History of New Brunswick — 10 - Education, Trade, Revenue, Population, Militia - part 1

CHAPTER VI.

_State of Learning.

Trade.

Revenue.

Remarks on the Lumber Business.

Population.

Militia.

_ The state of learning in this Province is very flourishing at present compared to what it was a few years ago.

When the country was first settled the opportunities of obtaining a liberal education were small and confined to a few.

From this cause many persons who occasionally fill important stations in the several counties, are found very deficient in learning, but this from the many provisions lately made will cease in a few years, and men will always be found to fill all public offices, with learning sufficient to enable them to discharge their several duties with credit to themselves and advantage to the public.

Besides the College of New-Brunswick incorporated by charter, there are Grammar Schools established in several counties which are liberally supported.

By the bounty of the Legislature, twenty pounds per annum is allowed to be drawn out of the Province Treasury for every Parish where a School-House is provided, and the sum of thirty pounds raised by the inhabitants, to enable them to employ good and sufficient teachers, and this bounty extends to three schools in each Parish.

By this liberal public provision schooling is brought to the doors of most of the inhabitants, who will exert themselves to partake of the public benefit.

The College of New-Brunswick is established at Fredericton and endowed with a block of land containing nearly six thousand acres adjoining the town plot.

The Governor and Trustees of this College having surrendered their charter to the King, and petitioned to have the Establishment put on a more enlarged footing; their petition was graciously received and a new charter granted, bearing date the eighteenth of November, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-three.

A grant of a sum of money was at the same time made to the College out of the royal revenues in this Province, to enable the Corporation to erect a suitable building for the President, Professors and Students; and to procure a Library, and Philosophical apparatus for the same.

The Legislature of the Province has likewise granted a liberal sum for the same purpose; in consequence of which a building on a liberal scale is to be immediately erected on a conspicuous part of the rising ground adjoining the town.

The most general seminary for the education of the bulk of the population is the Madras School.

The Lieutenant-Governor and a number of the first characters in the Province, have the management of this seminary, which is incorporated by the name of "The Governor and Trustees of the Madras School in New-Brunswick."

As most of the Parish Schools in the Province are on the Madras system of education, and under the direction of the corporation, I shall close this short sketch of the state of learning in this Province with a statement of that institution copied from the last report.

State of the Madras School in New-Brunswick, in July, 1824, viz.

Saint John, in daily attendance 197 -- total entered 1222 Carleton, " 96 " 143 Fredericton, " 50 " 79 Douglas, " 22 " 45 Queensborough, " " 45 St. Andrews, " 94 " 156 Grand Manan, } " 42 " 89 Grand Harbour, } North Head, " 40 " 76 Westcock, " 45 " 118 Sackville, " 40 Shediac, " 30 " 53 Peticodiac, " 45 " 50 Kingston, 113 Springfield, " 24 " 81 Gage Town, " 25 " 117 Sussex Vale, " 38 " 114 Newcastle, " 39 " 166 Northesk, " 42 " 66 Chatham, " 40 " 51 Hampton, " 26 " 75 Norton, " 60 Maugerville, " 28 " 52 " middle district, " 39 Fort Cumberland, " 49 " 105 Point Debute, " 52 " 62 Jolicure, " 32 " 50 St. Georges, " 38 " 72 Woodstock, middle } " 36 " 135 district, } Upper District, " 35 " 76 Dow's District, " 36 Wakefield, middle } " 21 " 90 district, } Lower district, " 21 " 86 Northampton, " 35 Military Settlement } No. 1, } " 38 " 140 No. 2, " 36 " 131 No. 3, " 24 " 159 No. 4, " 24 " 116 Scotch Settlement, " 20 " 36 ----- In July, 1824 4,379 Add the number in the College at Fredericton, as reported last year 357 ----- Total 4,736 In July, 1823 3,396 ----- Increase during the year 1,340 The trade of New-Brunswick may be comprised under the following heads: EXPORTS TO THE WEST-INDIES.

Boards, shingles, fish, and small articles.

The principal return for which is rum, sugar, molasses, &c. EXPORTS TO GREAT BRITAIN.

Squared timber, masts, spars, oars, lathwood, deals, furs, &c. Ship-building forms also a considerable branch of trade at present.

Some of which are built by contract for merchants in Great-Britain, and others are built and loaded by merchants in the Province, and either employed by them in the exportation of lumber, or sold in Britain.

The returns for this trade are British merchandise, and specie.

There was formerly a considerable trade carried on with the United States in gypsum, grindstones, smoked salmon, &c. and for a short period in the productions of the West-Indies from the free port of St. John, (as well as from Halifax in Nova-Scotia.

) But the trade in West-India produce is now totally at an end, and the other branches much fallen off, so that most of the flour, corn, and bread stuffs imported from thence is paid for in specie, which is a great drain for the cash of the Province: for there are nearly sixty thousand barrels of wheat and rye flour, and from sixty-five to seventy thousand bushels of indian corn, imported annually, besides corn meal, bread, &c. The amount of imports in 1824 was five hundred and fourteen thousand five hundred and fifty-seven pounds sterling, and the exports in the same year five hundred and twenty-six thousand nine hundred and twenty-three, exclusive of exports from the port of St. Andrews, which amounted to about one hundred thousand pounds, besides several vessels built at St. Peters, and other places not in the above statement.

The gross amount of the revenue collected at the different ports in the Province, in 1824 was forty-four thousand six hundred and seventy pounds two shillings and sixpence, New-Brunswick currency.

This when the population of the Country is considered, speaks much for the trade and resources of the Province.

As squared timber is the great staple of this trade, I shall set down the number of tons exported yearly at three different periods, from which the reader may form a pretty correct idea of the quantity usually shipped in a year.

In 1819 the quantity was 247,394 Tons.

In 1822 " " 266,450 " In 1824 " " 321,211 " The above is the total amount from all the Ports in New-Brunswick.

The following statement will shew the total amount of exports and imports of every description in the year 1824. IMPORTS AND EXPORTS.

PORT OF SAINT JOHN, NEW-BRUNSWICK.

_An account of the total number of Ships and Vessels that have entered inwards at this Port and the Out-Bays within the district thereof, in the year 1824, with their Tonnage, number of Men, and the quantity of Goods imported in the same Vessels, together with the value of said Goods in Sterling Money.

--Exclusive of Coasters.

_ SAINT JOHN.

432 Vessels--94,248 Tons--4,192 Men.

Wheat and Rye Flour, bbls.

32,512 Bread, ditto 1,088 Corn, bushels 37,917 Meal, barrels 3,448 Rice, cwts.

1,097 Beef and Pork, barrels 4,719 Sheep, number 26 Horses, ditto 3 Peas and Beans, bushels 1,145 Wine, gallons 14,772 Brandy and Gin, gallons 29,682 Rum, gallons 310,879 Molasses, gallons 110,579 Coffee, cwts.

248 Pimento, lbs.

9,742 Sugar, cwt.

2,988 Salt, tons 4,673 Naval Stores, barrels 2,254 Tobacco, cwts.

1,334 Tea, chests 1,415 Cordage, coils 9,406 Coal, chaldrons 3,703 Oak and Locust Wood, M. feet 62 Onions, Seeds, Apples, &c. bbls.

3,016 Staves, M. 45 Shingles, M. 27 Iron and Copper, tons 2,154 Hides, number 7,724 Mahogany, Logwood, &c. tons 192 Bricks, M. 21 Stone Ware, pieces 22,113 Cotton Wool, bales 134 Slates, M. 95 Oats, bushels 9,863 Barley, bushels 1,452 Wheat, bushels 5,418 Tallow, hogsheads 67 Wood Hoops, number 2,400 Packages of British Merchandise, including cotton, silk and woollen Goods, Sail Cloth, Ironmongery, &c. 24,686 MIRAMICHI.

327 Vessels--94,601 Tons--4,274 Men.

Wheat Flour, barrels 17,285 Bread, barrels 1,063 Corn, bushels 17,262 Meal, barrels 11,598 Rice, cwt.

160 Beef and Pork, barrels 6,016 Peas and Beans, barrels 1,204 Naval Stores, barrels 212 Tobacco, cwts.

727 Tea, chests 280 Cordage, coils 1,144 Coal, chaldrons 1,063 Onions, Seeds, Apples, Nuts, &c. barrels 710 Wine, gallons 6,493 Brandy and Gin, gallons 23,533 Rum, gallons 86,977 Molasses, gallons 23,533 Coffee, cwts.

126 Pimento, lbs.

224 Sugar, cwts.

2,462 Salt, tons 410 Iron and Copper, tons 125 Hides, number 94 Mahogany, Logwood, &c. tons 42 Bricks, M. 82 Stone Ware, pieces 60,300 Slates, M. 34 Barley, bushels 200 British Merchandise, packages 3,600 SAINT PETERS.

33 Vessels--6,143 Tons--302 Men.

Wheat Flour, barrels 184 Bread, ditto 34 Rice, cwt.

16 Beef and Pork, barrels 130 Wine, gallons 61 Brandy and Gin, gallons 1,078 Rum, gallons 2,596 Molasses, gallons 1,675 Sugar, cwts.

48 Salt, tons 250 Naval Stores, barrels 10 Tobacco, cwts.

13 Tea, chests 4 Cordage, coils 67 Coal, chaldrons 24 Iron and Copper, tons 35 British Merchandise, packages 142 RICHIBUCTO.

86 Vessels--17,490 Tons--830 Men.

Wheat Flour, barrels 889 Bread, ditto 283 Meal, ditto 631 Beef and Pork, barrels 493 Peas and Beans, bushels 135 Wine, gallons 968 Brandy and Gin, gallons 3,581 Rum, gallons 10,821 Molasses, gallons 5,967 Coffee, cwts.

15 Sugar, cwts.

202 Salt, tons 680 Naval Stores, barrels 39 Tobacco, cwts.

29 Tea, chests 36 Cordage, coils 56 Coal, chaldrons 125 Iron and Copper, tons 25 British Merchandise, packages 1,322 SHEDIAC.

19 Vessels--4,018 Tons--208 Men.

Wheat Flour, barrels 7 Bread, barrels 60 Beef and Pork, barrels 29 Brandy and Gin, gallons 120 Rum, gallons 20 Molasses, gallons 105 Sugar, cwts.

9 Salt, tons 180 Naval Stores, barrels 17 Tobacco, cwt.

11 Cordage, coils 23 Coal, chaldrons 7 Iron and Copper, tons 28 British Merchandise, packages 176 RESTIGOUCHE.

13 Vessels--2,226 Tons--118 Men.

Bread, barrels 5 Beef and Pork, barrels 7 Peas and Beans, bushels 14 Rum, gallons 972 Molasses, gallons 1,010 Sugar, cwts 3 Oats, bushels 40 Salt, tons 50 Naval Stores, barrels 5 Cordage, coils 33 Coal, chaldrons 6 Iron and Copper, tons 6 Stone Ware, pieces 3,000 British Merchandise, packages 50 DORCHESTER.

4 Vessels--841 Tons--37 Men.

Total value of Goods L514,557, sterling CLEARED OUTWARDS.

SAINT JOHN.