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Baye-de-Phelypeau and requesting that the British Government recognise their claim as it had been practically impossible to dispose of the concession with the period of 18 months after the signing of the Treaty of Paris, as provided by the terms of the treaty.1 Falling ratification of the grant, they asked for compensation.
The Lords of Trade recommended that the stipulations of the treaty be not departed from and that no new grant be issued to subjects of the French King residing in France.2
1779, The heirs of Brouague petitioned for, reinstatement in their concession or a new grant of same.3
1785, Cugnet, an eminent jurisconsult, reported to Lieut. Governor Hamilton that, if the Governor authorised the registration of the patent of 1759, de Chanteloup and other heirs would have the right to demand compensation from the persons who had operated the concession after the death of Brouague, 15 March, 1761.4
1804, Mathew Lymburner and John Wm. Woolsey, curator of estate of John Crawford sold “Bradore” and other posts to William Grant.5
1808. John Richardson, as curator of the estate of William Grant, sold “Mador” (Bradore) and other posts to Langan, Burns, Woolsey and Lymburner.6
PETIT-HAVRE CONCESSION.
FRENCH REGIME
1730, Jonquière and Bigot granted Petit-Havre concession for nine years (1751 to 1760) to Antoine Marsat. The concession included a front of one league above and one league below Petit havre by three leagues in depth and also the islands opposite. It granted the exclusive right to take whales and seals and to hunt and trade with the Indians within its limits.7
1754, Duquesne and Bigot issued an ordinance defining the eastern limit of Baye-de-Phelypeau as about 400 toises (one-half mile, nearly) east of anse Ste. Claire. As Petit-Havre is between anse Ste. Claire and Baye-de-Phelypeau (Bradore bay) this decision also annulled Marsal's grant.8
p. 3180
ANSE-SAINTE-CLAIRE CONCESSION.
FRENCH REGIME
1750, Jonquière and Bigot granted to Sieur Tache for nine years (1750 to
1759) the tract of ungranted land lying between Baye-Forteau and Baye-de-Phelypeau concessions, by four leagues in depth, with the islands opposite.
The grant included the exclusive right to take seals, hunt and trade with
Indians within the limits of the concession.1
1751, Taché having abandoned his concession, Jonquière and Bigot
granted to Michel Fortier for six years (1752 to 1758), a tract with a frontage
of about two leagues and lying between pointe des Blanc Sablons and pointe
de la Forte (Forteau) or Grincedents, by four leagues in depth, with the islands
opposite and with the same privileges as had been granted to Taché.2
1752, as Brouague had claimed that Fortier's grant was included in Baye-de-Phelypeau concession, Bigot issued an ordinance ordering the determination of the eastern limit of Baye-de-Phelypeau. Pending such
determination, he granted Fortier permission to take seals during 1752. This
permit was renewed for 1753 and for 1754.3
1754, Duquesne and Bigot cancelled Fortier's concession on the ground
that a survey by Pellegrin had proved that Fortier's post was within the limits
of Baye-de-Phelypeau.4
BRITISH REGIME.
1761, Governor Murray granted, for the purposes of a seal fishery, the
tract of land from a point two leagues west of Belsamont to two leagues east
of Anse St. Claire for three years (1761 to 1764).5
1808, John Richardson, as curator of the estate of William Grant, sold
certain posts, including Anse-Sainte-Claire, to Langan, Burns, Woolsey and
Lym burner.6
BAYE-FORTEAU CONCESSION.
FRENCH REGIME.
1715, De Ramezay and Begon state that Boishebert, who had just returned
from a cruise along the coast to a point seven leagues below Bradore bay,
had reported that fishing operations were being carried on as far east as
Forteau bay.7
p. 3181
1748, Galissonière and Hocquart granted to Adrien Desmarais Vincent
for nine years (1748 to 1757), Forteau bay, together with the tract of land of
about three-quarters of a league frontage, lying between pointe des Dunes and
pointe de Grincedents, by four leagues in depth, with the islands opposite.
They granted the exclusive right to take seals, hunt and trade with the
Indians.1
The concession was ratified in 1749 for a period of seven years only (1749 to 1756).2
ANSE-A-LOUP CONCESSION.
FRENCH REGIME.
1748, Galissonière and Bigot granted to Joseph Deschenaux for nine
years (1749 to 1758), a tract of land to be taken from cap au Diable, and
including the cape, westward about two leagues to the western limit of the
anse a Loup, by six leagues in depth, and including the islands opposite. They
granted the exclusive right to take seals, hunt and trade with the Indians
within the limits of the concession.3
1749, the grant was confirmed for the term of seven years only (1749 to 1756).4
BELLEISLE STRAIT SEIGNIORY.
FRENCH REGIME.
1713, Vaudreuil and Begon granted to Pierre Constantin for ten years
(1713 to 1723), a tract with thirty leagues of front “depuis le détroit de Belisle
en descendant au nord nordest,” by ten leagues in depth, with the islands
opposite. It granted the right of hunting, fishing and trading with the
Indians within its limits subject to the performance of “foy et hommage,”
the payment of the “droits et redevances accoutemées, suivaut la coutume
de Paris” and keeping “feu et lieu” thereon.5
Constantin established himself at two points on the strait, namely,
Baye-Rouge and Riviere-des-Francois and applied for a grant known, later, as
St. Modet concession, which see.
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ST. MODET CONCESSION.
FRENCH REGIME.
1715, Courtemanche, as Commandant on the coast of Labrador, forbade
Constantin to erect a permanent establishment “au dessous de la Forteau”
bay and ordered him to return with his employees before winter set in.1
Brouague, in 1738, stated that Constantin's first “hyvernement” was
on the rivière des Francois. His evidence also proves that Constantin
carried on fishing operations at his Rivière-des-Francois and Baye-Rouge
posts in 1713, 1714, 1715 and 1716.2
1716, the King granted Rivière-des Francois (St. Modet) concession to
Pierre Constantin for his lifetime, provided he continued to develop it. The
concession granted the exclusive right to take seals within its limits, to take
fish in common with other French subjects and to trade with the Indians.
It extended two leagues eastward and two leagues westward from Constantin's
“habitation” (post), on rivière des Francois (Pinware river) by four leagues
in depth and included the islands opposite.3
In a marginal note on Courtemanche's memoir, it is stated that Vaudreuil
recommended that this concession be granted to Constantin on the ground
that Constantin had been the first who had gone to Labrador and that, later,
he had taken Courtemanche there.4
1717, captains and other officers of vessels stated that it was in the interest
of the State and of commerce both of the “Baye of Canada que de la Coste
du petit Nord” that Constantin be appointed to receive and protect the boats
and gear left on the coast in the autumn. They also petitioned that a post
be established at Baye-Rouge. This was, later, cited by Constantin as a proof
that his Baye-Rouge post was established at a later date.5
1719, Brouague stated that Constantin established his Baye-Rouge post
in the autumn of 1719.6
1720, Brouague stated that the Eskimo had killed three of Constantin's
men and burned his post.7
1721, Brouague reported that Constantin was rebuilding Baye-Rouge post.8
1723, Boucault and Foucault stated, in 1738, that Constantin leased
Baye-Rouge to Canan and Deferrière, merchants of St. Maio, who operated
it till 1723.9
1732, Constantin leased his posts at Baye-Rouge, Rivière-des-Francois
(Pinware river) and Ste.-Marie-de-l'Ancres to Francois and Pierre Rotot and
Pierre Hamel for seven years (1733 to 1740).10
1734, Foucault, Boucault and Cheron petitioned Beauharnois and
Hocquart for the grant of a seigniory with the right of “haute, moyenne et
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Basse Justice” the concession to extend from the rivière des Francois to anse
à Loup, with such depth as Beauharnois and Hocquart might determine, and
including the islands opposite.1
1735, Beauharnois and Hocquart granted to Francois Foucault and
Gaspard Boucault for nine years (1735 to 1744), a tract of land with five
leagues of front by six leagues in depth extending westward from the rivière
des Francois (Pinware river) but not including same, and with the islands
opposite. The concession granted the exclusive right to take seals and trade
with the Indians within the limits of the concession.2
A fortnight later, Boucault and Foucault entered into partnership with Cheron, conceding a one-third interest to Cheron.3
After reciting Constantin's complaint that Foucault and Boucault's
grant at St. Modet included part of his concession, the Prèsident du Conseil
de Marine instructed Beauharnois and Hocquart to investigate and report.4
Foucault and Boucault, in their memoir to Hocquart, stated that Constantin's
“habitation” in 1716, when the concession was granted to him,
was at Baye-Rouge and, therefore, as it was four or five leagues distant from Grand St. Modet island, the latter was outside the limits of Constantin's grant.5
1736, Boucault and Foucault complained that Brouague's employees
were killing seals at Longue pointe, seven or eight miles from St. Modet,
to the detriment of St. Modet post. Hocquart issued an ordinance forbidding
Brouague and his partner, Desauniers. to take seals to the southeast of, and
below, baye Phelypeau.6
1737, the President du Conseil de Marine instructed Beauharnois and
Hocquart to investigate the dispute respecting St. Modet and, if either party
deserved a preference, Constantin, as the first grantee, should receive it.7
1738, Beauharnois and Hocquart, pending further investigation, adjudged
St. Modet to be operated by Constantin, Boucault and Foucault in the proportion of one-third each. Boucault and Foucault having demurred to this
arrangement, Constantin was ordered to take over the vessel and crew that
Boucault and Foucault had engaged, also the post they had constructed at
St. Modet and the munitions and gear at Quebec and St. Modet.8
Hocquart also appointed arbitrators to inventory and valuate the
munitions and fishing gear in the stores of Foucault and Boucault at Quebec
and St. Modet.9
Boucault and Foucault stated that, in May 1733, they had sent a schooner,
with a crew of 17 men under Capt. Cheron, on a voyage of discovery. Having
found a seal fishery, they sent Cheron there in 1734; in 1735, they sent a
vessel with a crew of 30 men; in 1736, they sent two ships with 50 men and
in 1737, they also continued operations.
They petitioned for the confirmation of the St. Modet concession and for
a grant of the Vieux Fort islands, although the latter were unquestionably
in Isles de Mingan seigniory.10
[1927lab]
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