Beauharnois de la Chaussaye, Francois de. Baron de Beauville (1726-1729) (intendant at the port of 
     
     Rochefort). Letters to the Minister of the Marine. {Archives de la Marine: Archives mar/times, Port de 
     
     Rochefort, Série E: Services administratifs. Correspondence de l’lntendant avec la Cour.] 
     
    

    
     1726: 16 March. [PAC, Reel C12879, Vol. 355, p. 30] 
     
    

    
     1726: 6 April. [PAC, Reel C12879, Vol. 355, p. 37] 
     
    

    
     1729: 8 March. [PAC, Reel C12879, Vol. 358, p. 18] 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     The fol/o wing extracts, from letters sent by Francois de Beauharnois lb. 7 665, d. 7746/, the intendant of the Marine 
     
     at the port of Rochefort in south western France, to the minister of the Marine at Versailles, the Count of Maurepas, 
     
     concern an attempt by the Marine in the 7720s to extract masts and timber from ile Saint-Jean. Beauharnois had 
     
     been appointed intendant at Rochefort in 1 710, with an allied intendancy at nearby La Rochelle, posts he was to 
     
     hold for twenty—eight years. As intendant Beauharnois was the chief official of the Marine at both parts and because 
     
     virtually all supplies and directives to North America went through either Rochefort or La Rochelle, he acted as the 
     
     funnel/er of policy and directives from the French court to New France, including Louisbourg and ile Sain t-Jean. He 
     
     had direct Canadian experience, having lived at Quebec from 1702 to 7 705 while intendant of New France (second 
     
     in power only to the governor). The Sieur Fleury of La Rochelle, who sparked the 77208 enterprise by writing to 
     
     the minister, appears to be Charles de Fleury Deschambault, a Canadian-born merchant and ship-o wner, who was 
     
     also a director of the Company of ile Saint-Jean. Although this was to lead to considerable activity on the island 
     
     between 1726 and 1728, in the end nothing was to come of it: during the whole of the French period, Canada, let 
     
     alone the island, never became a major supplier of timber to France — the costs were prohibitive. 
     
    
   
   
    
     REFERENCES: 
     
    
   
   
    
     Dubé, J.-C. (1974) Beauharnois de la Chaussaye, Francois de, Baron de Beauville. Dictionary of Canadian 
     
     Biography, III: 51-54. 
     
     Rodger, A. (1974) Fleury de la Gorgendiere, Joseph de. Dictionary of Canadian Biography, III: 217 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     1726: 16 March 
     
    
   
   
    
     J’ay receu Ia Lettre que vous m’aves fait l’honneur de m’ecrire le per de ce mois au 
     
     An inspection sujet de la proposition que le S' Fleury doit m’envoyer pour tirer des mats de I’Isle de 
     
     of island masts 8‘. Jean apres que la visite aura este faite de ceux de cette Isle qui sont a la Rochelle. 
     
     at La Rochelle. Je comptois Mgr ne vous rendre compte de cette affaire qu’apres qu‘elle seroit faite 
     
     mais le contre maitre de battelier de la masture estant tombé malade, je suis obligé 
     
     de differer de faire faire cette visite jusques a ce que ce contrem'e soit en Etat 
     
     d’accompagner I’officier de port que j’envoyeray pour cela a la Rochelle. 
     
    
   
   
    
     [PAC, Reel 12879, Vol. 355, p. 30] 
     
    
   
   
    
     1726: 6 April 
     
    
   
   
    
     J’ay l’honneur de vous adresser le procez verbal de la visite des mastreaux qui ont 
     
     este tirés de I’lsle de 8‘. Jean. ll paroist Mgr par Ie procez verbal que la qualité de ces 
     
     The masts fail masts n’est pas trop bonne, qu’ils sont tous de differentes manieres pleins de noeuds 
     
     the inspection. d’un gros grains et sans humeur ce que le S’ Fleury pretend par Ie memoire c'y joint 
     
    
   
   
    
     que j ’ay receu de luy ce matin que cette secheresse provient de ce que ces masts 
     
     sont de vielles - - - 
     
    
   
   
    
     gig/5:25:22: le—jeint—pae—a—eet-t-e—let-t-Fe. Si vous aviés Mgr agreable d' ordonerr a M. de Mezy de 
     
     faire abatre quelquesldes Pins et deo Epinettes rouges et blanches et d’ en Envoyer 
     
    
   
   
    
     to be cut au 
     
     des troncons par le retour du V du Roy on jugeroit mieux de la qualité deeee—beie 
     
     cette masture. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     [PAC, Reel 12879, Vol. 355, p. 37] 
     
    
   
   
    
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