Year
1791
Description
On 29 September, Commander George Vancouver, RN, captaining the H.M.S. 'Discovery', comes across a 'spacious sound' (King George Sound) and safe-haven harbours ('Princess Royal Harbour' - to mark the birthday of Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte Augusta Matilda, and 'Oyster Harbour' - for the plentiful oysters found there), claiming "possession of the country" for England.
An unnamed American whaler was claimed in 1789 to have made a "way station" of King George Sound before Vancouver.
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