Papers relating to the Nootka Crisis, circa 1794.

2 items (in 1 box)

Spanish

Purchased from the William Reese Co. on the Frederick W. and Carrie S. Beinecke Fund for Western Americana, 2005.

This material is open for research.

The Nootka Crisis was a dispute between Spain and Great Britain over claims regarding sovereignty, trade and navigation rights in the Pacific Northwest, particularly Nootka Sound on Vancouver Island, arising from the seizure of British ships in Nootka Sound by Spanish naval officer Esteban José Martínez in the summer of 1789. War was avoided through negotiations carried out by Juan de la Bodega y Cuadra, appointed by Viceroy Revillagigedo to represent Spain, and George Vancouver, representing Great Britain, and the signing of the three Nootka Conventions of 28 October 1790, 12 February 1793, and 11 January 1794.

Two manuscript documents in unidentified hands. "Las desavenencias ocurridas entre las dos cortes de España y Londres sobre los establecimientos de las costas septentrionales de nuestra California," circa 1794, addressed to Charles IV, King of Spain, summarizing the Nootka Crisis and its resolution, with copies of supporting letters and other documents. Contents include: a summary of the exploration of the Pacific coast by Spanish and British expeditions; discussion of relations with the Nootka Indians; an account of the events at Nootka Sound in summer 1789; copies of correspondence by and between Viceroy Revillagigedo of Mexico and the Spanish statesmen the Conde de Floridablanca and the Conde de Aranda; copies and summaries of royal orders relating to Spanish expeditions and the Nootka negotiations; discussion of the Nootka negotiations; copies of and commentary upon the three Nootka Conventions (including reference to the so-called 'secret' article); and an account of subsequent events through June 1794; inserted are quarto-folded leaves with 5 pages of text concerning the articles of the first Nootka Convention. "Contiene los quadernillos del compendio de todas las r[oyal]es or[de]n[e]s, contestaciones a ellas, y ocurrencias con los Ingleses s[ob]re el Puerto de Nootka, y corregidos," circa 1794, contains copies of supporting documents originally dated through 30 November 1792, along with rough drafts of various sections for "Las desavenencias."

April 23, 2013

Papers Relating to the Nootka Crisis. Yale Collection of Western Americana, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.

Papers Relating to the Nootka Crisis. Yale Collection of Western Americana, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.