ewfoundland E.!>l. 1901 Ouarterly 6hl Year 0jJt'1llrU,f. neu• doorWtl)'·' nf knowlt·d~e about .Ynl•foull(l/and, On July 8th, 1892, St. John's was swept by a devastating fi.re destroying 1700 buildings and leaving 11,000 homeless, with a property loss amounting to $13,000,000. Note the schooners hauled out in the stream to avoid the fire which swept the waterfront. ~rmnrial l!tniurrsity Of Newfnunlllanil ST. JOHN'S, NEWFOUNDLAND Four-year courses leading to degrees: BACHELOR OF ARTS- PASS and Honours BACHELOR OF ARTS (Education) BACHELOR OF SCIENCE- Pass and Honours BACHELOR OF COMMERCE- PASS and Honours Five-year course leading to degrees: BACHELOR OF ARTS or SCIENCE and BACHELOR OF EDUCATION Graduate work leading to MASTER'S DEGREE IN ARTS AND SCIENCE Three-year diploma course in Engineering Three-year courses in Pre-Medicine, Pre-Dental Two-year courses in Pre-Law and Pre-Forestry Two-year certificate course in Physical Education Extension Service - Credit and non-credit courses. Scholarships available for second, third and fourth years on the basis of academic attainments. For information apply to the REGISTRAR. THE NEWFOUNDLAND QUARTERLY HART SHOES like all other quality goods from the ROY A.L STORES LTO. are UNCONDJTIONALL Y "Until fhey were six years old we gave them one teaspoonful of Brick's before each meal and lust Guaranteed. before bedtime. Since then we have Increased the dosage to one tablespoonful. "Of course we saw that they had proper food, rest and recreation. But we give full credit to Brick's Tasteless combination of Extract of Cod Livers, Malt, Iron and Ciilclum for relieving the loss of appetite and consequent m•lnutritlon, following colds during the critical growing years.•• So we sey: "Bring up your babies with Bricks I" ROYAL Trade Supplied by STORES LTD. " Your House for Value" CORNER BROOK Water St. Dial 84111 THE NE~UNDLAND QUARTERLY The Newfoundland Quarterly lssued every third month March, June, September, and December. L. W. Janes ......................... .... ........................... Editor and Publisher P. 0 . Box 58'74, St. John's, Newfoundland To whom all communications should be addressed. T elephone 92185 The Last Capture of St. John's, 1762 Robert Saunders, J.D., Ph.D. ................... Contributing Editor - Addison Bown .. .................... .. The St. John's Fire of 1892 .. Honourary Degrees received by Local Personalities SUBSCRIPTION aATES Stand Fast for Newfoundland - Dr. R. Saunders, J.D· .... .. ........ .......... ......... 14 V One year in advance (Canada) .............. .. ........ ........................ $1.00 The Career of Cadet George Williams ....... .. ... ...... 17 y Foreign subscription .. ....... .. ........................................................... $1.25 Daring Escape from Signal Hill Prison If paying by cheque please add 15c:. - Alex A. Parsons, J.P. ..... .. ....... .... ..... ...... ... 19 Y To ensure return of lOSS, please encloee self addressed envelope The Greenspond Saga with sufficient postage. The publisher will not be responsible - Dr. R. Saunders, J.D. and Ralph Wright ....... 21 for loss of any mss., drawings or photographs, but will exercise care in handhng material submitted for publication. Early History of Harbour Grace - Mrs. May Davis .... ....... ..... ...... ..... 25 Advertising rates on application Know Your Law Makers .. .. .... .. .. .. .................... 29- 30 Authorized aa Second Class Mail, We Have Rece ived- Book Review .. .. .... .... .... ........ .. 31 Post Office Dept.. Ottawa, 195!1. All rights to contents of this magazine reserved. Favourites Old and New ................................ ... ...... 33 Holiday Reminiscences- Mrs. Alex Marshall . .35 .../ Authorized as second class m ail by Dhe Post Office Department, Ottawa, and for payment of postage in cash Views from the Crow's Nest- Larboard Watch .37 AFE Ltd. Electronics Department DESIGN, ENGINEERING, INSTALLATION AND MAIN11ENANCE FOR EVERY TYPE OF ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT Film Production Department - Producing - EDUCATIONAL PROMOTIONAL DOCUMENTARY FILMS Audio-Visual and Optical SOHOOL, COL IJEGE and UNIVERSITY TEACHING AIDS & INSTRUMENT'S 16mm RENTAL FILM LIBRARY AND PROJECTION EQUIPMENT Call 83071-2-3 for FREE Consulting Service Atlantic Films & Electronics Limited THE NEWFOUNDLAND QUARTERLY Opening new doorways of knowledg.e about Newfoundland VOL. LXI Canada $1.00 Per Year No. 2 Foreign $1.25 Per Year ST. JOHN'S,--- NFLD., SUMMER, 1962 A JUN'E ANNIVERSARY-200 YEARS AGO The Last Capture ol St. John ~s - 1762 By ADDISON BOWN HE visit to St. John's in April of the French sloop the Dutch in the reign of Charles II. Admiral de TCommandant Bourdais brought a reminder that the Ruyter, finding the entrance unguarded, sailed in and Newfoundland capital was captured by the French for destroyed the settlement but declared that "he would the last time just 200 years ago this year. never have dared to venture in if six guns had been The Commandant Bourdais was on her way to mounted to defend it." take up patrol duties with the French fishing fleet on In the Spring of 1762 during the Seven Years' the Grand Banks. As she passed through the Narrows War (1756-1763) a French squadron of four sail-of-the­ into the harbour she fired a salvo of 21 guns and re­ line, the Robuste, L'Eveille, La Garonne and La Sicorne, ce ived in return a 21-gun salute from the Royal New­ under the command of Admiral de Ternay, slipped foundland Regiment manning the Queen's Battery on out of Brest in a thick fog. Eluding the British fleet Sig nal Hill. (It had been constructed in 1709 and standing guard over that naval base, it sailed across named for Queen Anne.) the Atlantic and on June 24 entered the harbour of St. John's was captured three times by the French [)ay Bulls, 18 miles south of St. John's. There a force -in 1696, 1708 and 1762. On each occasion the port of 32 officers and 700 men under the command of was taken from the land side, never by sea. The only Comte d'Haussonville was landed to march overland occasi on that an enemy fleet penetrated the narrow to the capital. passage was on June 6, 1667, during the war with (Continued on Page 4) NEW DELUXE BLEND GOOD LUCK IS HERE Wait till you taste Made from the purest New Good Luck vegetable oils It's THE FRESHEST Margarine on· the Island! It's true! New Good Luck is the only Margarine that's made fresh every day right here in Newfoundland . .. and it's sealed in an airtight foil wrap to protect its freshness ... keeps flavour in ... keeps stray odours out. Made Fresh Daily Right Here in Newfoundland 4 THE NEWFOUNDLAND QUARTERLY THE LAST CAPTURE OF ST. JOHN'S (Continued) George belonging to the province of Massachusetts Commanding the Northumberland was the immortai It fell an easy prey to their attack. St. John's had navigator, Captain James Cook, who in the following been left with only 63 soldiers to defend it, and the year was to begin a four-year coastal survey of New­ forts were in a state of decay. A single sloop-of-war, foundland which produced the most accurate map of the Grammont of 22 guns, was in the harbour at the the Island up to that time. time and she was obliged to surrender. After the cap­ One mile north of the Narrows lies the little fishing ture of the port, the French squadron was brought village of Quidi Vidi with its small land-locked harbour around from Bay Bulls. The French remained in pos­ connected with the sea by a narrow opening, or "gut." session of the capital for the next three months during The French, in addition to strongly fortifying the Nar­ which they repaired the ruined fortifications and erect­ rows, had effectively blocked the entrance to Quidi ed fresh defences on Signal Hill to repel the inevitable Vidi by sinking fishing boats in the channel. It was attack. decided therefore to land the troops at Torbay, nine miles north of the capital, and march overland to at­ The governor of the colony, Capt. Thos. Graves, tack the town. R.N., was at sea engaged in convoy duty on the The ten transports carrying the soldiers were escort­ Grand Banks when he received word of the capture ed to the open anchorage at Torbay by H.M.S. Syren of St. John'.s. He immediately sent the news to Halifax while Lord Colville with the other ships continued his and took steps to protect the southern part of the Is­ blockade of St. John's. After a stormy night the land­ land from capture. Marines were landed at Ferryland ing began on the morning of Sept. 13th. Their move­ and he himself proceeded to Placentia, the old French ments had been followed by the French who sought capital, which he placed in a state of defence. The to prevent the disembarkation by firing on the boats French meanwhile overran and captured the settle­ but withdrew when the first battalion reached shore. ments in Conception and Trinity Bays north of St. After the march began skirmishing parties of the en­ John's. emy were encountered in the woods as the English Halifax was thrown into a state of alarm by the advanced but were easily beaten off. news of the capture of St. John's. An attack from the Before nightfall the leading troops had reached the French squadron was anticipated and vigorous mea­ east end of Quidi Vidi lake and taken possession of sures were taken for the defence of the town. A boom the river flowing into the sea. At that point the was stretched across the North-West harbour and French made a stand and in the late evening volleys warships were anchored in mid-channel. of musketry were exchanged across the ravine as The commander-in-chief of the British forces in they exerted every effort to prevent the redcoats from North America at that time was Barron Jeffrey Am­ crossing.