Produced by Charles Aldarondo, Charles Franks, Arno Peters and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. This file was produced from images generously made available by the Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions. OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE EXPLORATION OF THE QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF BRITISH COLUMBIA BY NEWTON H CHITTENDEN _Hon. Wm. Smithe, Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works, of the Province of British Columbia: Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith my report of the exploration of the Queen Charlotte Islands, made under your direction, for the Government of British Columbia. Very Respectfully, Your Obedient Servant, Newton H. Chittenden. Victoria, B.C., Nov., 1884._ Geographical Position and Extent. The Queen Charlotte Islands, the extreme north-western lands of British Columbia, lie in the Pacific Ocean, between fifty-one and fifty-five degrees of north latitude. They comprise over 150 islands, and islets, their length being 156 miles, and greatest width fifty-two miles. Provost, Moresby Graham and North Islands, extending north-westerly in the order mentioned, twelve, seventy-two, sixty-seven and five miles respectively, constitute over eighty per cent, of their entire area. Dixon Entrance on the north, with an average width of thirty-three miles, separates Graham Island from the Prince of Wales group of Alaska. Queen Charlotte Sound, from thirty to eighty miles in width, lies between them and the mainland of the Province. The nearest land is Stephen's Island, thirty-five miles east of Rose Spit Point, the extreme north-eastern part of Graham Island, and also of the whole group. Cape St. James, their most southern point, is one hundred and fifty miles northwest of Cape Scott, the northernmost land of Vancouver Island. * * * * * Discovery and Exploration, The Queen Charlotte Islands were first discovered by Juan Perez, a Spanish navigator, on the 18th of July, 1774, and named by him, Cabo De St. Margarita, and their highest mountains, Sierra de San Cristoval.