Warre and Vavasour were British officers sent on a secret mission by their Government to "obtain a general knowledge of the capabilities of the Oregon territory in a military point of view, in order that we may be enabled to act immediately and with effect in defense of our rights in that quarter, should those rights be infringed by any hostile aggression or encroachment on the part of the United States.'"
Wilkes, Charles. Report on the Territory of Oregon, 1842. Vol. 12, pages 269-299. Sept. 1911.
During the session of Congress, January, 1843, an effort to have this report made public failed. The reluctance of the administration to make it public was due partly to the earnest plea in it that the line of 54-40 should be maintained, and also on account of the outlined plan of military occupation of the region. It was not until July 15, 1911, that it was finally printed in the Congressional Record.
Young, F. G. [[../../Volume 6/The Higher Significance in the Lewis and Clark Exploration|Higher Significance in the Lewis and Clark Exploration]]. Vol. 6, pages 1-25. March, 1905.
