the
UARTERDECK
Vol.17 No. 4
Summer 1991
A review and newsletter from the Columbia River Maritime Museum at 1792 Marine Drive in Astoria, Oregon
Plate 43, from Vol. IV, Plates, of Cook's Third Voyage, 1784. Engraving by Mazell from a drawing by John Webber.
1976.60.d
The Reasons for the Maritime Fur Trade Precious cargo brought European and American mariners to the shores of the eastern Pacific two hundred years ago. While the ostensible purpose for the British, Spanish, and French naval expeditions sent to explore the unknown reaches of the Northwest Coast was expansion of geographical knowledge, even they in a way were after precious cargo. The mythical Northwest Passage, long associated with the Great River of the West, was in fact the longed-for shortcut to the riches of the Orient. Whoever found and controlled such a passage would be wealthy indeed.
In our continuing examination of the issues connected with the Northwest regional maritime bicentennial, this volume of the Quarterdeck surveys two quite intimately interconnected themes, from which our readers may gain a better understanding of the voyages to the Northwest Coast during the latter part of the 18th century. The first of these, as recounted by maritime historian Hewitt Jackson, graphically demonstrates just how small the vessels of the period were by modern standards. Their slight capacity made it necessary that cargoes carried in them be precious.
Our second theme relates to the underlying reasons for the rapid expansion of American presence in the maritime fur trade. It is common knowledge that what brought Robert Gray to the Northwest Coast was the pursuit of trade rather than a voyage of discovery. But when viewed from the broader context of American history during the period, it becomes compellingly clear why Captain Gray set out halfway around the world to seek the sea otter. Precious cargo was a national priority; and necessity, in this case, became the mother of discovery.