Nootka Sound Controversy

NOOTKA SOUND CONTROVERSY, 1789–94, was a diplomatic squabble between Spain and Britain for control of the Northwest Coast. During the 1770s Spain actively asserted its claim to the entire west coast of N America by sending expeditions as far north as Alaska from San Blas in Mexico. One of these anchored off NOOTKA SOUND in 1774 (see SPANISH EXPLORATION). Britain's counterclaim was based on James COOK's 1778 visit to the BC coast that included a stopover at Nootka. In May 1789 a Spanish...

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