The Life of George Washington, Vol. 1 (of 5)

th.... Patent to Sir Walter Raleigh.... Voyage of Sir Richard Grenville.... Colonists carried back to England by Drake.... Grenville arrives with other colonists.... They are left on Ro

e proposed colony d

ee of west longitude from Washington. From the mouth of the Sabine to the Rocky mountains, they are separated from Spanish America by a line which pursues an irregular north-western direction to the 42d degree of north latitude, whence it proceeds west, to the Pacific

uisition of almost unexplored territory, has not yet been accurate

ndred and fifty-four thousand four hundred and fifteen persons. The enumerations which have been made under the authority of government, show an augmentation of

military establishment; and the distance of the United States from the great powers of t

, Congress passed an act appropriating one million of dollars annually, to its gradual increase; and authorising the constru

ake into view the extensive sea coast of the United States, the magnificent lakes, or inland seas, which form a considerable part of their northern frontier, the abundance of their materials for ship building, and the genius of their pop

bly more than twenty millions of dollars; and, unless a course of legislation

they have advanced, and are adva

savage coast, to their present state of greatness; while it has just claims to the att

VII. had received communications from Columbus, during the tedious and uncertain negotiations of that great man, at the dilatory court of Ferdinand, which prepared him for the important discoveries afterwards made, and inclined him to countenance the propositions of his own subjects for engaging in similar adventures. Commission of Cabot.On the 5th of March 149

age to

uadron, consisting of one ship furnished by the King, and four barks fitted out by merchants of that city; and, steering almost due west, discovered the islands of Newfoundland and St. Johns, and, soo

tretches from the gulf of Mexico as far north as has yet been explored; and to this voyage, th

a considerable portion of this important territory, has also adva

aking settlemen

s first effort. Cabot, on his return, found that monarch entirely disinclined to the farther prosecution of a sche

of the Spaniards from the Western Ocean. The controversy was decided by the Pope, who, on the 7th of May 1493, of his own "mere liberality and certain knowledge, and the plenitude of apostolic authority," granted to Spain, the countries discovered or to be discovered by

ing the marriage which afterwards took place between his eldest son and Catharine, the daughter of that monarch. Ferdinand was jealous to excess of all his rights; and Henry was not inclined to

by Eli

himself conspicuous by his military services, and by a treatise concerning the north-west passage, in which great ingenuity and learning, are stated by Dr. Robertson, to be mingled with the enthusiasm, the credulity, and sanguine expectation which incite men to new and hazardous undertakings. On this gentleman the adventurers turned their eyes, and he was placed at the head of the enterprise. On the 11th of June 1578, he obtained letters patent from the Queen, vesting in him the powers that were required; on receiving which, he, with the associate

himself perished; having done nothing farther in the execution of his patent,

entures in which his half brother, Sir Humphry Gilbert, had wasted his fortune, and was not deterred by their failure, or by the diffic