1788, June, The Town Of Sydney In June, 1788

Many thanks: that’s all clear.

I have re-cast the description taking in what we have dug out.

A view of Sydney, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, looking east from its harbour on what was then called Spanish River – the inlet leading to Spanish Bay about twelve miles to the north. The town was founded in 1785 by the military cartographer Captain (later Colonel) J.F.W. Des Barres, though there had been a previous small French settlement there. Des Barres was appointed British lieutenant-governor of Cape Breton from 1784 but only arrived on site at Sydney in January 1785. Following local dissension with his regime, he left for England on 13 October 1787 never to return, and was succeeded by Colonel William Macarmick who remained at Sydney into the mid-1790s. The location is confirmed by early maps which clearly show the Barracks (constructed 1785-86) as the largest structure on the headland on which the town was built. The inscription 'No.1' in the top right corner of the wash-line surround also shows the drawing was one of a series (the others not being present in the collection). Curiously, the British flag flying at centre is a white ensign, or an otherwise 'defaced' St George's cross, rather than a Union. The white ensign at this time was only a Royal Naval squadron colour, not the overall naval flag it became in 1864 so its use here is not easily explained. The draughtsman may have been an army officer at Sydney or a visiting naval one: both were trained to make this type of view for professional purposes, though the sky and sea are more artistically rendered than in many such examples. If a military artist, the style suggests he could have been trained by Paul Sandby, who was senior drawing master at the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich, 1768–96. On Wednesday 24 September 1788, during his late Canadian cruise as captain of the frigate 'Andromeda', Prince William Henry (later William IV) made a visit to Sydney, of which there is informal account in the journal of Lieutenant - later General - William Dyott (1761–1847) who accompanied him. Dyott first notes that before sailing up river the Prince visited to the coal mines closer to Spanish Bay, which were a main source of local revenue, and reports that Sydney was then garrisoned by part - in fact six companies - of the 42nd Regiment (the Black Watch) under Lt-Col. [Charles] Graham, who dined on board with them. He makes no reference to Macarmick, which suggest he may not have been there at the time. ‘The town’, he continues, ‘…consists of about fifty houses… surrounded to the very sides of the buildings [i.e. of the town as a whole] by an almost impenetrable wood. There is a narrow path from the barracks just to keep up a communication, and that’s all the clear country I saw. The barracks are shamefully bad; the troops have cleared a good parade [ground] and made themselves as comfortable as their situation would allow. The officers had no rooms in the barracks, and were obliged to build huts and log-houses.’ On Monday 28th the Prince and Dyott dined on the other side of the harbour with a 'Mr Cayler' (Abraham Cuyler), ‘secretary to the Government of Cape Breton. We had a good dinner, and got outrageously drunk, Prince and subject.’ 'Andromeda' left on Thursday 1 October, returning to Halifax, after ‘a very pleasant week [and] rather more wine than was good for our constitutions’. (‘Dyott’s Diary, 1781–1845…’, ed. R. W. Jeffery [1907], vol. 1, pp. 58–59). An even more disparaging 1789 account of the town and its economy by an anonymous army writer appears in Brian Tennyson's 'Impressions of Cape Breton' (1986) pp. 60-61. This drawing appears to be part of the Macpherson Collection, acquired in 1928: it has long been filed amid images of Sydney, New South Wales, equally long assumed to be one, and was only correctly identified in November 2017.

Best wishes and in haste. Must get off

Pieter

From: Eric Krause
Sent: 08 November 2017 20:44
To: Pieter van der Merwe
Cc: Catherine Arseneau
Subject: Re: From Eric Krause - Prince William Henry - Town Views

Hi Pieter:

The views are taken with the ships or a boat in Sydney harbour, and for the sake of this discussion, let's say that they were anchored where the note "archives of Canada" is located on this 1795 copy of a map, but even further westward within the harbour . Given the Christian cross at Levante (E) shown on the compass, our 1788 painter would be looking EAST toward the town. From there too, in the case of 1785 Booth who was also looking east, he could equally look North East up the harbour towards its mouth and toward the mines on the opposite shore as described in 1788.

Click On The Image To Enlarge It

Desbarres was appointed lieutenant governor of Cape Breton Island and actually arrived on the island in 1784 but did not arrive in Sydney until 1785, the official date of its founding. He left in 1787 and did not return in 1788 as you asked me, and, in fact not at any later date in the 18th century did he return to Cape Breton. From 1804 to 1812, he was Governor of Prince Edward Island, and, yes, he did go there, where in typical manner, he again stirred the pot.

Re Prince dining with DesBarres: Might this be a transcription error from the original manuscript and rather than "He dined with his Royal Highness" it should be "We dined with his Royal Highness"?

Eric

On 2017-11-08 11:29:01 AM, "Pieter van der Merwe" wrote:

OK: just to clarify since I don’t know the topography

(1) what is the compass point towards which one is looking in the NMM drawing, and from which named stretch of water?

(2) ditto, the Booth drawing, if different?

(3) so Des Barres founded (or re-founded if originally a French settlement acc Dyott)- only in 1785 and though nominally lieutenant-governor of Cape Breton from formal appointment in 1784 to 1805 in fact left in 1787 and did not return there at all: is that correct? It would mean that whatever Dyott meant by the Price dining with Des Barres it was somewhere else and at some other time than at Sydney.

(4) Presumably he did go to Prince Edward Island when appointed lieutenant governor there in 1805?

Pieter

From: Eric Krause
Sent: 08 November 2017 15:08
To: Pieter van der Merwe
Cc: Catherine Arseneau
Subject: From Eric Krause - Prince William Henry - Town of Sydney, Etc.

Hi Pieter:

Comment in question:

"The town of Sydney consists of about fifty houses situated on the banks of Spanish River, and surrounded to the very sides of the buildings by an almost impenetrable wood. There is a narrow path from the barracks just to keep up a communication, and that's all the clear country I saw ..."

This makes sense only if he is describing the land east of the stretch of buildings fronting the harbour and its esplanade - that is to say, for example, to include Great George Street - and to the south toward the Mira River. And, yes, there was but a narrow path that led from the barracks [to, I am surmising, North Charlotte Street which lay to the east of the esplanade] "and what he meant by "that's all the clear country he saw", he meant: the Military Grounds, the fifty houses and the properties on which they stood, the Esplanade, and perhaps the narrow path itself.

Sydney - 1785 - Lots of Woods

Founding of Sydney by Lt. William Booth, 1785

Re Sydney's size - I assume that you mean that that there were 50 houses? An open question and I wouldn't worry too much here - varies on who is saying it and why, and what is counted. BTW - which account were you referring to?

Your comment in a separate note that you sent:

"PS to previous: the footnote on p.58 of Dyott is misleading. the quote from AG Bradley's life of Wolfe (1850, but pp. 108-09 in the 1895 edition) describes Louisbourg in c. 1758, not Sydney"

Correct, he was describing the Town of Louisbourg that fell in 1758. But where Dyott might have confused and thought it to be 1757 - some 30 plus years earlier - is that there was indeed a serious Royal Navy expedition to take Louisbourg in 1757, but that the fleet had to turn back owing to a strong French Naval force then at Louisbourg.

Dyott is also a bit off with current events as well - like thinking that in '83' Des Barres was sent out as governor. Of course, that he didn't arrive in Sydney until 1785 [DesBarres: Leaves England (October 16, 1784); Arrives Halifax (November 14, 1784); Arrives Cape Breton (December, 1784 -[Note: Arrives St. Peter's Bay - Isle Madame - December and Arrives Sydney, January 1785]

Finally, DesBarres, to my knowledge, never returned in 1788 to Nova Scotia because of fear of arrest:

"In 1787, from Cape Breton Island, "... DesBarres departed for Europe, having chartered an old brigantine to convey him thither. Having been warned that those who claimed money from him [he had kept the Sydney colony going pretty much on his own signature], because of the bills which had been dishonoured, were waiting to have him arrested, he sailed to the Island of Jersey where he arrived on December 7th. He sent a requisition to Lord Sydney asking for a guarantee of immunity from arrest so that he might safely visit London, but this was refused [Sydney, who was to get DesBarres the job as Cape Breton's governor, but just a few years earlier was to desert DesBarres]. He, thereupon, went secretly in disguise to England and reached Whitehall in April, 1788." (John Webster Webster, The Life of Joseph Frederick Wallet Desbarres (Shediac, N.B.: Privately printed, 1933), p. 42.)

Eric

On 2017-11-08 6:10:10 AM, "Pieter van der Merwe" wrote:

Well spotted: it was very late when I had a quick look for a googlebook only and forgot to check archivestream. That helps improve the drawing description though its curious he describes the landscape round the barracks as densely wooded, which is not obvious from the drawing. He also appears to say Des Barres was back in NS (if not Sydney) by autumn 1788 and dined with WH (which implies his stay in London in April was only brief) unless 'He dined with his Royal Highness' simply means that the had done so at some earlier point. According to the footnote on p.58 his description of Sydney's size at the time seems at odds with another: which is more correct do you think?

I think the newspaper refs to standards all mean the same thing, i.e the Royal Standard: the 'English' one is a journalistic paraphrase, since when it was lowered as the 'Royal' standard it was a small version of that which was hoisted in the Prince's boat - which was (and is) normal practice when they are being flown for royalty afloat.

Pieter

From: Eric Krause
Sent: 08 November 2017 02:28
To: Pieter van der Merwe
Cc: Catherine Arseneau
Subject: From Eric Krause - Prince William Henry - Andromeda - Dyott

Hi Pieter:

Here is an online version:

https://archive.org/stream/dyottsdiaryselec01dyotuoft#page/n0/mode/2up/search/about+three

On 2017-11-07 9:44:32 PM, "Eric Krause" wrote:

Hi Pieter:

Here I have attached the newspaper account where the 2 types of flags struck while in Halifax Harbour are described:

(1) the standard of England
(2) the Royal Standard

Nova Scotia The Halifax Gazette, September 2, 1788

On 2017-11-07 8:21:20 PM, "Pieter van der Merwe" wrote:

William Henry's 'state' visit to NS was not his first: he had paid a similar diplomatic call at Havana in 1783, when still a lieutenant, on which occasion the ship also flew the Royal Standard -though he was not commanding it.

This is shown in a painting by Serres, though the Standard is too small to see online

https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/the-arrival-of-prince-william-henry-later-william-iv-at-havana-9-may-1783-94363/view_as/grid/search/works_auto:havana/page/1

His ship is the one in mid-distance, not the Spaniard in the right foreground.There is a bit more detail in the NICE entry one can reach from there, but it still has the misdated previous title wrongly giving the location as Rio de Janeiro -which it clearly isn't and which WH never visited- and the date as 1790.

WH would only have flown the Standard on such occasions. He did not routinely have the Standard flying on any ship he was on in his role as a sea officer, either as a subordinate or a captain.
Chapter 5 of Philip Ziegler's biography, William IV , says a little about his Canadian jaunt in Andromeda, on which he was sent back transatlantic by his disapproving father George III to get him away from the arms of a Mrs Winne, into which he had fallen on return from the West ndies in the Pegasus: it was a round of drunken revelry in a squadron commanded by a captain even more disreputable than he was and there appears to be a good account of his progress in the private journal of one of the lieutenants, William Dyott: see Dyott's Diary, ed R.W. Jeffery (1907). Ziegler uses that though not at a detailed level and I can't see an online full text. However it does contain two refs to 'Sydney (Cape Breton)' in vol 1 p. 58 and 59 and two to Cape Breton more generally on 33 and 57.

None of this however helps with the 'white ensign' puzzle.
best wishes
Pieter

From: Eric Krause
Sent: 07 November 2017 19:14
To: Pieter van der Merwe
Cc: Catherine Arseneau
Subject: From Eric Krause - Prince William Henry - Andromeda - Flag

Hi Peter:

I have gone to the Halifax newspapers of the day, and I see in a paper of September 2, that the Prince was in Halifax as early as August 24 or 25 [still checking this day out], 1788 and so the account that I referenced earlier looks to be incorrect. So --- I am on the hunt to see exactly what day he arrived here in Halifax and in Sydney if possible.

But of interest to you re the flag I see this, that on Tuesday, September 2, 1788, when "His Royal Highness Prince William Henry" was on the ship and prior to his landing on shore off the Andromeda, the standard of England was displayed at the masthead of the Andromeda but when he departed for land, then the Royal Standard was struck at the masthead.

When I have more, I will send you precise details and sources.

Eric

From: "Eric Krause"
To: "Pieter van der Merwe"
Sent: 2017-11-07 11:48:46 AM
Subject: From Eric Krause ---- Double More--------- PAH3153: 'The Town of Sydney [Cape Breton] in June 1788'

Hi Peter:

Research on the fly!

Re the painting and flag:

Have looked at "Letters and Papers of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Thos. Byam Martin, G.C.B.
By Sir Thomas Byam Martin" and in Appendix A, unfortunately I see that the Andromeda was not at sea until July 31, 1788, and did not arrive in Halifax until September 1, 1788 - and so not in Sydney harbour in June 1788, but later that year.

But still, a good chance that the painter was on board one of his majesty's ship in June in the harbour? Perhaps Catherine has some ideas on this??

Eric

From: "Eric Krause"
To: "Pieter van der Merwe"

Sent: 2017-11-07 10:38:54 AM
Subject: From Eric Krause ---- More --------- PAH3153: 'The Town of Sydney [Cape Breton] in June 1788'

Hi Peter:

Re the Flag - 'defaced' St George's cross

Perhaps raised because of the visit of Prince William Henry - later Henry IV - who visited Sydney in 1788, in the frigate Andromeda? Perhaps Meres did the painting? See below:

Prince William Henry visited Newfoundland in June, 1786: "James S. Meres, watercolour, “The Town and Harbour of Placentia from Castle Hill,” dated summer 1786. Source: Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN no. 2833964.

On 2017-11-06 10:30:40 PM, "Pieter van der Merwe" wrote:

Thank you for that: useful to know he’d left by June ’88 – very interesting man not least from being reputed to have danced on the table to mark his 100th birthday! We have the superb Henry Newton Stevens collection of his ‘Atlantic Neptune’ (practically all states of all of it).

I’ve just loaded an amended text on the drawing on RMG Collections Online though it may take a day or so to appear as the system updates. At some point we’ll do a decent photo. If anything else is known by the ‘hand’ which did this the handwriting and or style may identify him in due course.

Best wishes
Pieter

From: Eric Krause
Sent: 06 November 2017 21:43
To: Pieter van der Merwe
Cc: Catherine Arseneau
Subject: From Eric Krause ----- PAH3153: 'The Town of Sydney [Cape Breton] in June 1788'

Hi Peter:

What a wonderful surprise!

I really have nothing further to add, other than to note that by June of 1788, Desbarres was in England. He arrived there in April of 1788. [In July 1787 DesBarres was recalled to London; On October 13, 1787 he departed Cape Breton; On April, 16, 1788 he arrived in Whitehall).

But I must also note here that Cape Breton University will be thrilled with your discovery, and I am sure that they will want to follow this up with you immediately.

As you may have noticed, I have included a cc to Catherine Arseneau, and see below for her entire title:

Catherine Arseneau
Director, Cultural Resources
Art Gallery, Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University (CBU)
902.563.1326
catherine_arseneau@cbu.ca

Office: CE-271-A

Again, thanks for sending me the update. Fantastic!

Eric

From: "Pieter van der Merwe"

Sent: 2017-11-06 2:39:15 PM
Subject: PAH3153: 'The Town of Sydney [Cape Breton] in June 1788'

Dear Mr Krause

I think you will find the attached of interest. I am about to put it online on the Royal Museums Greenwich Collections web pages, with the brief text below, but, since the maps on your very useful website were useful in confirming what it shows, I wonder if you have any other comments before I do so. If you can add anything we would be grateful. I don’t recognize the handwriting which does not look like Des Barres’.

‘While long filed amid later views of Sydney, New South Wales, in 1788 that location was still known as Port Jackson. The buildings shown - especially 'The Barracks' , which is the only structure specifically identified other than the town - are also far more developed than anything built in 1788 by Arthur Phillip's 'First Fleet' to Australia which only arrived there in mid January, at Botany Bay, and had shifted a little north to Port Jackson by the end of that month. The place shown is therefore Sydney, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, which was established by the military cartographer Colonel J.F.W. Des Barres in 1785, who was also British lieutenant-governor of Cape Breton. It is a very rare early view landward from the enclosed bay in which Sydney is situated, the identity being confirmed by early maps which clearly show the Barracks as the largest structure on the headland on which the town was built. The inscription 'No.1' in the top right corner of the wash-line surround also shows the drawing was originally one of a series (the others not present in the collection). Curiously the British flag flying at centre is a white ensign, or an otherwise 'defaced' St George's cross, rather than a Union. The white ensign at this time was only a Royal Naval squadron colour, not the overall naval flag it became in 1864 so its use here is not easily explained. The artist may have been a military officer under Des Barres or visiting naval one.’

We do not know where the drawing came from except that it appears to have been one of the several thousand drawings and prints of ports, harbours, ships and other maritime subjects in the Macpherson Collection, which became one of the founding holdings of the National Maritime Museum here at Greenwich in 1928 (which was also six years before the Museum’s official creation in 1934).

Best wishes

Dr Pieter van der Merwe MBE, DL
General Editor and Greenwich Curator (Emeritus)
Direct +44 (0)208 312 6635

Royal Museums Greenwich
National Maritime Museum | Cutty Sark
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