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132 LESTER BURRELL SHIPPEE of longitude west from Washington, and by water distant, how far we know not, but at least 10,000 miles. The Terri- tory, however, belongs to the United States, and we under- stand that our Eastern brethren resort there for timber which they transport to the Southern Provinces of America, where that article is scarce. It will soon become necessary, if it be not now, to establish a port there; and it may be well to an- ticipate those who may else undertake to establish one for us, seeing their attention is already turned in that direction." Toward the end of the same year the Intelligencer stated that the debate on Floyd's bill had been, if not convincing as to the measure, at least interesting and instructive upon some points "in their bearing upon the future policy of this coun- try, but which are yet seldom discussed." 3 ? One anxious in- quirer demonstrated that his curiosity had been aroused when he had inserted in the public press a query as to whether the government possessed "any tolerably authentic or credible topo- graphical description" of the country. The diverse accounts given by Congressmen evidently kd him to think that no one had any too much information on the point. Another inter- ested follower of Congressional discussions advocated making the region about the mouth of the Columbia a penal colony. 38 Fugitive news items mostly dealing with some recently-re- turned' fur traders' expedition appear from time to time in the public prints and show that certain editors at least were of the opinion that some of their readers might like to scan a paragraph about the Oregon country. 3 * In 1822 the North American Review contained an article giving a picture of the trade of the Northwest Coast and showing that at the same time some fourteen vessels under American registry were en- gaged in trafficking with the natives of the mainland as well as with those of the Sandwich Islands. It is not improbable that the view of Hesikiak Niles, written 37 IQ Dec., 1822. The Intelligencer noted in reference to the 1825-25 bill merely that it had passed the House and had been tabled by the Senate. 38 N. Y. Gazette, quoted by Nat. Intelligencer, 30 Mar., 1822. 39 Niles gathered many of them for his Register, while the Rchmcnd Enquirer, and the Washington and New York papers did the same.