American sea captain
Robert Gray claims the Columbia for the United States, but
Vancouver also 'discovers' the river at about the same time
and claims it for England. Gray's chart show that he had gone
thirty-six miles upstream, while Vancouver did not sail past the
mouth. Nevertheless, the British held to their claim until
'the Oregon question' was settled during the Polk administration,
in 1848.
(click here for more on the Columbia River)