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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 A c 6 H O d m UiAimj^k^ J\1^ ^ Q \ SUMMARY OF THE HISTORY OF THE IISJTEND.^NT'S PALACE ST. ROCK'S SUBURBS, QUEBEC. REVISED COPY nt CHARLES WALKEM, - Militia Department, iat« R. E, Staff in Canada* OCTOBER, 1880 OTTAWA : PRINTBD BY MACI«BAN, ROGER & 00., WELLINGTON ST. 1880. Ottawa, 12th November 18T6. My dear Mr. Walkem,— I am exceedingly obliged to you for all the trouble you have so kindly taken in collecting thQ information and plans relating to the Intendant'c, Palace at Quebec. 1 remember the old ruin well, and am well pleased to see what it was before it became a ruin. In its in lin features it resembles a good deal the old G-overnment House at Montreal, though I do not think that the la,tter consists of more than one lofty story under the roof. If I am not mistaken, that story was bombproof The lettor published in the Citizen has been read with much interest. I return you the paper with a great many thanks. Yours very truly, WILLIAM F. COFFIN. =^ Charles Walkem, Esq. " • Ottawa. • Col. William F. Coffin, late Commissioner oi Ordnance and Admiralty lands of the Department of the Interior, the refined scholar and gentleman. His grandfather .John Coffin, Esq., merchant, was born and brought up in. Boston, but resisted the revolution and was by name proscribed by an Act of the Massachusetts [legislature. Under these circumstances he arrived in Quebec about .Tune 1 (75. and took an active part in its defence aj:ainst Montgomery and Arnold at Priisde-Ville, Sdult-uu-Matelot And IidendaiW s Palace on the night of the JJlst Dec. 1775. • Bearing upon tli^subject tljwFoUgA^Dtfextrapt Ls i^^fn from Col. Allan Maclean's letter, 8^h Kegl^\m85?emffiSn?t(Mf«ie Garrison of Quebec during the siege of 1775-0. « Sir, " Quebec, 28th July, 1770. " As I am in a few days going to England with despatches from the " Commander in CJhief; I should be glad to know if I could bo of any service " to you kc, &,o., but your conduct during the siege of C^uebec last winter " and spring makes it a duty &c., &c. To your resolution and watchfulness " on the night of Dec. 3 1st 1775, in keepiiig the guard at the PrU-de- Ville " xmder arms waiting tor the attack which you expected, the ^reat coolness ir " with which you allowed the rebels to approach, the spirit which your " example kept up among the men, and the very ciitical instant in which " you directed Capt. Barnslaro's fire against Montgomery and his troops '' to those circumstances alone I do ascribe the repulse of the rebels from '' that important post where with their leaders they lost all heart." Signed, ALLAN MACLEAN." This letter is endorsed : ^^ ^, -^o'/^?^' ' ' *f^ Y?/f^ -^ " From Col. Allan Maclean,::^th Itegt. XJoiftnianding tlie Garrison at the " Siege of Quebec, 1775-6,, to John Coffirf;Esq." »' INTKNDANT'S PALACE, RUINS OP, ETC. QUEBEC. It 13 the voice of years that are ftimo ! Th y roll bef »re me with all their (le«da! — O^sian. The Centenary fete of the repulse of the American Rebels at Quebec in 1775-6 was celebrated in that time-honored old City on the 29th December 187>, uuder the auspices of the *' Literary and Historical Society " Among the most prominent topics of this celebration was that of the occupation of the *' In'eudant's Palace " in St Roch's Suburbs by the insurgent tbn^e under the leadership of the notorious Benedict Arnold, and its subsequent destruction by firo^ and the guns from the r imparts of the Upper Town by order of the Governor G-eneral Sir G-uy Carleton. N»^itber the general description of the old fabric in the Centenary pamphlet, the photograph of its 'ruins, nor the fantastic sketches and views by authors and artists before its destruction, will convey any adequate idea of its extent or capacity, in length, breadth or height. My proscut n})ject therv^.fore is to supply those deficiencies from an original plan and elevation of " le vieux, Palais " laid down to a scale of 20 feet to an inch apparently for Military- purposes about 1768-70, a few years only before its destruc- tion in 1775-6. The following is an extract from the Centenary pamphlet, yi2 : — " This oiice magnificent pile was erected under the French King's directions, and the means supplied by his munificense in 16H4 under Intendant De MeuUes. It w^as burned in 1712? (1713 correct) when occupied by Intend- " ant Begon and restored by the French Grovernment. It " became from 1747 ? (174S correct) to 1753 the luxurious resort " (or reudez-vous) of intendant Bigot and his wassailers. " Under English rule it was neglected (the plan showed the " building in good repair) and Arnold's riflemen having from *' the cupola annoyed Q-uy Carleton's soldiers orders were "* given to destroy it with the city guns." 4( <» (( b 2 t( (( «( <( i( «( *' Skulking riflemen in St. Koch's watching behind walls *' to kill ovir sentries. Some of them fired trom the cupola " of the In/en'iant's Palme. We brought a nine-pounder to " answer them." {'' Extract from an 0//irer'sjournat, Quebec Garimn, 1775.") In addition to the foregoing fioni the C((nt«Miary pami)hlet the following extract is submitted from an Officer's journal, viz! •' A party of the Garrison was afterwards ordered to sally out to St. Koch's which after blunging in a six-pounder brass field piece, wilh the small mortars, shells, &c , of the enemy's battery, set fire to almost the whole village of St. " Rochs" beginning a little below Palace Grate, taking in Mc- Cord street, the Intendant's Palace and the whole of that neighbourhood, wilh several houses near the Savt dn Ma- tetot, which were all entirely consumed before next moru- " ing." [Jotirnat of an Olficer at Sie^e of Quebee, Slst De- cember 1775. Published by W. T. P. Short, 17th iiegiment in 1824. Pages, 32, 33.) P'or those who may not be familiar with the high posi- tion of the " Intendant " and occupant of the " Palais,^' or of the nature of the duties appertaining to that important functionary, the following remarks are with much deference submitted from the most reliable sources. His duties combined those of administration, direction, management, superintendence, &c., and next to that of Governor-G-eneral, the office of Intendant was considered as of the greatest importance and celebrity in Quebec. It was first established by proclamation of the French King Louis the XIV in 1663, creating thereby a Supreme or Sovereign Council {Conseit Sup4ri€ur) for regulating the affairs of the Colony, which was composed of the Governor General, the liishop, the Intendant, and four Councillors, with an Attorney General and Chief Clerk. The number of Councillors was afterwards increased to twelve. The aiitho- pty of the Intendant, except in matters purely executive was indeed little inferior to that of the Governor General himself. He had the superintendence of four Departments : of Justice, Police, Finance, and Marine. The first Intendant named under the proclamation of 1663 was M Robert who never came to Canada however to assume the duties of his office, and it was not until the summer of 8 1665, that Jean de Talon, the first hontifule Intendant, univi'd at Quebec with the Marquis de Tracy, viceroy, ttnn(rauce soins to have been from that Hide next the "elilf" " under the Arsenal," on the present line of St. Valier Street, Hanked on either Hide by the Kinflf's stores, nijigazineK, &e , and in rear of that fctood a large build- in"", known as the " Prison." If, as described by ''la Pofhcrie '* in 109S the former building and accessories resembled a little town in itself, the same remark would seem to apply, and with additional lorce to the group lebuilt after the great fire of 1713— no less than about t\v«MUy in number — some of 1-irge capacity, are shewn on old plans drawn before and after the surrender of Quebec to Wolfe's Army in 1759. According in drawings and ski^tches in perspective by a naval ollicer of the Fleet at the same period before Quebec (or about that time) and published 17(}1 in London, and from other sources, there can be little doubt for want of accommo- dation elsewht^e that the old " Pu/ais'' was occupied by the troops of the (larrison under Oeneral Murray, atter the battle of the 1 Mains of Abraham on the 13th and surrender ol' the City to the victorious army on the 1 Hth September, and continued to be used as B.irracks for both olh lers and nic-i uiiuil it« (Icsl ruction in the delence of Quelieo .i^aiaot the American Hnbels led by Montgomery and Arnold in 177^-6. This assumption is strengthened if not confirmed by the occupation in 177G of the Jesuits' College as Barracks in place of the old " Pa/a?.s." The amount of aci^ommodation in the one building aiid premises would be nearly equal to that of the other — viz : a full regiment of Infantry — )Ilicers and men, hence the comfortable quarters in " le Palais " for the insurgent force under Ijenedict Arnold ; room enough for the whole of his men ! In its general appearance, this once celebrated structure was more imposing from its extent than from any claim to ornate embellishments or architectural design. The style appears to be in keeping with the French domestic of that period ; — two clear stories in height and a basement. In length the extreme frontage was 2d0 feet with pro- jecting wings of 20 feet at either end ; tht breadth from the wings to the rear line 76 feet, and the central breadth about 68 feet. The entire height from the ground line to the apex of the roof was about 55 feet, and from the same to the eaves line about 33 feet. t In the basement along the whole front, there were no less than nine vaults, with a height of ten Jeet to the crown of the arch. The apartments in the two stories were divided longitu- dinally by a wall from one end of the building to the otlier, comprising ii all about 40 in numboi, out of which accord- ing to the plan more than half were set apart as ))arr;uk rooms for tho troops, and most likely the whole forlij ruoms were occupied in a similar manm^r. The entire roof was plain with a sharp pitch, and only broken by the pedimented wings at either end of the building, with chimney stacks and stone coping over the transverse walls ; and further relieved in the centre by an octagonnl cupola of two sections and a tapering spire. The approach in front was by two flights of steps through a porch, forming a conspicuous feature to the niuin entrance. The arched win- dows of the basement rose considerably above the site level, adding grace and beauty to the front. The walls of the whole structure were built principally of the dark slaty rock peculiar to Quebec which is alv\' ays subject, how^ever, to more or less disintegration when exposed either to the influence of summer heat or the severity of a Canadian winter, a.s shewn to some extent in the present case, but CMuy to some extent, judging from the appearance of material still remaining. According to the usage of those days it is quice evident that much time and labour even to tediousness were spent in the erection of these walls, specimens of which may still be found elsewhere in Canada. The vtodm operandi was in building from the ground in dry masonry — a few feet at a time — generally about tvfo feet, then grouted with a thin semifluid mortar, composed of quick lime and fine sand poured into the interstices or vacant spaces of the stone work, filling every cavity, excluding the air and lefi to dry and harden before commencing another course. Some of the dressed stone of the quoins and angular courses are of the same kind as that quarried at Point-aux-Trembles, and the limestone quarries at Beauport. The windows and door jambs were faced with a peculiar species of hard brick, one and a half inches in thickness of a dark flinty texture, combining in large proportions, silica and oxide of iron, and in appearance nothing the worse for the wear and tear of nearly two centuries. In size and II i '• 1 quality there is a strong resemblance to the old Flemish bricks, and no doubt they must huve been imported fox this object directly from France. That portion of the " Palais " buillinjys used as the Royal "Srore houses" lacing the cliff imiaodiately under "The Arsenal " were built of the same material, and as hard and compact as the walls of " fe Palais " itself. M. Boswell some years since whih excavating the founda- tion of his brewery on the site of these store houses, cam ; in contact with some of the old masonry and found it so fii-m and welded together that powder had to be used for blasting. The mortar was harder than concrete, or s^one itself, and the use of a drill in boring it, had but little effect. Portions of these old walls and masonry in the vaults of the brjwery are still in good preservation. M Los well for many years past was the Lessee of the Ordnance or War Department lor the site of the " Palais " ruins &c., he had them covered in generally with a temporary roof, and made other improve- ments at his own expense. There was an old story current for many years among the inhabitants of the suburbs of the existence of veri/ deep and extensive vaults beneath these ruins as well as subterranean passages, leading to the river northw^ard, and in an opposite direction to the (jpper Town. It is more than probable that the remains of the old vaults and passages found in the excavations for the Brewery have been the origin of this story. In one case such a passage towards the Eiver St. Charles v.^ould be flooded at high water, aud.in that to the Upper Town would be obstrrcted by a rampart of solid rock. NoTK. — In the bejjinning of this article an J»xtrict is jjiven from the Centenary pam/'hlet of the dcecrip'ion of this once eel br.ited buiMing. and now, funber submit an extract from J'aTkmard* old tegtme in Cuti'iia, page 273, these descrip- tions in some respects ci>ufl ct with one another as well as with the reliable sources from which the information here given has been derived. " The minister listened to the complaint of ileuhs, and adopted his suscRestion, " thut the Government ehould buy the old Brewery of Talon a laroje structure of " miB{?led timber and masonry on the banks of" the Si Charles. U was ai an " easy distance from the Chateau passinjf the Hotel-Dieu and descending the ** rock, oiio reached it by a walk of a fiw nainutes. Ii was accordinaly repaired, " partly rrDuilt and fitted uo to serve the double purpose of a lodging for the " lutendant and a Court rfouse." *' Henceforth the transformed Breworj was kno^vn as the Palace of the In'en- " dam, or the Palace of Justice, and here the Council and inferior Courts bng " continued t j hold their Sessiuns." Parkman's 01 i Regime in Carta la, page i73. For nearly a hundred years after its destruction in 1775 the " old Palais " and acccssoriep seem to have been in the continued occupation of the Garrison and was known as the Commissariat, or " King's Wood Yard." A considerable pordon of the land fronting on St. Yalier and St. Nicholas Stroets was formerly disposed of for building lots, uid was further reduced in 1851 by the Imperial authorities waiving their claim to the " Palais " harbour in front, in favour of th« City Corporation, to whom about the same time letters patent from the Crow^n were issued to the City Authorities. From early records it has been ascertained that a Main Gruard was formerly posted for duty in a building known as " the Guard House " on the opposite side of St. Nicholas Street, not only to protect the old " Palais " property, but to guard also and overlook the important Government works eastward of that street. This hu luded the Royal Dock Yard, King's Wharf, magazines &c. together with a number of store buildings extendingas far as 'La Cnnoterie " — nearly opposite an old blockhouse in 'Nunnery Bastion," on one side it was bounded by the foot, of the cliff— now St. Charles Street, and by high water mark on the other side c5rrespondmg nearly with the present line of St. Paul Street. The Dock Yard was protected eastward by a jetty of masonry nearly 100 yards in length on the beach of the River St. Charleis, and roiihout by a four gun battery — with another of two guns oii the ramparts east of Palace Gate. "While i aside, the wharf or landing place was defended on both sides by heavy artillery, that on the west mounting about 12 guns, commanded and enfiladed the whole water front of the IntendanCs Palace, The ruins of " le Palais " and its accessories on various occasions since 1^75 have been temporarily fitted up for the use of the garrison, such as stabling, washing and fodder sheds, military stores, quarters for Government employes, Commissariat fuel yard-, &c., &c. A t a later period the vaults of the old ''Palais''' which still remained useful were leased by the Ordnance for storing ice, valuable wines and liquors, and other purposes to the owner of the adjoining brewery — Mr. Boswell and to the inhabitants of the City generally. On these special occasions the Military authorities used to cover in the ruins with i\ temporary roofing of feather-edged boards or shingles. During the great fire of 28th May, 1845, in the St. Roch's Suburbs, several thousand cords of Govern- ment wood were piled in the fuel yard, better known as the i " Kmg*s Wood Yard," and in a lean to shed against the rear wall of "le Palais'' some hundreds of tons of coal were stored, all of which were consumed, the coals burnt and smouldered for nearly six months, and in spite of the great solidity of the giouted masonry such was the intense heat, like that of a fiery furnace, that portions of the old wall, partly composed of limestone gave way, and left the remainder from the same cause in a very dilapidated con- dition. On this occasion it was reported that an uniortunate woinaii and two children dwelling on the premises were burnt to death in the fuel yard. Mr. Bailey, a Commissariat Officer, and M. Boswell owner of the adjoining brewery, made extraordinary efforts to save the lives of the victims ; these gentlemen in earnest went through a fiery ordeal, and it was not until their coats had been literally burnt off their backs, and their hair burnt to a crisp, that at last they had to fly to save their own lives. On the withdrawal of the Imperial troops from Canada in 1870-71, the venerable old ruins of the ''Palais" and all the property attached were surrendered to the Dominion Grovernment. • • # eaf ere md 'eat eat, all, the on- Late rere ner ave ent [lad tto 3. I in all ion