204 LESTER BURRELL SHIPPEE its Course to where it empties itself into the Pacifick Ocean. By adopting this Boundary His Majesty's Gov- ernment will renounce all Claim to any Territory Posses- sion or Right of Settlement, on the Coast between the Middle of the Entrance of the Columbia, and the Spanish Territory to the South. They will also give up to the United States a portion of the Interior Territory already occupied by British Traders. But I conceive that we shall obtain a satisfactory Return for the Concessions, by se- curing the only Points of substantial Interest to us. ... "Proposals so reasonable in themselves, though greatly differing from those presented by the United States, ought not to be lightly rejected; but if, nevertheless, they should be declined by the American Plenipotentiary, His Majesty's Government will be content to observe the Stipulations of the Third Article of the Convention, con- cluded in 1818, during the Remainder of the Term for which they are valid, rather than surrender, for no ade- quate reason, the just Claims and fair interests of the Country." These instructions are gone into at length at this point be- cause they afford the key to the British side of the diplomatic interchanges on the Oregon Territory down to the very eve of the settlement of the question. Not only are there stated the limits to which Great Britain tenaciously clung during the whole period, but there is also in outline her policy of action during the time. So long as the United States was unwilling to grant that the Columbia, from the point where it was in- tersected by the 49th parallel, should be the boundary, just so long was the British government willing to allow the prin- ciple of joint occupancy to continue and let the respective titles be strengthened by the lapse of time aided by the activities of private adventurers. Again there is a hint of the important part played by the chartered company ; the North- West Com- pany, starting as it did a rival of the Hudson's Bay Company, was merged with the latter in 1824, and from that time the voice of the directors of the Company were potent in the councils of the Empire whenever it was a question of the Northwest Coast of America. On the other hand the directors of the Company were informed at this time that the govern-
