From tho New York Courier and Enquirer, OREGON TERRIr(lRX
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 first explored by American ciisms nnder the d. recton of the Am1ican Government. The history of this exploration is briefly as follows:-- .-

 Before Louisiana had been ceded to us, and while negotiations on that subject were in progress, Presi dent Jefferson addressed to Congress n confidential l message, under date of January IS, 1903, reconi- mendng that means should be taken to have that part of the continent examined by American agents His suggestions were adopted, and he commissioned Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clarke to carry the design into execution They instruct ed by Mr Jefferson, to explore the river Missouri and it's branches to their sources, and then 10 seek and trace 10 it's termination in the pacific, some stream, 'wheiher the Columbia, lle Oregon, the !" Colorado, any other which might offer the most |" direct and practicable water comnlunica ion across |" the continent, for the purposrs of commerce.''- Very after receiving these instructions the news of the session of Louisiana reached the United States and Lewis and Clarke immediately started upon their exploring tour. On the l4h of May, 1894, they entered the Missouri and began it's ascent in boats Before November, they reached the country of the Mandan Ind ans, and encamped at place l6OO miles from the Mouth oi the Missouri, where they remain ed until April During the succeeding summer they explored the Missouri 10 ils head among the Roc ky Mountains. crossed the dividing ridge, and embark | ing upon stream running west, which proved to be principal branch of the Columbia. and which they named the Lewis river soon reached it's confluence with another, which they called the Clarke and on | the 10th November, 1S05 landed at Cape Hancock,

 

 after journey of more than 4000 miles from their place of departure. They passed the winter near that place, and on the 18th of March, 1906, began their return. They rowed up the Columbia l25 miles, continued their journey by land to the Rocky | Mountains, which they crossed in two bodies by parate routes; one division under Lewis, proceeding eastward to the falls of the Missouri; the other un- der Clarke, making southern march 10 the of the Yellow Stone and descending that river the Missouri. They agan met near the junction of those streams, and on the 23d of September, 1906, reach ed St. Louis. This is general outline of the ex- ploration which the Americans claim ownership | of the explored region.

 To this the British Plenipotentaries in 1926, re- ply that, "f not ktors at least in the same aud sub '' sequcnt years, the British North West Trading | .. Company had, by means of their agent Mir. Thomp- 's son, already established their posts among the " Flahead and and Kootanie tribes, in the head ters of the main branch of The Columbia, and "gradually extending them down the principal " stream of that river; thus giving to Great Britain " in this particular, in the discovery of ihe mouth $ of the River, title of parity least if not of pr " ority of discovery, as opposed to the U States "- The controversy resolves itself thus into of dates. and il becomes important to be precise.

 Lewis and Clarke, as already stated, reached the mouth of the Columbia River the 18th of Novem- ber 1905; they arrived in the Manadan Country on the l4lh of May, 1904 MT. D. w. Harmon, who was first clerk and then partner, in tls British Northwest Company. published at Andover, Vt. in 1920 q book, reviewed and quoted in the London Quarterly for Jan. 1922, which will be of service in

 fixing the precise time of the earliest British expora ton. In his journal, under the date of November "A, l9O4 he says thai people have just arrived with letter informing him that "two Captains, Lewis & .sClarke, with I80 soldiers, have arrived at the Man "dan village on the Missouri river IL is said that, Son their arrival they hosted the American flag, and uniformed the natives that their object was not to "trade, but merely to explore the country. and that

 Gas soon as navigation shall open, they design to "tinue their route the Rocky Mountains, and "thence descend to the Pacific Ocean, h conse- quence of this information, he intended to make tour of exploration in the spring of 1895; but he adds in his iournnl 'this journey neDer undertook" In the spring of 1906 Mr. Simeon Frazer, partner in the company, established trading post on Frazer's Lake, in latitude 54. And it not until July 1911, as will be hereafter, that Mir. Thompson's explo ration took place. Thus, it will be seen. the Ameri can was considerably earlier than the earliest British expedition; the former having reached the mouth of the Columbia Nov. 15, 1905, and the latter reaching Frazer's Lake in the spring of 1906.

 Third. The third ground which ih:s territory is claimed by the United States s that the first ports and settlements therein made by Americon citizens = As has been already stated the Northwest Company established trading post on FraEer's Lake in lat- lude GA, in the spring ol lS08 The earliest attempt of the same kind by citizens of the United States WAS made by an association at St. Lotus in 1908, called the Missouri Fur Company. Al its head Spa niard, Manuel Lisa; and several posts were, within two years, established by II on the Upper Missouri, aud one on the head waters of the Lewis River, the Southern branch of the Columbia, beyond the Rocky Mountains. This was the first post formed by white in the country drained by the Columbia; and in consequence of the enmy of the savages 1t was abandoned in 1910.

 In 1870 an association was formed in this city. un- dsr the name of the Pacific Fur Company, for the prosecution of the fur trade the northwestern side of the Continent. It's originator was John Jacob Astor, who owned almost the whole and controlled all it's operations. His plan to establish posts on the Columbia and it's branches, as we'll as on the Missouri and Pacific. which were to be supplied by the Missouri or by principal factory at the mouth of the Columbia Ships were 10 leave New York, leave goods their principal station proceed with furs to Canton and thence bring to New-York, teas, silks and other Chinese productions. For the execution Of persons, mainly Ssotshmep, who had been long the Northwest Company, togsibsv with some Americsn ns and Canadians. The first party lefi New York in Sept I5l0, in the ship TonquH, under Capt Iona- tn,n Tborne; ip January the second Jeff St. Louis, under W P. Hunt of New Jerse, who had been ap- pointed general agent. The ship Enterprise had been sent in 1909 to make preparations and enquiries among the Russian settlements.

 The Tonquin reached the mouth of the Columbia ir March, l6l1 landed her gnods and passengers and proceeded North in search of fIrs. spot was cho- sen on the South bank of the river, eight miles from the ocean, as the site of the principal factory, and named Asiose. h the Summer Of l6ll, bu''dlngs were erected, fields planted, trade with the natives begun and ship built and launched.

 In July, loil,a detachment of persons, who had been sent out by he British Northwest Company. rived at Astoria under Mir. Thompson, who had left i