CONTENTS—The first Vessel—The French—La Salle—The Griffon—Vessels in
1770—During the Rebellion—Building at Carleton Island—Captain
Andrews—The Ontario—Col. Burton—Loss of the Ontario—The Sheehans—
Hills—Givins’—Murney’s Point—Schooner ‘Speedy’—Mohawk—Mississauga—
Duke of Kent—Capt. Bouchette—Paxton—McKenzie—Richardson—Earle
Steele—Fortiche—The Governor Simcoe—Sloop ‘Elizabeth’—First vessel
built at York—Collins’ Report upon Navigating the Lakes—Navy in
Upper Canada, 1795—Rochfoucault—Capt. Bouchette—Officers’ Pay—
York, the centre of the Naval Force—Gun Boats—The Loss of the
“Speedy”—Reckoner—Dr. Strachan—Solicitor-Gen. Gray—Canada took the
lead in building Vessels—First Canadian Merchant Vessel—The York—A
Schooner on runners around the Falls—Sending Coals to Newcastle—
Upon Bay Quinté—The Outskirts of Civilization—“The Prince Edward”
built of Red Cedar—in 1812—Schooner “Mary Ann”—1817—Capt.
Matthews.
THE FIRST SAILING VESSELS.
The first vessels, with sails, which navigated the waters of the lakes,
were built by the French, to pursue their discoveries, and to carry on
the fur trade. The first sailing vessel launched upon the Lakes, was
built by LaSalle. He, with Father Hennepin and Chevalier de Tonti, set
sail from Cataraqui, on the 18th November, 1678, for the mouth of the
Niagara river, having on board his bark goods, and material for building
a brigantine on Lake Erie. During the winter the vessel was commenced,
six miles above the Falls, and was launched by the middle of summer,
amid great display and ceremony. The vessel was named “Griffon,”
according to Garneau; but Father Hennepin says “Cataraqui.” “She was a
kind of brigantine, not unlike a Dutch galliot, with a broad elevated
bow and stern, very flat in the bottom; she looked much larger than she
really was. She was of sixty tons burden. With the aid of tow-lines and
sails the Niagara river was, with difficulty, ascended; and on the 7th
August, 1679, the first vessel that ever sat upon the lakes, entered
Lake Erie.” The end of this vessel was a sad one. (See Introduction).
We are indebted to the _Detroit Tribune_ for the following interesting
statements:
“In 1766 four vessels plied upon Lake Erie. These were the “Gladwin,”
“Lady Charlotte,” “Victory,” and “Boston.”
“The two latter laid up in the fall near Navy Island, above Niagara
Falls, and one of them was burned accidentally, November 30, of the same
year. A vessel called the “Brunswick,” owned and commanded by Captain
Alexander Grant, made her appearance on the lakes during the year 1767,
and was lost some time during the season following. Captain Grant was
the Commodore of the lakes for two or three years. In 1769 Sterling and
Porteous built a vessel at Detroit, called the “Enterprise,” Richard
Cornwall, of New York, being the carpenter. The boatmen, who went from
Schenectady with the rigging and stores for this vessel to Detroit, were
to have each £20, and ten gallons of rum. They were seventy days on Lake
Erie, and two of the number perished from hunger, and their bodies were
kept to decoy eagles and ravens. They returned to New York in February,
1760, by way of Pittsburgh, then called Fort Pitt.
“In May, 1770, a vessel of seventy tons burthen was launched at Niagara,
called the “Charity.” The same year the Duke of Gloucester, Secretary
Townsend, Samuel Tutchet, Henry Baxter, and four others, formed a
company for mining copper on Lake Superior. In December they built at
Point Aux Pins, a barge, and laid the keel for a sloop of forty tons
burthen. Of the success of this enterprise we are not informed.
Subsequent to the above period very little was accomplished in the
construction of craft for lake navigation, and the few that came into
commission were used solely as traders, as were in fact, all those
previously named. A short time after, 1770, batteaux from Montreal and
Quebec, employed by the Hudson’s Bay Fur Company, made their annual
tours westward, gathering large quantities of furs, and returning
homeward in the fall. It has been stated that the first vessel built on
Lake Ontario was in 1749, but this, we have reason to believe, is not
correct.”
During the Revolutionary War, the British Government built at Carleton
Island, a few vessels to carry troops and provisions from place to place
along the Lake, from Carleton Island to Niagara. The first Commissioner
at the Dock Yard was Commodore James Andrews, Lieutenant in the Royal
Navy. The “Ontario,” a war vessel of considerable importance, carrying
22 guns, was built at Carleton Island. This vessel was commanded by
Capt. Andrews. Some time between 1780 and 1783, as the “Ontario” was
proceeding from Niagara to Oswego with a detachment of the King’s Own
regiment, commanded by Colonel Burton, with other officers, a storm
arose at night, and the vessel was lost with all on board. Col. John
Clark, in his memoirs, whose father belonged to the 8th regiment, says
this event happened in 1780 or ‘81, in which belief he is supported by
Mr. Sheehan, a descendant of Capt. Andrews: but other authority has it
that the event took place in 1783. At all events, the occurrence
produced a melancholy effect, which long remained in the minds of those
acquainted with the circumstances. Captain Andrews left a widow, a son,
and two daughters. The son returned to Scotland, the daughters married
and settled in Canada. The Sheehans, Hills, and Givins are descendants
of Captain Andrews’ daughters, whose husbands had been in the army.
After the settlement of Kingston, the Government built vessels at
Murney’s Point, and at Navy Point. Among the first built here was the
Schooner “Speedy,” and also the “Mohawk” and “Mississauga,” and “Duke of
Kent.” Among the first commanders of vessels, most of whom were of the
Royal Navy, were Capt. Bouchette, Capt. Paxton, Capt. McKenzie, Capt.
Richardson, Capt. Earle, Capt. Steele and Capt. Fortiche.
“The first vessel built for trade upon Lake Ontario,” that is after
Upper Canada was settled, “may have been the ‘Governor Simcoe,’ for the
North West Company; after she was worn out and laid up, Judge
Cartwright, who was agent for the Company at Kingston, built another for
that Company, and one for himself, both built at the same time, side by
side, on Mississauga Point, at the mouth of Cataraqui Creek. Both were
launched on the same day; the one for the Company named “Governor
Simcoe,” and the other “Sloop Elizabeth.” These were built during my
stay with Judge Cartwright, in 1808.
“The first, and only vessel for many years, built at York, was a small
schooner about forty-five tons. Built by two brothers named Kendrick.”—
(_Finkle._)
The survey made by Deputy Surveyor-General Collins, at the request of
Lord Dorchester, in 1788, included an examination of the lakes and
harbors from Kingston to Michilmicinac. In reference to the lakes and
vessels, the Surveyor says:—“Vessels sailing on these waters being
seldom for any length of time out of sight of land, the navigation must
be considered chiefly as pilotage, to which the use of good natural
charts is essential and therefore much wanted. Gales of wind, or
squalls, rise suddenly upon the lakes, and from the confined state of
the waters, or want of sea-room, (as it is called), vessels may in some
degree be considered as upon a lee shore, and this seems to point out
the necessity for their being built on such a construction as will best
enable them to work to windward. Schooners should, perhaps, have the
preference, as being rather safer than sloops, they should be from 80 to
100 tons burthen on Lake Ontario, and 50 tons burthen on Lakes Erie and
Huron; but if not intended to communicate between these two lakes, they
may then be the same size as on Lake Ontario; and if this system is
approved there can be no necessity to deviate from it unless an enemy
should build vessels of greater magnitude or force; but as the intent of
bringing any such forward, at least the building of them can never
remain a secret, there may be always time to counteract such a design by
preparing to meet them at least on equal terms. It does not seem
advisable, nor do I know any reason to continue the practice of building
vessels flat bottomed, or to have very little draft of water, they are
always unsafe, and many of the accidents which have happened on the
lakes, have perhaps, in some degree been owing to that construction. On
the contrary, if they are built on proper principles for burthen as well
as sailing they will be safer, and will find sufficient depth of water
proportioned to any tonnage which can be requisite for them upon these
lakes.”
Respecting the navy in Upper Canada, Rochfoucault writes in 1795: “The
Royal Navy is not very formidable in this place; six vessels compose the
whole naval force, two of which are small gun-boats, which we saw at
Niagara, and which are stationed at York.” Two small schooners of twelve
guns, viz., the “Onondaga,” in which we took our passage, and the
“Mohawk,” which is just finished; a small yacht of eighty tons, mounting
six guns as the two schooners, which has lately been taken into dock to
be repaired, form the rest of it. All these vessels are built of timber
fresh cut down, and not seasoned, and for this reason last never longer
than six or eight years. To preserve them, even to this time, requires a
thorough repair; they must be heaved down and caulked, which costs at
least from one thousand, to one thousand two hundred guineas. This is an
enormous price, and yet it is not so high as on Lake Erie, whither all
sorts of naval stores must be sent from Kingston, and where the price of
labor is still higher. The timbers of the Mississauga, which was built
three years ago, are almost all rotten. It is so easy to make provision
for ship-timber for many years to come, as this would require merely the
felling of it, and that too at no great distance from the place where it
is to be used, that it is difficult to account for this precaution not
having been adopted. Two gun-boats, which are destined by Governor
Simcoe to serve only in time of war, are at present on the stocks; but
the carpenters who work at them are but eight in number. The extent of
the dilapidations and embezzlements, committed at so great a distance
from the mother country, may be easily conceived. In the course of last
winter a judicial enquiry into a charge of this nature was instituted at
Kingston. The Commissioner of the navy and the principal ship-wright, it
was asserted, had clearly colluded against the King’s interest; but
interest and protection are as powerful in the new world as in the old:
for both the Commissioner and ship-wright continue in their places.
“Captain Bouchette commands the naval force on Lake Ontario, and is at
the head of all the marine establishments, yet without the least power
in money matters. This gentleman possesses the confidence both of Lord
Dorchester and Governor Simcoe; he is a Canadian by birth, but entered
the British service when Canada fell into the power of England.
“While Arnold and Montgomery were besieging Quebec, Lord Dorchester,
disguised as a Canadian, stole on board his ship into that city, on
which occasion he displayed much activity, intrepidity, and courage. It
is not at all a matter of surprise that Lord Dorchester should bear in
mind this eminent service. By all accounts he is altogether
incorruptible, and an officer who treats his inferiors with great
mildness and justice.
“In regard to the pay of the Royal Marine force on Lake Ontario, a
captain has ten shillings a day, a lieutenant six, and a second
lieutenant three shillings and sixpence. The seamen’s wages are eight
dollars per month. The masters of merchantmen have twenty-five dollars,
and the sailors from nine to ten dollars a month.
“Commander Bouchette is among those, who most strenuously oppose the
project of moving to York, the central point of the force on the lake;
but his family reside at Kingston, and his lands are situated near that
place. Such reasons are frequently of sufficient weight to determine
political opinions.”
Again, says the same writer, “Governor Simcoe intends to make York the
centre of the naval force on Lake Ontario. Only four gunboats are at
present on this lake, two of which are constantly employed in
transporting merchandise; the other two, which alone are fit to carry
troops and guns, and have oars and sails, are lying under shelter until
an occasion occurs to convert them to their intended purpose. It is the
Governor’s intention to build ten smaller gunboats on Lake Ontario, and
ten on Lake Erie. The ship carpenters, who construct them, reside in the
United States, and return home every winter.”
“On the 7th October, 1807, Mr. Justice Cochrane, Mr. Gray, the Solicitor
General, and Mr. Agnus McDonald, embarked at York, with several other
passengers in the _Speedy_, a government schooner, commanded by Captain
Paxton, for the purpose of going to Newcastle where the Assizes were to
be held on the 10th. The vessel was seen a few miles from her destined
port on the evening of the 8th. The wind commenced to blow, and the
schooner was never heard of more. There were pieces picked up on the
opposite shore. Mr. Cochrane was young in years, but not in piety.” The
above is extracted from the Kingston _Gazette_, written by “Reckoner,”
which was the name under which Dr. Strachan contributed to that paper.
Colonel Clark, of Dalhousie, says “I recollect the loss of the
_Speedy_,” and he remarks of Solicitor General Gray, that he was “a
noble character, noted for his sympathy on behalf of abolishing
slavery.” He says that there were upwards of twenty passengers; among
them he mentions Jacob Herkimer, a merchant of York.
It will be seen that Canada took the lead in building the early vessels
upon the lakes. The first American ship that navigated Lake Erie, was
purchased from the British in 1796. She was called the _Detroit_. The
first vessel built by the Americans, for the lakes, was constructed in
1797. The first Canadian merchant vessel built upon Lake Ontario, was by
Francis Crooks, brother of the Hon. James Crooks. It was built to the
east of the present United States fort, at the mouth of the Niagara
river, in 1792, and was called the “York.” She was wrecked at Genesee
river. In 1800 a schooner of about 75 or 100 tons, was brought to
Clifton, and during the winter of 1801 she crossed by the portage road
on immense runners to Queenston, where she again found her native
element in the Niagara river. She was, in 1804, lost in bringing a cargo
to Niagara, with all on board.—(_Clark._)
It is a curious fact that in the American war of 1812, the British
“Admiralty sent out the frame work, blocks, &c., of the Psyche frigate,
which could have been procured on the spot in the tenth of the time and
a twentieth part of the expense. At the same time there was furnished to
each ship of war on Lake Ontario, a full supply of water casks, with an
apparatus for distilling sea water,” forgetting the fact that the waters
of the lake were of the purest quality.
Directing our attention to the waters of the bay Quinté, it is found
that until after 1812, but few sailing vessels entered the upper waters,
although found east of Picton Bay. Strange as it may appear at the
present day, there was a time when the head of Picton Bay, or Hay Bay,
was regarded as the head of the bay, and the very outskirts of
civilization, while going up the Long Reach, to the Mohawk tract was
looked upon like going to the Red River at the present day. The settlers
above were too few, and their requirements too limited for a sailing
vessel to ascend, unless occasionally to the Napanee mills. But as time
passed, sloops and schooners, as well as batteaux found employment along
the western townships.
In the first year of the present century, there was built in the
township of Marysburgh, a short distance west of the Stone mills, a
schooner of some celebrity. It was built by Captain Murney, father of
the late Hon. Edward Murney, of Belleville. Captain Murney came to
Kingston in 1797, at the solicitation of Mr. Joseph Forsyth. It was
constructed for himself, and was made altogether of red cedar, a kind of
wood formerly very plentiful along the bay, and which possesses a most
agreeable odor, and is extremely durable. The vessel was named the
_Prince Edward_. John Clark, of Dalhousie, says of this vessel, that he
was on board the following year of her building, and that she was a
“staunch good ship, with an able captain.” Her size was sufficient to
allow 700 barrels of flour to be stowed beneath her hatches. She ran
upon Lake Ontario for many years, and made for her owner a small
fortune. She was in good condition in 1812, and was employed by
government as an armed vessel. A schooner called _Prince Edward_,
probably the same, Captain Young, was the first vessel to land at the
pier when erected at Wellington.
The Kingston _Gazette_, April 12, 1817, says: “On Thursday, 20th inst.
at three o’clock p.m., arrived at Ernesttown, in the Bay of Quinté, the
schooner _Mary Ann_, Captain J. Mosier, in twenty hours from York, and
at this port yesterday afternoon with fourteen passengers, of whom
eleven were members of the Provincial Parliament. This is the seventh
voyage this vessel has made this season, to the great credit of her
master. The _Mary Ann_ sailed again in about half an hour for the Bay
Quinté.”
One of the early vessels upon the bay was commanded by Matthews, father
of the rebel of 1836, who was executed.
DIVISION III.
THE LOYALISTS AS PIONEERS—THE ORIGINAL SURVEY.