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guaranteed to Great Britain, how could access be obtained to those possessions north of 49°?

7. When the Treaty was signed in June, 1846, and previous to that date, which channel was known and used by vessels amongst the islands forming the Archipelagos between Vancouver's Island and the continent, to get access to our dominions north of 49°?

8. Forward proofs and affidavits, legally attested, by captains of vessels and others who made use of the channel then known, and their reasons for making use of it.

9. Previous to the signing of the treaty in 1846, and also at that time, how many channels were known to be navigable amongst the islands forming the Archipelago between Vancouver Island and the continent of America?

I, Roderick Finlayson, of Victoria, Vancouver Island, in the Province of British Columbia, Dominion of Canada, Chief Factor in the Hudson's Bay Company, do solemnly and sincerely declare as follows:

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*I have been on the Northwest Pacific coast since A. D. 1840, and during all that time have been in the Hudson's Bay Company's employ. I have been a Chief Factor since 1859, and a Lloyd's Agent since 1856, and from A. D. 1844 to 1847 I was the Chief Agent of the Hudson's Bay Company at Victoria.

Referring to the interrogatories relative to the northwest water-boundary question hereunto annexed, marked F, shown to me at the time of making this declaration, in answer to the first interrogatory I declare, as aforesaid:

1. That about A. D. 1845 and 1846, the Hudson's Bay Company had a settlement at Langley, on the Fraser River, and the said settlement existed since 1827 or 1828.

2. In answer to the second interrogatory, I declare, as aforesaid, that up to A. D. 1845 and 1846, Hudson's Bay Company's ships, bound from Honolulu, in the Sandwich Islands, from Fort Vancouver, on the Columbia River, and San Francisco and Sitka, to Langley, passed through Fuca's Straits and Rosario Straits; also vessels trading between Fort Nisqually and Langley used to pass through Rosario Strait.

3. In answer to the third interrogatory, I declare, as aforesaid, to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief, Langley, on the Fraser River, was settled about the year 1827 or 1828.

4. In answer to the fourth interrogatory, I declare, as aforesaid, that about the time of the negotiation of the Treaty of June, 1846, the common opinion as to the object of Great Britain in insisting on the fortyninth parallel being deflected in a southerly direction, and through the Straits of Fuca to the Pacific, instead of cutting through Vancouver Island, was that it was to secure access to her possessions to the northward of the forty-ninth parallel through the Straits of Fuca.

5. In answer to the fifth interrogatory, I declare, as aforesaid, that Great Britain then held British Columbia up to parallel of north latitude 54° 40′, and Vancouver Island.

6. In answer to the sixth interrogatory, I declare, as aforesaid, that if the free navigation of the straits and adjacent channel was not guaranteed by Great Britain, access could only be secured and obtained to those possessions by ships going to the westward of Vancouver Island; and as regards those possessions on the coast of British Columbia, between the fifty-first and forty-ninth parallel, access would have to be sought through a strait which is intricate and difficult of navigation by reason of the strength of the tides.

7 and 8. In answer to the seventh and eighth questions, I declare, as

aforesaid, that when the Treaty was signed in June, 1846, and previous to that date, the channel which was known and used by vessels among the islands forming the Archipelago between Vancouver Island and the continent, to get access to the dominions of Great Britain north of the forty-ninth parallel, was the Strait of Rosario, and that channel only; and it was the only surveyed channel.

9. In answer to the ninth interrogatory, I declare, as aforesaid, that previous to the signing of the Treaty in 1846, and also at that time, the only channel known to be navigable among the islands forming the Archipelago between Vancouver Island and the continent was the Strait of Rosario.

And I further declare, as aforesaid, that in A. D. 1840, I went from the Hudson's Bay Company's Station at Nisqually, Puget Sound, in the steamer Beaver, to Sitka, through Rosario Strait and Johnson Strait; and, in A. D. 1843, I returned from Sitka and other stations through Johnson Strait and Rosario Strait to Vancouver Island in the Beaver.

Previous to A. D. 1846, Rosario Strait was the channel for vessels coming to Victoria from Fraser River and the Northwest Pacific coast, or going from Victoria thereto.

And I, Roderick Finlayson, above named, solemnly declare that I make the above statements conscientiously, believing the same to be true, and by virtue of the provisions of an act made and passed in the sixth year of the reign of His Majesty King William IV, intituled "An act to repeal an act of the present session of Parliament, intituled 'An act for the more effectual abolition of oaths and affirmations taken and made in various departments of the state, and to substitute declarations in lieu thereof, and for the more entire suppression of voluntary and extra-judicial oaths and affidavits, and to make other provisions for the abolition of unnecessary oaths.""

RODK. FINLAYSON.

Declared at Victoria, in the Province of British Columbia, Dominion of Canada, this 30th day of September, 1871.

Before me:

ROBT. E. JACKSON,
Notary Public.

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*No. VI.

ATTESTED COPY OF THE LOG OF HER MAJESTY'S STEAMSHIP CORMORANT, IN THE MONTHS OF SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, 1846. Nineteenth day of September, 1846.-At

Fisgard Harbor.

Initials of the officer of the watch.

Hours.

123

Knots.

Tenths.

Fifth day of October, 1846.-From Sangster's Harbor to Birch Bay.

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9

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Weather.

Deviation of standard compass.

Barometer.

Thermometer.

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b. c.

P. M.

E. S. E

3 b. c.

Proceeding eastward, towards Point Roberts and Birch Bay.

East.

8

At anchor in Birch Bay.

S. E.

9

10

11)

South

1

2

C.

E.

Lat. obs. 49° 8' N.

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Tons.

Curt.

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0.45.-Entered discolored water off Fraser's River.
4.-Point Roberts, N. N. W. 3 m. 3.30.-Eased,
stopped, came to with B. B. in Birch Bay in 7
fathoms., and veered to 32 fathoms. Banked up
fires. Point Roberts, S. 83° W. Called the north
point of bay, bearing N. 47° W., Point Lacy af
ter the third lieutenant; south point of bay, a
white bluff S. 41° E., Point Nutt after the sur-
geon of the ship.

Midnight.-Fires banked under after boilers.

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A. M.

4.30.-Drew the fires forward.

4.45.-Steam up. 4.50.-Weighed and proceeded
out to the southward working expansively, cut-
ting off at 15 of stroke.

7.25.-Passed eastward of Quinlan's Rocks, named
after the second lieutenant of this ship. 7.45.-
Off the north end of Cyprus Island, called the
new point, Scarborough Bluff, after the master
of the Cadboro.

8.-Saddle Island 5 E. 8.20.-Passed the S. W.
point of Cyprus Island; called it Finlaison Point,
after the officer in charge of Fort Victoria. 9.-
Exercised at general quarters. 10.-Loosed sails
to dry.

Noon.-Point Gonzalo, N. 390 W. Clover Point,
N. 89° W.

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The within copy of the log-book of Her Majesty's ship Cormorant, for the days above specified, has been examined and compared with the original in this Department. ADMIRALTY, SOMERSET HOUSE, November 16, 1871.

A. SCOTT.

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