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-©-:

FROM THE TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA

SECOND SERIES— 1898-99

VOLUME IV SECTION II

BNQLI8H LITERATURE, HISTORY, ARCHAOLOQY, ETC.

THE KING'S SHIP "L'ORIGNAL"

SUNK AT QUEBEC, 1750

By F. C. WURTELE

POR 8ALB BY

J. HO£>E A SONS, OTTAWA ; THE COPP-CLARK CO., TORONTO

BERNARD QUARITCH, LONDON, ENGLAND

Z898

mmmm

Section II., 189S.

I ■> ^ / Tkans. R. S. C.

[67]

F. — The Kinif» Ship, ^' L'Orignal," sunk at Quebec, 17o0.

My Fred. C. WriiTEi.E, Quoboe.

"^
^
>»

(Comniunie-.ted l)y Dr. Georwe Stewart, F.R.G.S., and read May 25, 18i)8.)

" What manner «»f' cnift was the king's ship, ' L'Orignal,' and whoro
did she hail from ? " wore the questions aslvcd when hor bones were being
removed in 1878. I'rom the bottom of the St. Lawrence opposite Capo
Diamond, and various were the surmises and conjectures of the anti-
quaries of the old Eock City. Eutthe details of the accident and her dimen-
sions remained in obscurity as dark as the depths in which she rested
for one hundred and twenty-eight years. The archives of the Depart-
ment of Marine at Pari.s furnished the manuscripts relating to this inter-
esting item of early Canadian history now related for the tii-st time.
According to these records, shipbuilding was a Quebec industry in 1GG6,
and fi'om that ))eriod it .steadily expanded both under French and JJritish
rule until the zenith was reached in 1864. when 105 vessels were launched
that year at (Quebec ; since then that noble industry gradually declined.

But to return to the records of the last century, where it relates that
in 172-1 the Intendants of Now France repeatedly i-ecommendcd to the
Minister of Marine at Paris, that shipbuilding should be encouraged by
the homo government, also that it would be advantageous to build vessels
of war and transports at Quebec ; which recommendation the government
accepted, for in September, 1731, Si. Hocquart, the Intendant, sent home
the plans of a prospt>ctive 500 ton tran.sport. It is also recorded that Lo
Sieur Levasseur reported on tlie progress made, up to the 11th October,
1740, on a 500 ton storeship then on the stocks, Avhich was launched on
4th June, 1742, and was called " Le Canada," with Le Sieur Beauvais as
captain. M. Hocquart reported in January, 1731, the loss of the ship
" Beauharnois," wrecked at Isle aux Coudres, which was built at (Quebec
the previous year. The next king's vessel recorded is " Le (Caribou,"
whose keel was laid in September. 1742, and launched in May, 1744. In
the fall of that year another one, " Le Castor," was begun and launched
in May, 1745, Le Sieur Du Bois was her captain. As soon as the ship-
yard, called the king's yard, situated at the western end of the " Cul de
Sac," under Cape Diamond, was clear, work was begun on a 22 gun frigate
called " St. Laurent."

The. keel of "L'Orignal" was laid about the fall of 1748, for in Sep-
tember, 1749, M. do La Jonqui^re, the Governor of Canada, made an in-
spection of her and sent a report to M. de Maurepas. She was launched
on the 2nd September, 1750, and from the following letters and reports to

HOYAL f^GCIETY OF CANADA

M. Ilonilh'. Comtodo J»)uy,' the ^Ministcrof Marino, it is clear tliat llio acci-
dent wliich occinivd was duo to tlio niistukc- if the i)uildor in niaUingtho
ways too sliort and plaoiiii^ tlioni too high, tlioroiiy causing horhaclv to bo
broken when taking the water ; besidoH the launching arrangements were
faulty, instead of hanging her anchors to the catheads ready to bo
dropjied at the proper moment after she floated on an even keel, a com-
plication of anchors and ropes attached to her were placed in the river,
which caused her to run on u reef.

The report on the cx])lorations at Lake Cham])la'n, Eivieio i;ux Sables
and the liivor .Sonaranac, evidently the Hiver Saraiiac which flows into
Lake Ciianiplain near Plattsburg in the Stale of Now York, is interesting
and shows thai the timber used in building th"8o vessels was not alto-
gether procured in the immediate vicinity of i^Uicboe but was brought
from u distance.

The iron wo.-k and iron knees wore doubtless manufactured at the St.
Maurice forges beliiud Three Itivors, but the rigging, chains, anchors and
bails came from France.

The following are translations of the manuscripts before mentioned,
and reading between the lines, the petty jealousies and bickerings between
the (iovornor and Intendant are ajjparent, and all the high officials in
irreat tribulation over the v.-reck.

From the Marquis do Lu Jonquiere, Governor of Canada, to the Min-
ister of Marino at Paris :

Quebec, 17th September, 1750.
31 Y Loud :

31. Bigot and I having the honour in our joint letter to report to you,
on the s;ul loss of the ves.sel " L'Orignal," 1 do not think it necessary to
enter afresh into the viotails of this subject, it only remains for me to
have the honour to tell you that this accident is the more annoying because
I could not prevent it. Indeed M. do La Villel(5on, the prospective com-
mander of the said vessel, and the Sieur do Cery, captain of the port,
being at my house, agreed together that it would be best to put a kedge
anchor and rhain on board the said vessel before launching, and besides
that we would fasten chains and hawsers to the cables of the anchors
which had been cast far out in the river, to moor the vessel to when she
would be launched, it being essential to take these precautions to have two
resources to fall back upon instead of one in case of need. This arrange-
ment was proposed to M. Levasseur, the builder, who would not consent
to have the anchor placed on the catheads of the said vessel, because
he said that in launching it might do mischief. As this builder has never
rendered me an account of his work, and ray instructions do not authorize

1 The old fort at Toronto, on whose site a nioiainent now stands tis a memento of
that time, was called Fort Rouille after Antoiiie Louis Kouille, Comte de Jouy, and.
built in 1749.

B755^

[wuktki.e]

THE KING'S Smr " L'ORIGNAL"

me to give him orcjcrs, nor to inquire into the bnihling, I did not deem it
my duty to take ui)on m^^Heif to order him to execute the Hiiid iunitiifo-
ment, as I could not do mon^ than recommend it. l^esides, on ieavini^
the courl, I oHered to M. de Muurepas to supervise tlie i)uii(hi)_!^ and to
send him a repoi-t also on the quality of the wood, but he made no rcplv.
This proves to me that this Iniilder is only accountable and takes orilers
for his work from the Intenilant, and that the court does not intend that
I should encroach upon his I'unctions. You have not even, mv Lord,
honoured me with an answer to my letter of Hrd of September, 174!), in
which r had the honour to ;L?ive you a report of a visit tluit 1 made to the
said vessel.

Last year upon my ari'ival, 1 brought it to thenoticoof the, said Sieur
Levasseur, in the presence of Count de la Gaiissoniore, that he had not
made the slip, on which he had built his vessel, long < nough, there being
only twenty-nine foet from the stern post to the end of the slip to which
ai highest tide the water hardly reached ; that would make a great fall
for the vessel wiien she would be balanced at the end of the ways. 1 re-
newed these observations to Sieur Levasseur. M. de la Yilleldon joined in
these representations and all this determined him to lengthen it by build-
ing a forward slip of twenty-two feet on piles. In spite of that the vessel
made a con.siderable jump, and I am persuaded tiuxt she broke her back,
because the running ways broke in half when the vesssel was on the bal-
ance on the end of the said forward slip of which there were three pieces
broken. The cradle and the other half of the running ways remained on
the slip on which the vessel had been built. I am of opinion, my Lord,
that the stocks were too high, that they ought to extend to between wind
and water at low tide, and that, consequently the said stocks should be
drawn back as far as possible to the mountain and to lower it by at least
four feet at the end of the wharf.

I would accord due justice to M. de la Villeldon, He is a very zealous
and experienced officer; he took all possible care, as also did all his offi-
cers, whether in hastening the work on the vessel or after she was
stranced in trying to raise her. This is a ruinous undertaking for him,
being obliged to feed his staff in a country where provisions are at such
exorbitant prices.

1 am, with very profound respect, my Lord,

Your very humble and very obedient servant,

De La JonquiSre.

The following is a joint letter to the Minister from the Governor and
M. Bigot, the Intendant, giving the details of the accident :

Quebec. 1st October, 1150.
Mv Lord :

It is with great pain that we have the honour to inform you of the
loss of the king's ship ''L'Orignal." She was launched on the 2nd Sep-

J{OYAL SOCIKTY OF CANADA

tenilRT last ; wn hud lakoii tlut procinitioii to nioor two liii'ji;t' aiieliofH it)
tho niiUdlu of the river where wo hftd decided to uiielior her, and tliocnds
of these eablcH were fastened to u lighter, on which we tied three small
hawsers splieed tot^ether, liavin^ the other end on lioai'd of the vessel, to
direct iier in lannehiiii^. As the tlood tide was still strotii,' enonfrh,
although it had hegun to ehb and it was eui'i-ying away thehe hawsors
there were placed two large bouts to sustuin them for feur these unchois
might be lost, which caused the master of the vessel to take several turns
of the haw&er round a log on the edge of the wharf, in order to keep it
taut for fear it might strain the vessel ; tiiis having thrown out three side
keys she started sooner than was intended, thus getting considei-uble way
on, broke the hawser which was fastened on board and to the log, tiie
master not having time to cast otf these turns taken round it. Jk'sides
these precautions which had been taken, a kedge anchor and chain had
been placed in a boat to take to the vessel as soon as she was launched,
but the current and a slight wind niade her go faster than it could be
rowed, so that the vessel was leached only alter she had run on r, reef
above Cajio J)iamond. AV'e all hastened out to her, my Lord, with all the
boats and canoes in the harbour, to try andget her oil', but the tide having
already lowered a foot, although the stream was still running up in the
middle of the river, all our efforts were useless. You may rest assured, my
Lord, that all possible measures were tried but in vain.

We resumed work at the afternoon's flood tide ; at half-tide we per-
ceived that siie was stove in and tilling with water ; we returned at dawn
the next day and ti'ied all practicable means to get her otf, but always
without success;

At low water in the afternoon, we saw that the damage was so great,
the stern post and keel being separated more than twelve feet, that wo
decided to convene a board of construction for the next day, and a copy
of their proceedings is appended.

We wished to see if it were possible to raise lier and take her to some
good placo for repairs. For that ))urposo the captain of the port, with
some skilled sailore were sent to search for such a place, even within two
leagues from there. They reported to us that the shore was Iringed on
all sides with large rocks over which, even at full tide, there would not be
water enough to pass, and you will see by the results of the council, that
she was condemned to be broken up for want of pontoons and necessary
apparatus.

We have the honour to be, with profound respect.

My Lord, your very humble and obedient servants,

De La JonqujIire.
Bigot.

hors in
ho ends
•0 smiill

l!88el, to

jnougli,
uiWHors

UIlfllOIH

ill turns
» Ueoj) it
n'co siclo
ibk" way
log, the
Jk'sides
lain had
lunched,
couM be
:)n I. roof
h all the
ie having
ip in the
ured, my

B wo pev-
l at dawn
It always

i 80 gveat,
t, that wo
nd a copy

liv to some
port, with
vithin two
ringed on
»uld not bo
uncil, that
I nccesfiavy

■vants,

JJQUIERE.

wiktki.k]

TlIK KING'S 8HII' " l/OUIGNAL "

Tiu' t'oljowiiig seems to be the report of the coiiuiiittt'csiiid signcil by
Iligot alone, although the last paragraph leavos tht' impression that
another sigiuiluro was intended :

QfEHEc, 2nd October, IT')').
My liOiii),

M. do la .Tonquic'-re and mys(!ir have joint I}- bad tlm lionourof reiidiM'-
ing you an account of the loss of the " li'Oi'ignal,' which I feol morn
deeply than 1 can express. Thus there will be no ncHiessity of repeating
to you tho manner in which she was lost.

We had taken all the precautions which appeared expedient to place
her in safety aftei- the launch, which did not sucrt'cd, becauso of the im-
prudence of the harbour master in taking several turns of the ve.-si'ls
hawser round a log on shore, This hawser passed ovtu- the vessel and was
attached to tho cables anchored out in tlu^ stream, and although it was
bold ui> by two boats, the tide dragged it. The master expected to un-
loose these coils Ijotbro she started but had no time, she having unt'ortii-
iiatoly forced out throe of the side keys which held her. Neither tlie
otficers nor M. do la Jonquiiro himself nor I perceived those coils of ro[ e
round tho log.

This loss would not have happened if the buililer had allowed a calle
and anchor to be placed on board before launching. lie pretended that it
would givo tho vessel a list which might cause an accident.

She was completely finished, oven to tho smallest details of the officers'
cabins, and also painted.

I huvo saved the greater portion of the knees, dead eyes and rigging
chains, a quantity of bolts, all the joiner's work which not being damaged
would answer for another vessel. Her cap.stans, i»um{)s, and stern gallery
which being made of iron was as light as, if not lighter than, wood and
took less room. I am poi-suaded that if it had been at IJrect, tho same
description of gallery would have boon placed on the vessels being built
there.

M. ]jevassour has assured mo that tho iron knees can be used on the
" Algonquin," likewise tho rigging chains and dead eyes; the.se latter were
made too strong for the '' L'Orignal.'

r as well as M. do la .lonquidro did indeed think it advisable to havea
vessel constructed on tho same model as the latter, in order to utilize lior
rigging, sails, cables, anchors and all that could be saved from her ; but the
builder has represented to mo the loss there would be on the wood i)ro-
parod for the "Algonquin," that besides, the best part of the wood which
is farthest from the heart, would have to be taken off, that the planking
which was already sawn the proper thickness would have to be reductd
with the axe, that the labour on all these alterations would be very costly
and that moreover the material of tho " L'Orignal" could in a gieat
measure be used on the '"Algonquin."

ipppj,"""wr^»l^r«

ROYAL 80CIKTY Ul' CANADA

All lliOHo roiiKnim, my TiOifl. Iiiivf iniiiici'fl mo Id lojlow tlic kiiiic's onlcM's
for liuildiii;;' tin' '■ Ali;()i.iiiiiii " iiiid to proposn to you to liuvo aiiotlittr ves-
8('l Imilt of tln' sMint' ilinit'iisioriH as '• L'Oiiufiml," uii«l uho Iut ritft^intj,
Hails, ihaiiis and nnchoiN. frnployinij: tlio oak which was discovortMl last
wiiiliM'oii a lu'ighl ol' land, and which I had cxaniiiu'd this snniMKT iiy u
maslcr carpi'nttM' in okUt to ascertain how much ihin-c is of it Ui^ has
made u report thereon which is altaidied. The (juality of this wood
nii.nht lie tested (the wood hitherto used havini^ Iteeii taken I'rorn swamps),
and if it was shown, hy the short life of the ships, to he no iietter than the
other, we would ceasi' to ein))Ioy it.

Il you do not a|)pi'ove of this proposition, 1 will send you all thisout-
til ]>y the kin«;'s ships, if you will have the lijooducss to givo the captains
orders to take it.

Whi'n (he '• i/Orinnal " was launched, the jump she was ohliu;ed to
nuike in eomiiit;' otf the ways, althoui^h an extension of thirty feet had
lieen added to them, was so great that she hroke the running wa}'s and
^ix supjtorts. The pit( h was ^vcen forced out of the seams with snioko
and s(|uirled more than ten feet. The shock was extremely violent, and
lho.se on hoard as.MU't that she hent .some i'our feet and the water came in
a1 once. To prevent a like shock to the " Algonciuin,' I have drawn the
stocks hack thirly-thi'ce feet, having to excavate in the rock to get this
.sjMce, in order that the ves.sel, having farther to run, the slip would he
lower at the water's edge, besides I have lowered the stocks from four and
a half to live feel in I'car, which will give me nearly eleven feet at the
waters edge. Thus the slip which was fourteen feet in height at low tide
v.ill not be more than three, causing the water to reach the vessel on the
(Slocks.

M. (U' la Jonquiere is of the same opinion, and I consulted him before
having this work done. We expected that the " L'Orignal " would sutler
from this jump. The builder alone thought diflerently, but he acknow-
ledu'od his eri'or and readilv set himself to lower the stocks.

We have the honour to be with profound respect, my Lord,

Your most humble and obedient servants,

BlOOT.

Note on the MS. — " Not signed by Jonquiere.'"

OfHcial report of a visit to the oak woods at the River Scnaranac :

We the undersigned overseers maintained by the ki'.ig, and carpen-
ters in his service, having by the Intendant's order proceeded to Lake
Charaplain to cx]jlore and inspect the oak trees at the River au Sables
and vicinity. Arriving at the said River au Sables, we found an Indian
who claimed to be able to find a tine pine grove, .so we got him to guide
lis to it. We ascended the river one day's march without finding any-
thin" but small cypress trees of no value. Next day we returned to the

[wi'hthk]

TIIK KIN(J'S SHIP " L'OIiniNAI- "

river's Juoutli, and up it iifjiiin on the north wido aliont ii It'ii^iic mikI a hail'
in dc'ptli, Wo toiitid an uuk ro^ii)ii of flru» tippoaranco on llx^ lioii;lilM.
Wi' I'ollowi'd tiio said traot of laml and found it lod to laii^c Hwanips ad-
joinini;' tlic laUc Tlio next, day wv wi'nt up tliu river aitoul halt a li':ii,fuo
furth»'r and found anothi'i- oak n'iijion which KmI uk to tin^ liivci- an
Suhios, Aftor that wo visited the River Sunaranac ; we found all nuinil
the iiills an oak region of line apjiearance. We also explored I he river
•■ Du Ifocher" wiiere wo tiiund a lew oak I rees of vrr}' hiid and nearly all
of doubtful appearance.

In liurt visit to the rivers au Sahles and Seiuininae one niiifht lind
onouu;li liniljor to out for two vessels ol sixty guns at least. Wo liavo
marked some of th(i trees, not having marked all because of there being so
many.

JJouo ut Lake Cluimplain on the last day of August, 17.')().

,F(tSEI'll CollIU.V.
PiKUIlK lIlllEHT.

After disnuintling " I/urignal,' oven to her musts, it would appear
tliat jirobably elforts vveio mudo to laiso her. by ])atehing the holes, and
f tlius an extremely high tide llouted her off the reef and ilrifting away

■^ s(jme distance, wliile siidving at the same time, touehetl bottom in about

i ninety feet of water, some four hundred yards out, ojjposito to where is

I now Allans, Rao ^ Company's wharf, lying lore and aft across the river,

ji bow ])oiniing to (Quebec shore and listed over to the southwest.

%i As this wreck or "anchor nest '' iiad become an obstruction to navi-

gation, by reason of the number of anchors caught and lost in it, the (Que-
bec Harbour Commissioners in 187H decided on its removal, and the
contract for blowing her up was given to Messrs. Xobol & Co., of Ardeer.
Scotliuul, the celebrated manufacturers of explosives, through their (Que-
bec agents, at whose disposal the commissioners ])laced tl eir ])owerful
'■lifting barge"' under command of Captain Claude (Jiguere,' an experienced
0])orator in all kinds of wrecking work and raising of sunken timber.

He found by sounding with a long polo, that the sand had accumu-
lated level over hor deck on the southwest siile, leaving the northeast or
lower side clear to the keel ; the sand bank rising again a few feet from
her to a height of some twenty feet or more, like a snowdrift, all of which
was corroborated by the diver at his first descent.

Owing to the strength of the swift current, diving work could only
be performed for about one hour at slack water, that is at the top of high
and bottom of low tide. The mode of removing her was by exploding,
with electric battery, charges of I'rom 100 to 150 pounds, and less when
necessary, of dynamite under her keel and where needed. Jiefore explod-
ing the large charges, the barge, which was always anchored fore and aft

• ' Captain Giguere died on 21th April in 1894.

ROYAL SOCIKTY OF CANADA

directly over the wrock, buoyed one chain, slipped it and avus towed with
the stream away to the extreme end of the other, thus getting clear of
the explosiion, and afterwards was towed back to her former position. A
boat was always ready manned to gather up the Hsh brought up by the
explosion, thus keeping the dinner table on board well supplied with tine
" bar" Hsh or striped bass and other denizens of the deep.

A jointed polo over ninety feet long by three inches in diameter now
came into operation. This pole had at its end a long sharp spear with a
strong eye on its socket to whicli was attached a rope whose other end was
fastened on boai-d the barge. Soundings were made with the pole and
when wood was struck the spear was driven deeper by blows of a large
mallet, if the log could be moved it was raised by hauling on the rope
run over a pulley ; if too heavy, the spear pole was pulled out of its
socket and at slack water the diver ]»laced chains round the log and the
powerful derrick soon had it on deck, through the well in the centre of
the barge.

The largest piece of her side that was raised measured 22 by 70 feet ;
it was hauled up close under the bottom of the barge, which was towed
away at high tiile dropping it in shoal water, where at low tide it was
broken up.

As the work was begun rather late in the summer it had to bo com-
pleted the following yeai', when it was found that the sand had levelled
up considerably, but a great deal of timber had still to be raised. Early
one October morning in 1879, the writer then being the superintendent of
the cxplusive operations, tired the last shot, bringing up a large piece of
square timber with a cleat attached to it by two spikes ; tiiis cleat is in the
library of the Literary and Itistorical Society of Quebec.

From its long iminer.sion the oak was quite black, and many hand-
some mementos in the shape of furniture, walking sticks, &c., &c., were
made from it, but when dry it became brittle, its strength seemed to have
been soaked away, it was also saturated with sand, thei-eby becoming a
grievance to the carpenter, spoiling his band saws and tools, to say noth-
ing of running across an iron spike or bolt. This wood is now very scarce.

From his observations of the timbers that were raised. Captain
Giguire gave a clear description of the build and dimertMonsof •' L'Orig-
nal." She was built of oak and about 175 feet long by 40 feet beam, this
latter being proved by oaken beams 40 feet long by 15 to 16 inches square
raised intact ; the former by sounding with the long spear pole.

From examination of the largest portion that was raised whole, it
would ai)pear that she had two decks, but much broken and torn up by
the ships' anchors catching therein, but the pieces showed they were of
red pine.

The planking and ceiling were all of oak ; between decks the ceiling

was laid on diagonally and to four feet below was close seamed ; below

[wlbtkle]

THE KING'S SHIP " L'OUIGNAL »

c, it
by

thcHC four feet down to the bilge aiitl from bilge to keelson the ceiling was
three inches apart, forming air blocks.

The beams were fastened to the sides by iron knees placed, not as usual
underneath, but on the side of the beam and tv/isted to pass under it and
down the side of the vessel. These knees had each an iron support welded
at each end across the angle making them triangular in shuiio ; they were
made at the St. Maurice forges and were ornamented with rough chisel-
lings ; three of them are still in the stores of the (Quebec Harbour Com-
missioners.

The lower beams were supported by four pieces making two thick-
nesses of wood, shaped the same as her timbers, placed on the ceiling to
strengthen the sides, and were bolted through both ceiling and planking
with one and one quarter inch iron bolts four feet long. Very few tree-
nails were used, and a great portion of the bolting was not through, but.
by large headed spikes, twelve to fourteen inches in length, driven from
outside and inside.

On what lines and model she was built it Avas impossible to determine,
as at that depth of water all was utter darkness ; but from her dimensions
she must have been nearer to one thousand tons than (Ive hundred tons
burthen and intended for a transport or store ship, there being no ports
for guns in her sides.

Twenty-five anchors from thirty-five hundred weight down, with
chains attached were taken out of lun- ; some of the chains were broken,
others cut and some had been unshackled.

ling