72 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



two were the chief places in New Brunswick in this period. On the 

 North Shore no places of importance arose in this period, the local 

 trading centres for the still scanty population at Miramichi being at 

 Wilson's Pointy while at Restigouche it was at Atliol Point. 



e. Outlets of the lumber trade. The lumber trade in this period 

 was especially active at Passamaquoddy, which, after 1800, was export- 

 ing large quantities both of square and of sawn timber, and it was also 

 important along the St. John, but it hardly rose to any importance in 

 this period on the North Shore. Up to 1808 much pine timber was 

 reserved for the use of the Crown (for masts for the Eoyal Navy), but 

 in that year this restriction was removed, whereby the trade in pine 

 timber was facilitated. 



/. Water powers. These rose to importance in this period, not 

 only those of tthe smaller streams for sawing lumber and grinding grain 

 for local use, but also those of greater power for sawing lumber for export 

 and shipbuilding. About 1800 the numerous fine water powers at the 

 mouths of the principal rivers in Charlotte were being fully utilize'3, 

 tlius determining important villages at St. Stephen and Milltowii, at 

 St. Patrick (at the mouth of the Digdeguash) at St. Oeorge, and 

 probably at Lepreau and other places to the eastward. These rivers 

 had a great advantage and thus received a great start over all others in 

 the province, including the St. John, in their abundance of fine timber 

 supply with a combination of fine water powers and good harbours at 

 their mouths. This advantage they lost later only through the exhaus- 

 tion of the lumber. On the North Shore, on the other hand, these 

 conditions did not exist, and there the trade was entirely in hewn 

 timber, so that those localities had to await the advent of the steam 

 mill before they could export sawn lumber in any amount. Along the 

 St. John the water powers of the various branches seem to have been 

 utilized in this period chiefiy for local purposes. 



g. Fishing and hunting centres. This period marks a great decline 

 in the importance of 'the fur trade (and other phases of hunting) as 

 determining settlements, but the fisheries rose steadily in importance, 

 especially the salt-water fisheries, which became increasingly important, 

 at Passamaquoddy and at Miscou, determining the settlement of the 

 various islands by indcjiciulont n.shcrmen in the former case and the 

 establishment of powerful f(jreign fishing companies, which still persist, 

 in the latter. The salmon fisheries, too, continued important in this 



(p. 50) shows that only sqnnre timber was sliipped from Miramichi ami in very 

 small quantity prior to this time, and it was not until after 1812 that the timber 

 trade became important on that river. The history of the trade at Restigouche 

 would be similar. 



