Verrier, Etienne (1733-1734) (Chief engineer at Louisbourg). 1733: 23 September. Contract for works on lle Saint-Jean. [PAC, AC, C”B, Vol. 14, fols. 323-328v] 1734: 6 November. Letter to the Minister of the Marine. [PAC, AC, C”B, Vol. 16, fols. 188-189]

The following extracts contain details on tree species and lumber sizes for a government contract of 7 733 for building and fortification works at Port La-Joie. The specifications in the contract were drawn up by Etienne Verrier (b. 1683, d. 774 7), the chief engineer at Louisbourg, who visited Port La-Joie in connection with the works. The contract was awarded in October 1733 to Lieutenant Pierre Paul d ’Espiet de La Plagne, who was already familiar with Part La—Joie, having served there previously under his uncle, Jacques de Pensens, the commandant at Port La- Joie from 7726 to 7736. La Plagne ordered the building supplies from local settlers, and supervised and paid the labourers when the work was completed. 3000 posts for the palisade were cut and transported to Port La-Joie in the winter of 1733. However, due to uncertainties and second thoughts on the part of various officials, including Pensens and Verrier himself, as well as the failure of the minister of the Marine to allocate sufficient funds to cover all of the work, it appears that only the buildings were completed and that the palisade was never constructed. It is not known what use was made of the 3000 posts. Verrier’s comment of the following year that cedar, the preferred wood for the palisade, did not occur on the island, is indicative of a general lack of knowledge of the west of the island at this stage on the part of the local officia/dom - though there had in fact been a settlement on the west side of Ma/peque Bay since 1 728.

REFERENCES:

Schmeisser, B. M. (2000) Building a Colonial Outpost on l/e St. Jean — Port La Joye, 1720- 7 758. Atlantic Service Centre, Parks Canada. , Thorpe, F. J. (1974) Verrier, Etienne. Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Ill: 643-46.

1733: 23 September

Marché pour les ouvrages a faire a /’is/e 8’. Jean, 23 sept 7733.

Two buildings Sr Lapiagne nous stipulant pour et au nom de Sa Majesté de faire faire tous les ENC/039d by a ouvrages pour la construction en charpente de deux corps de Battiments dont l’un pal’sade- servira de Logement au Lieutenant de Roy, Commandant a l’lsle 8'. Jean et des

officiers detachés en ladte. Isle, et l’autre pour un magasin des Vivres le tous

entouré par une Clotture de palissades qui formera une place d’armes et lesquels led S’ Lapiagne est obligé de faire construire aux conditions et aux prix porté cy aprés [fols. 323—323v]

The framing: 5e. Article — Charpente. Tous les bois de charpente seront de bois a pin rouge a vive red pine. arresté bien sains et coupé en bonne saison, les potteaux cormiers et les potteaux de remplage auront pour les moins de douze pouces d’Equarrissage, ainsy que led. Liens, guettes, Solages et Chapeaux, et a I'égard des Soliveaux ils auront huit pouces sur neuf pouces d’Equarrissages, et seront pareillement de bon bois de pin rouge, bien

sain Floors and 6e. Article — Planchers et Clo/sons. Les planchers seront faits de madriers de pin de partitions: pine. deux pouces d’Epaisseur Blanchis d’un cotté bien Embouffettés d’un bois bien sain

bien arretez et clouez . Les cloisons seront pareillement faite de madriers de pin de deux pouces d’Epaisseur

Bien Embouffetés et Blanchis de deux Cottes, Bien arrettés avec Cloux lfol. 324v]

75