Measures to 
     
     conserve 
     
     the wood. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Masts can be got 
     
     from He St-Jean. 
     
    
   
   
    
     An inspection of 
     
     island masts at 
     
     La Rochelle. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The mas ts fail 
     
     the I'nspec t/on. 
     
    
   
   
    
     New samples 
     
     ordered to 
     
     be cut. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The inspection at 
     
     La Rochelle. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Sejour dur et difficile, il faut prendre des mesures pour prevenir cet inconvenient et 
     
     l’intention du Roy est que vous y mettiez l’ordre et la Regle necessaire, il est 
     
     indispensable que l’on coupe les bois sur les terres qu'on veut ensemencer, mais en 
     
     mesme temps il est de consequence que ces couppes ne se fassent qu’a mesme 
     
     qu'on est en Etat de les preparer pour les Ensemencer, que chaque concession 
     
     conserve une partie de son terrain en bois debout, que dans les endroits Eloignez et 
     
     dans ceux ou I’on ne fera point de defricher on y conserve les bois avec soin et que 
     
     Iorsque la necessité demandera qu’on en coupe ce ne soit qu’au pied de I’arbre afin 
     
     que les racines soient en Etat de repousser et de perpetuer la repouce des bois soit 
     
     pour Ie chauffage, soit pour les Batiments, Je vous prie de donner les ordres les plus 
     
     severes pour que le tout soit exactement observé, Sans cette precaution cette Colonie 
     
     manqueroit de bois et Seroit bientot detruitte et abandonée, il est d'une grande 
     
     consequence de Ie prevenir. 
     
    

    
     [PAC, AC, Series B, Vol. 57, fols. 741—741v] 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     1726: 1 March — (at Marly) to Beauharnois (Intendant at Rochefort) 
     
    
   
   
    
     Sieur Fleury of La Rochelle writes to me, Monsieur, that he has a sure knowledge that 
     
     we can get masts from lle St-Jean in any quantity and size we wish, that there are 
     
     lots of facilities to embark them without any costs or help other than the crews of the 
     
     f/uttes which we would send, that its quality is better than that of Canada and that 
     
     it would cost much less. He adds that if I agree to this proposition he will give a more 
     
     detailed account and that we can in the meantime make a trial of some of these 
     
     masts that are at La Rochelle. It is necessary that you organize their inspection, and 
     
     in order to go ahead with this business I am writing to Sieur Fleury to send you his 
     
     proposal so that you will then send me the report of the inspection of these masts 
     
     and will note for me your opinion on it all. 
     
    

    
     [PAC, Reel 12879 Vol. 355, p. 30] 
     
    
   
   
    
     1726: 26 March — (at Marly) to Beauharnois (Intendant at Rochefort) 
     
    
   
   
    
     I will await your report of the inspection that you were to have carried out on the 
     
     masts of He St-Jean belonging to Sieur Fleury, a merchant at La Rochelle. 
     
     [PAC, Reel 12876 Vol. 107, p. 62] 
     
    
   
   
    
     1726: 16 April — (at Versailles) to Beauharnois (Intendant at Rochefort) 
     
    
   
   
    
     I saw from the report of the inspection of the mast material from lle St-Jean belonging 
     
     to Sieur Fleury that they are not at all of good quality. I have also examined the 
     
     report that was sent back to you by this merchant on the subject of this masting. As 
     
     there must be presently a detachment of troops on this island, I will give an order to 
     
     Monsieurs de Saint-Ovide and de Mézy to have a few pines and red and white 
     
     spruces cut and to send sections of them in order to judge the quality of this mast 
     
     material. 
     
    

    
     [PAC, Reel 12876 Vol. 107, p. 74] 
     
    
   
   
    
     1726: 28 May — (at Versailles) to Saint-Ovide and Mézy (Governor and 
     
     Commissaire respectively at Louisbourg) 
     
    
   
   
    
     Sieur Fleury, a merchant at La Rochelle, having written to me in the month of March 
     
     last that we could get a lot of masts from ile Saint-Jean, and that he had a few of 
     
     them at La Rochelle that could be inspected to ascertain their quality, I gave the 
     
     orders necessary to carry out this inspection. You will see from the copy of the 
     
    
   
   
    
     66