Henry R. Wagner’s "Spanish Voyages to the Northwest Coast of America in the Sixteenth Century" (1929)
and "Cartography of the Northwest Coast of America to the Year 1800", 2 Vol.
(1937) is considered the true magnum opus which tackles the period. Wagner’s December 1932 California Historical Quarterly "George Davidson, Geographer of the Northwest Coast of America" said that in 1858 Davidson shared the popular idea that Drake had been in San Francisco Bay but: “As he gradually obtained better information began to modify his views and by 1886 he had centered his whole scheme of identification at Drake’s Bay. In reality there is just as much evidence to support his view [of either bay]; that is to say, there is none at all”
Wagner said: “With his [Davidson] vast accurate information regarding the sailing conditions in the North Pacific [as the Pacific Assistant U.S Geodesic Surveyor 1850-1893] he had little difficulty in demolishing in this many points advanced by others who were totally ignorant of the realities of the case. They mostly argued from documents and maps, all of which, especially the maps, were extremely inaccurate, and consequently Davidson had a great advantage over them. His conclusion was finally generally accepted, although, as I have said before, there is no solid basis for it.”
Davidson’s views on the subject of Drake’s Bay first appeared in full in his "Identification of Sir Francis Drake’s Anchorage on the Coast of California in the year 1579."
“This is a fine case of special pleading and was accompanied by partial reproductions
of some early charts which he thought ware factors in the case but which I
[Wagner] have since shown have nothing whatever to do with it. Personally, I [Wagner] believe that his opinion was formed by seeing the name of Sir Francis Drake applied to a port in about the latitude of Drake’s Bay on the eighteenth century maps.” Wagner’s "Some Imaginary California Geography", (Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society, April
1926) having traced the origin of Davidson’s error says the bay had been named “San Francisco” in honor of Cermeno’s 1595 chronologer which was changed by later cartographers to Sir Francisco Draco in honor of Francis Drake.
Nevertheless Wagner gives Davidson high credit with: “The mere fact that he [Davidson] may have been mistaken in some of his historical deductions drawn from inconclusive sources can in no wise detract from the practical results which he achieved in the interests of science and to the benefit of his adopted state [California]. In many respects he was the most
remarkable man that has ever lived in California, and all who live in California
and enjoy the fruits of his labor should honor his memory.”
However; “All the collateral evidence that Dr. Davidson was able to gather to support his
position furnishes just as valid, and in some cases more convincing, arguments in favor of some other bay.”
What Wagner said then holds true today. My writings have shown Nehalem Bay is that “some other bay” where Francis Drake landed in the summer of 1579 for 5 weeks to repair the Golden
Hinde.
and "Cartography of the Northwest Coast of America to the Year 1800", 2 Vol.
(1937) is considered the true magnum opus which tackles the period. Wagner’s December 1932 California Historical Quarterly "George Davidson, Geographer of the Northwest Coast of America" said that in 1858 Davidson shared the popular idea that Drake had been in San Francisco Bay but: “As he gradually obtained better information began to modify his views and by 1886 he had centered his whole scheme of identification at Drake’s Bay. In reality there is just as much evidence to support his view [of either bay]; that is to say, there is none at all”
Wagner said: “With his [Davidson] vast accurate information regarding the sailing conditions in the North Pacific [as the Pacific Assistant U.S Geodesic Surveyor 1850-1893] he had little difficulty in demolishing in this many points advanced by others who were totally ignorant of the realities of the case. They mostly argued from documents and maps, all of which, especially the maps, were extremely inaccurate, and consequently Davidson had a great advantage over them. His conclusion was finally generally accepted, although, as I have said before, there is no solid basis for it.”
Davidson’s views on the subject of Drake’s Bay first appeared in full in his "Identification of Sir Francis Drake’s Anchorage on the Coast of California in the year 1579."
“This is a fine case of special pleading and was accompanied by partial reproductions
of some early charts which he thought ware factors in the case but which I
[Wagner] have since shown have nothing whatever to do with it. Personally, I [Wagner] believe that his opinion was formed by seeing the name of Sir Francis Drake applied to a port in about the latitude of Drake’s Bay on the eighteenth century maps.” Wagner’s "Some Imaginary California Geography", (Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society, April
1926) having traced the origin of Davidson’s error says the bay had been named “San Francisco” in honor of Cermeno’s 1595 chronologer which was changed by later cartographers to Sir Francisco Draco in honor of Francis Drake.
Nevertheless Wagner gives Davidson high credit with: “The mere fact that he [Davidson] may have been mistaken in some of his historical deductions drawn from inconclusive sources can in no wise detract from the practical results which he achieved in the interests of science and to the benefit of his adopted state [California]. In many respects he was the most
remarkable man that has ever lived in California, and all who live in California
and enjoy the fruits of his labor should honor his memory.”
However; “All the collateral evidence that Dr. Davidson was able to gather to support his
position furnishes just as valid, and in some cases more convincing, arguments in favor of some other bay.”
What Wagner said then holds true today. My writings have shown Nehalem Bay is that “some other bay” where Francis Drake landed in the summer of 1579 for 5 weeks to repair the Golden
Hinde.
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