SESSIONAL PAPER No. 18 Colony as cash, and in October the Agents drew Bills of Exchange on the Company for the amount of receipts brought into their Office which were ever held in more esteem than those drawn on the Royal Treasury. The provinces of New York and Philadelphia now share with Canada a great part of the Fur Trade formerly in the hands of the French, but that proportion of it, which the Quebec government enjoy'd must remain here unalterably. The foregoing is an attempt to sketch the trade of Canada, while subject to French Government, but under the full enjoyment of His Majesty's mild and gentle administration, its commerce must flourish to a far greater extent. 1st A Most immense and extensive Cod Fishery can be established in the River and Gulph of St Laurence, and may in time prove an inexhaustible source of wealth and power to Great Britain; Settlements may be formed in the neighbourhood of the best fishing places to which the industrious and intelligent in that branch may be invited and encouraged to repair; a rich tract of country on the South side of the Gulph will in consequence be settled and improved, a Port or Ports established and furnished with every material requisite to repair Ships, that have suffer'd by stress of weather or the difficulties attending navigation in such narrow seas, a point much wanted which will lessen the risks, and considerably increase the profits of the Commerce of this Colony. It is further to be observed that the Fish caught upon these coasts and in the bays, far exceed the bank Cod and fetch an advanced price in foreign markets; The fishermen being on the spot will commence fishing the very instant the season permits and will continue to the very last of it whereby at least two Months will be gained to the trade, which are just now a heavy expence to it, without producing the least profit to it. 2d Next to the Cod in importance is the Whale fishery which can be carried on to the greatest advantage in the River St Laurence with less risk and expence than in any other seas, where the animals resort; Under this head may be placed the seal and sea-Cow fisheries of which there is a prodigious abundance, and an immense (sic) of oil and Whale-bone may be annually exported to Great Britain. 3d..There are several small rivers on the Coast of Labrador abounding with vast quantities of salmon; this if followed with spirit and industry, might very soon become a considerable object to the British Trader. 4th..His Majesty's Yards may by the best accounts be supplied with masts from Chamblie, at a much cheaper and easier rate than from New England. By the latter a tedious Land carriage of several miles and the immense falls of a most rapid river over which they must be rafted and where many are lost must greatly enhance the value of this useful and necessary branch of Naval Stores; whereas by the former with little or no risk at a proper season there is an easy water carriage for them all the way to Quebec, the port for shipping them to Europe. 6-7 EDWARD VII., A. 1907 5th..Tho' as has been before observed, this province must now share the Fur Trade, which she formerly possessed under the French Government, with the neighbouring Colonies, Yet that which was carried on with the different nations inhabiting the northern Coast of Canada, must still remain with her; she may likewise hereafter regain a great part of that with the upper Country, on account of the more easy conveyance. It is likewise probable that this very branch may be much farther extended, than ever it was under the French, by reason of the superior diligence and application of the British Traders. It must be allowed the French were laudable in restraining the vent of Spiritous Liquors to the Savages beyond a certain quantity: by this means many broils were avoided, for they are fond to excess of everything strong and are all mad in their intoxication. 6th... Raising hemp and flax for which the lands are in many places extremely proper must be an object of the most serious consideration, And I must repeat here, how useful this must prove to the end of promoting agriculture, of employing the Women and Children during the tedious winter months, and of procuring in a short time a vast exportation of that useful commodity for which the returns will be made in British Manufactures. 7th...As the Country abounds every where with oak, Ash, Hickory, Walnut, Birch, Beech, Maple and other hard woods, which by experience are known to Yield the most Salts, the article of Pot-ash so much demanded in our Manufactures, may be easily produced and soon become an object of consequence; The essais for this purpose which have been made in our other Colonies and have miscarried, ought not to discourage an attempt in this. The high price of Labor; the Woods being in many parts remote from Water carriage, and the greater encouragement for growing and exporting provisions to the West Indies, have been so many obstacles to the making of Pot-ash in our Colonies, whereas provisions here must be very cheap in a few Years, for the navigation being closed six months out of the twelve this Country can never vie with our Southern Provinces in the West India trade; besides the country being settled close to the River side, the conveyance of the Commodity to the Port where it is to be shipped, will be both cheap and easy it will likewise be a means to employ the men all Winter in the business of Felling and drawing of Wood which time they chiefly dedicate to idleness and smoking. 10th CHARACTER OF THE PEOPLE The Canadians may be ranked under four different classes 2d The Clergy 3d The Merchants or trading part SESSIONAL PAPER No. 18 4th The Peasantry or what is here stilled, Habitant. 1st The Gentry. These are descended from the Military and Civil officers, who have settled in the Country at different times and were usually provided for in the Colony Troops; These consisted formerly of 28 afterwards 30 and had been lately augmented to 40 Companys. They are in general poor except such as have had commands in distant posts where they usually made a fortune in three or four Years. The Croix de St Louis quite completed their happiness. They are extremely vain and have an utter contempt for the trading part of the Colony, tho' they made no scruple to engage in it, pretty deeply too, whenever a convenient opportunity served; They were great Tyrants to their Vassals who seldom met with redress, let their grievances be ever so just. This class will not relish the British Government from which they can neither expect the same employments or the same douceurs, they enjoyed under the French. 24 The Clergy. Most of the dignified among them are French, the rest Canadians, and are in general of the lower class of People, the former no doubt will have great difficulty to reconcile themselves to us, but must drop off by degrees. Few of the latter are very clever, however the Ecclesiastical state was once composed entirely of natives, they would soon become easy and satisfied, their influence over the people was and is still very great, but tho' we have been so short a time in the Country, a difference is to be perceived, they do not submit so tamely to the Yoke, and under sanction of the capitulation they every day take an opportunity to dispute the tythes with their Curés. These were moved from their respective parishes at the Bishops pleasure, who thereby always kept them in awe, it may not be perhaps improper to adopt the same Method, in case His Majesty should think right, for the sake of keeping them in proper subjection, to nominate them himself or by those who act under his authority. It is not improbable that the Jesuites warned by their late disgraces in the dominions of these Potentates who seemed to favor them the most, and apprehending the like or worse treatment from those they stiled Heretics will chuse to dispose of their Estates and retire, as they may possibly find some difficulties to get purchasers the Government might buy their Lands at an easy rate and dispose of the same to many good purposes. 3d The Traders of this Colony under the French were either dealers in gross or retailers, the former were mostly French and the latter in general natives of this Country all of whom are deeply concerned in the letters of Exchange many are already gone to solicit payment and few of those who have any fund of any consequence in France will remain here. 4th....The 4th Order is that of the Peasantry, these are a strong healthy race, plain in their dress, virtuous in their morals and temperate in their living: They are in general extremely ignorant, for the former government would never suffer a printing press in the Country, few can read or write, 6-7 EDWARD VII., A. 1907 and all receive implicitly for truth the many arrant falsehoods and atrocious lies, industriously handed among them by those who were in power. They took particular pains to persuade them, the English were worse than brutes, and that if they prevailed, the Canadians would be ruled with a rod of Iron, and be exposed to every outrage, this most certainly did not a little contribute, to make them so obstinate in their defence, However ever since the Conquest, I can with the greatest truth assert, that the Troops have lived with the Inhabitants in a harmony unexampled even at home, I must here, in justice to those under my command in this Government, observe to Your Lordship, that in the Winter which immediately followed the reduction of this Province, when from the Calamities of War, and a bad harvest, the inhabitants of these lower parts were exposed to all the horrors of a famine, the Officers of every rank, even in the lowest generously contributed towards alleviating the distresses of the unfortunate Canadians by a large subscription, the British Merchants and Traders readily and cheerfully assisted in this good work, even the poor Soldiers threw in their mite, and gave a days provisions, or a days pay in the month, towards the fund, by this means a quantity of provisions was purchased and distributed with great care and assiduity to numbers of poor Families, who, without this charitable support, must have inevitably perished; such an instance of uncommon generosity towards the conquered did the highest honor to their conquerors and convinced these poor deluded people, how grosly they had been imposed upon; the daily instances of lenity, the impartial justice which has been administer'd, so far beyond what they had formerly experienced, have so alter'd their opinion with regard to us, I may safely venture to affirm for this most useful Order of the state, that far from having the least design to emigrate from their present habitations into any other of the French Colonies, their greatest dread is lest they should meet with the fate of the Accadians and be torn from their native Country. Convinced that this is not to be their case and that the free exercise of their religion will be continued to them once Canada is irrecoverably ceded by a Peace the people will soon become faithful and good subjects to His Majesty, and the Country they inhabit within a short time prove a rich and most useful Colony to Great Britain. Before this report is closed it will not be improper to observe to Your Lordship how impossible it is to ascertain exactly what part of North America, the French stiled Canada, no Chart or Map whatever having fallen into our hands or public record of any kind to shew what they understood by it. However it is to be hoped, the limits on this side at least will need not canvassing nor admit of any dispute Should I be able to procure farther lights relative either to those limits or the several other matters contained in this Report worthy of notice, You may be assured they shall be forthwith transmitted to Your Lordships, SESSIONAL PAPER No. 18 happy if my labors can any way conduce to His Majesty's Service, or the good of my Country. I have the Honor to be with great truth and regard and most faithful humble Servant Quebec 6th June 1762. JA: MURRAY Papers refer'd to in this Report1 No 1 Kings Arret of the 15th March 1732 directing the letting of the Lands granted already within a certain time limitted. on pain of forfeiture. 2 Tariff of Duties on Imports and Exports 3 List of Revenue Officers in Canada the Year 1758 with their Salaries. 4 Ordonnance current for 1b 10 or about 7 Sterling. 5 Extract of a Letter to Governor Murray giving some account 6 Number of souls in the Government of Quebec 1761. 8 Imports and Exports in 1754 Seven Plans Project for Building a Citadel. COL. BURTON'S REPORT OF THE STATE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THREE RIVERS.2 The Government of Trois Rivieres lyes upon the River St Lawrence, between the two Governments of Quebec, and Montreal. LENGTH It Extends about Eighty Miles along the Shore of the River, which in its Course Divides it into two Departments, the North beginning a little above a place Called Les Grondines, which Divides it from the Government of Quebec, & goes up as far as the River Chicot, where it Ends; and the South Department beginning between St Jean, & St Pierre les Bequets, Ending with the upper part of Yamasca Bay. It Runs to the Southward as far as Nova Scotia, Newhampshire, & the Massachusetts, to which Countries Several Rivers of this Government The papers here mentioned do not accompany the Report as preserved in the Public Record Office. See note p. 47. |