ARGONAUTA The Newsletter of The Canadian Nautical Research Society Volume XXV Number One January 2008 ARGONAUTA Founded 1984 by Kenneth MacKenzie ISSN No. 0843-8544 Editors William Schleihauf Maurice D. Smith Argonauta Editorial Office Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston 55 Ontario Street, Kingston, Ontario K7K 2Y2 e-mail for submission is [email protected] Telephone: (613) 542-6151 FAX: (613) 542-4362 ARGONAUTA is published four times a year—January, April, July and October The Canadian Nautical Research Society Executive Officers President: Richard Gimblett, Ottawa Past President: James Pritchard, Kingston 1st Vice President: Paul Adamthwaite, Picton 2nd Vice President: Roger Sarty, Kitchener Treasurer: Walter Tedman, Kingston Secretary: Bill Schleihauf, Pointe des Cascades Membership Secretary: Faye Kert, Ottawa Councillor: Chris Bell, Halifax Councillor: Isabel Campbell, Ottawa Councillor: Serge Durflinger, Val des Monts Councillor: Maurice D. Smith, Kingston Canadian Nautical Research Society Mailing Addresses: Official Address: PO Box 511, Kingston, Ontario K7L 4W5 Membership Business: 200 Fifth Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 2N2, Canada e-mail: [email protected] Annual Membership including four issues of ARGONAUTA and four issues of THE NORTHERN MARINER/LE MARINDUNORD: Within Canada: Individuals, $65.00; Institutions, $90.00; Students, $20.00 International: Individuals, $75.00; Institutions, $100.00; Students, $30.00 Our Website: http://www.cnrs-scrn.org January 2008 ~ ARGONAUTA ~ Page 1 In this Issue Editorial 1 2008 Annual Conference 2 Dan Harris 5 News and Views 6 Articles - Rhys Richards “Canadian Whaling in the Pacific, Pt II” 10 - John Ratcliffe “Royal Navy Watercraft on the Great Lakes” 12 Conferences and Symposia 25 Book by Members 25 Minutes of the 2007 Annual General Meeting 26 Nominations for the 2008 Election of Council 27 Advertisements 28 Editorial Northern Mariner / le Marin du Nord: co- ordinating the mailings has proven This first issue of 2008 is devoted impracticable, and there are technical issues primarily to Society news, especially that with getting the two different sizes of concerning our annual conference in la Ville de publication into the same envelope. As you’ll Quebec. The quadra-centenary of Quebec City see through the year, the Editorial Team of is an important occasion, and the location the TNM are making great strides in getting our perfect venue for a memorable conference: the journal back on schedule, and there will be perfect excuse for those unfamiliar with the many interesting and important articles area to come for a visit. There is a lot to see appearing over the next few years. and do in and around the city itself, but those who have their own transportation ought to get Sadly, this issue carries Alec Douglas’ out and see some of the beautiful country that obituary of well-known member Dan Harris. Quebec is set in. One of the most scenic routes He was an important member of the CNRS, and is Highway 138, running east towards the will be sorely missed. Those who aren’t Saguenay. Awesome views of the St Lawrence, regular readers of the annual Warship may not and a wealth of places worth visiting, catering be aware that he was a frequent contributor, on to all interests. a wide variety of topics. Once again, we have to apologise for On a cheerier note, you will see an the delay in getting this issue into your hands. update to a piece that ran in Argonauta a Each issue takes about forty man-hours to put number of years ago, on Canadian whalers – all together, and upon occasion unavoidable the way from New Zealand, and a detailed interruptions get in the way. The goal remains article on Royal Navy watercraft. These are the getting Argonauta into the tender mercies of types of articles that have a special place in Canada Post in the same month printed on the Argonauta, and those with students should cover. That is one reason we will be running a encourage them to submit their work to us. separate publication schedule from The WRS January 2008 ~ ARGONAUTA ~ Page 2 2008 Annual Conference organizations or institutions. In 2008, we will be linking with the Naval Reserve of the In 2008 Quebec City will celebrate the Canadian Navy (known also as NAVRES of 400th anniversary of its founding. All levels of Maritime Command or MARCOM), which is government and numerous cultural institutions headquartered on Quebec’s lower town are co-operating to produce an exciting and waterfront within easy walking distance of the varied programme of major events and conference venue. Two sessions of the activities related to this wonderful city’s storied conference will be dedicated to an historical and dramatic past. Obviously, many of these appreciation of Canada’s Naval Reserve and the events will have a distinct maritime or naval naval presence in Quebec, and certain of the theme. Quebec City will be the Canadian conference activities will be held in the Naval destination of choice this coming summer for Reserve facilities. those interested in our nation’s history, especially its nautical components. The general sequence of events, with approximate timings, is as follows: It is for this reason that our Society’s 2008 Conference, to be held 7-9 August with Wednesday 06 August – you should plan your the broad theme of “Four Centuries of North arrival for early afternoon, to allow time Atlantic Crossings,” promises to be an to check-in before joining a walking outstanding opportunity to engage in scholarly tour of the maritime aspects of discussion in one of Canada’s most historic and Quebec’s Lower Town. This will start dynamic settings and to partake of a range of with a presentation in the Auberge conference-related activities selected specially Saint-Antoine auditorium by David with the interests of our members in mind. Mendel, a well-known historical and Truly, this is one conference you will not want cultural tour guide, and will terminate at to miss. the Musée navale (naval museum) where we will have our opening Conference Programme reception. Dinner on your own. The initial response to our call for Thursday 07 August – sessions all day. papers has been excellent thus far, with a Optional evening dinner cruise on the St fascinating blend of topics proposed by a Lawrence River, offering a spectacular balanced mix of established and emerging tour from Cape Diamond to Île scholars. Among these terrific early d’Orléans and points in-between. suggestions for papers, many with distinct relevance to Quebec City itself, have been Friday 08 August – sessions all day. The themes such as early charts and navigation of conference banquet will be held in the the North Atlantic, seventeenth-century naval Naval Reserve Quarters overlooking the rivalry and early colonization, naval operations St Lawrence River. during the siege of Quebec in 1759, commercial and naval shipbuilding in the nineteenth and Saturday 09 August – this day is given over to twentieth centuries, and transatlantic steamship Society business, including Council, service. There is the promise of far more to Editorial Board and the Annual General come and the Programme Committee welcomes Meetings, which should all be additional proposals before 1 February 2008. concluded by noon. Send these directly to the Programme Chair, Serge Durflinger,at Translation [email protected]. Speakers will deliver their papers in We have had great success in joining their native tongue (ie, English and French), from time to time with other like-minded and as such professional simultaneous January 2008 ~ ARGONAUTA ~ Page 3 translation service will be provided within the A couple of conference-related activities conference auditorium, at no additional cost. will be hosted at the Naval Reserve Establishment, within easy walking distance of Spousal / Tour Programme the Auberge, including the opening reception at the Musée navale de Québec and the conference Note that both the walking tour on banquet. Wednesday afternoon and the Thursday evening dinner cruises are optional excursions You can get an appreciation for the and must be booked separately on the locales by going to Mapquest registration form. If a spouse or partner (www.mapquest.ca) and enter the Naval accompanies you, please be sure to book an Reserve Headquarters at 170 Rue Dalhousie as additional spot for them (same for the Friday “start” and the Auberge St-Antoine at 8 Rue evening banquet)! Saint-Antoine as “end.” No formal programme will be organized Accommodation for spouses or anyone arriving early or staying longer. However, there is no shortage of The Auberge Saint-Antoine is offering shopping or touring options in Quebec City, a significant discount for accommodations for and especially in the vicinity of the conference conference delegates and a limited block of venue. The historic “Petit Champlain” is only rooms has been made available for our use. a block away, and the waterfront boardwalk is The rates are not “cheap” by our usual literally across the street. Many other options standards, but for Quebec City in the summer can be found on the official Quebec City of the 400th anniversary celebrations, they are tourism site (http://www.quebecregion.com/e/). not unreasonable (per night, the options are For a particularly nautical appreciation of the “Grand comfort” at $299 and “Deluxe” at region, we recommend the daylong excursion $339). We chose this site because the Auberge to the 19th century immigration quarantine site has the only conference facilities in the lower of Grosse-Île, available through Croisières town, so for simple convenience we strongly Coudrier: recommend availing yourselves of this unique http://www.croisierescoudrier.qc.ca/ opportunity. Additionally, the Auberge has guaranteed these rates for four nights prior and The best whale-watching is in the four nights after the conference, for those who Tadoussac area, about a three-hour drive wish to extend their stay to allow time to tour downriver (ie, northeast) from Quebec City, Quebec City and region properly.