, that
had with fo much labour been erefted and cultivated, and that himfelf
would retire to Fuca * : obferving at the fame time, that Nootka ought to
be the laft or moll northwardly Spanilh fettlement, that there the dividing
point fhould be fixed, and that from thence to the northward Ihould be
free for entrance, ufe and commerce to both parties, conformably with the
fifth article Of the convention; that eftablilhments fhould not be formed
without