Nootka Sound crisis

views updated May 11 2018

Nootka Sound crisis, 1790–1. In May 1789 two Spanish warships entered Nootka Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island, pulled down the British flag, seized vessels, and claimed the coast up to Alaska for Spain. The subsequent crisis was not resolved until autumn 1791 and coincided with a British general election. Pitt took over conduct of the negotiations from Leeds, his foreign secretary, mobilized a fleet, and gained redress at the Convention of Madrid. Fox and the opposition routinely denounced the reparations as inadequate.

J. A. Cannon