Читать книгу Documents Relating to the Constitutional History of Canada 1759-1791, Part I - Adam Shortt - Страница 151

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To all Appearances the French Derived no advantages from this Government, and utterly neglected, or abused such as they might have Improved, or profited by.

The most Material which they Abused was that which might arise from the Iron mines & Forges settled about seven Miles behind the Town of Trois Rivieres, up the River S^t Maurice.

This Establishment Consists of one Furnace and two Forges built upon a little Rivulet, whose water never freeses; it Discharges itself into the River S^t Maurice, from whence the Iron may be easily Conveyed to any Magazine at Trois Rivieres in Batteaux, and from thence in Vessells to Montreal or Quebec. There are besides a large Stone House for the Managers & other wood Buildings for the People Employed at the Works.

The Mine that has hitherto supplied the forges lays very near the surface of the Earth, in a low marshy Ground seven or Eight miles from them, There has hitherto been no Road made to it, as they used to fetch the Ore in Sledges during the Winter Season; but a good One may be easily made.

The Iron made from this Ore, is so Excellent in its Quality, that in a late tryal made by order of His Excellency General Amherst, it was found greatly superior to any made in America, and even Exceeds that Imported from Sweden.

This Mine was opened in the Year 1732, and Granted in 1736 to a Company, whom the King Assisted with a Loan of about 3000 pounds sterling. They obliged themselves to Afford what Iron the King might have occasion for, at two Dollars and a half the hundred weight; Whereas this Iron in Barrs never sold for less than five or Six Dollars in this Colony. Their own Extravagance; and the low price of Iron Stipulated for between them and the King, was the reason some Years after of their giving up the Grant, and Declaring themselves unable to Repay the Loan they had borrowed from His Majesty.

In 1742 the King took back the Grant, and kept the Forges in his own hands, which from that time were put entirely under the Direction of the Intendant.

The Works were then Carried on in a Larger scale, the mine produced ore in great plenty; and in the Year 1746 the single Furnace built there returned one Million Eleven Hundred Thousands five Hundred & Twenty three pounds weight of Cast Iron which produced Five Hundred Thousand Weight of pure Iron, besides a large Quantity of Stoves & Pots, Notwithstanding All This, the great number of useless People employed there, such as a Director, a Comptroller, a Contractor for Provisions & forage, Several Overseers in Chief, a Chaplain &ca, at large sallaries; the little attention paid to the Improvement of the Lands to procure Oats & Hay. Which was always bought at a great Distance, and at a Considerable expence, & besides the Fraud of the Intendants, by whom all the acco^ts of that Branch were settled; rendered that Establishment rather burthensome than profitable to the Crown. All the Buildings, Machinary, & Tools are now in a most Ruinous Condition, and require a thorough Repair. But the natural Advantages still Remain, viz^t the mine itself, to which may be added another yet untouched, laying about three miles from the Forges, on the other side of the River S^t Maurice, the Woods about that Establishment, a Quarry of Limestone, absolutely necessary for the Melting of the Ore, Eight miles up the River S^t Maurice; and lastly the Rivulet upon which two more Forges & a Furnace may be easily built without any Incumbrance to Each other; All which Advantages may certainly be greatly Improved to the Advantage of the Crown, by Supplying His Majesty's Navy with proper Iron for Ship Building.

Tho' this Government is Extremely well timbered, with proper Wood for building of Ships, & for Masts, yet the greater Facility of supplying the Navy with those Materials from Lake Champlain makes that Article less valuable. The Lands have been tryed & found Equal to produce plentifull Crops of Hemp & Flax — Rope walks might be Established, in many Parishes of this Government, and an office at Trois Rivieres for buying of Hemp or Ropes.

The Woods Abound with Pine Trees that would Afford great Plenty of Pitch, and all sorts of Gums; as also with Maple & Plane Trees, from which the Inhabitants, at the breaking up of the Frost, draw a great quantity of Syrup, and by boiling make a Coarse kind of Sugar for their own Use. Much more of this kind of Sugar might be made, should it be thought proper to Encourage it.