82 F. C. WURTELE ON 
and took supper at M. de Tonnancour’s. The distance from town to the forges is 
nine miles.” 
The notes referred to by Franquet, addressed to the French court, contain little of 
sufficient interest to require translation. He dwells upon the nature of the management, 
the necessity of greater economy, the advisability of sending out competent operatives and 
furnace men from France, and lays down, in general terms, a plan for the successful work- 
ing of the mines. We have reason to believe that many of his suggestions were acted 
upon by the French government, as a marked improvement was effected in the manufac- 
ture of iron work at the forges from 1752 to 1759. 
These extracts are from the only reliable authorities on the subject in early Canadian 
history, and clearly establish the discovery of iron ore, and subsequent working of the 
St. Maurice Forges, until the year 1752, within a very short time of the conquest of French 
Canada by the English. 
On September 18th, 1759, the battle of the Plains of Abraham was won by General 
Wolfe, and Quebec subsequently capitulated. The war was carried on for a year longer 
before the whole of Canada was ceded to England. The articles of capitulation between 
Lord Amherst, commander-in-chief of his Majesty’s troops in North America, and the 
Marquis de Vaudreuil, governor and lieutenant of the king of France in Canada, were 
signed at Montreal on September 8th, 1760. 
In Article 44 of these capitulations the following clause occurs :—‘ The papers of the 
intendancy, of the officers of the comptroller of the marine, of the ancient and new 
treasurers of the King’s magazines, of the officers of revenues and Forges of St. Maurice, 
shall remain in the power of M. Bigot, the intendant, and they shall be embarked for 
France in the same vessel with him. These papers shall not be examined.” 
Thus the St. Maurice Forges, and all pertaining thereto, became the property of 
George III, king of England. The employés were kept on, and the forges were worked 
under the direction of the military authorities for five years, when they were transferred 
to the civil government of Trois Riviéres. The following letters narrate the management 
of the forges during what is termed the “Military reign” in Canada, and prove that 
General Amherst lost no time in getting the works in operation under the new regime. 
“ Lettres et Placards afflichés dans la gouvernement des Trois Rivières, 1760 à 1764, 
durant la régne militaire. 
“Ordres à Monsieur Courval, inspecteur aux Forges, pour la régie des Forges, ler 
Octobre, 1760. 
“ MONSIEUR :—Son excellence, M. le Colonel Burton, m’a ordonné, de vous faire sçavoir, 
qu'en consequence des instructions qu'il à reçu de Monsieur le General Amherst, il juge 
à propos de faire exploiter a loisir la fonte qui est déjà tirée des mines, et pour cette effet 
voudroit retenir sur le même pied que ci-devant les ouvriers dont vous trouverez les noms 
à la suite de la presente. Le charbon étant un article indispensable, et dont les forges sont 
actuellement mal pourvués, et son excellence ayant appris qu’il y en a plusieurs fourneaux 
déjà preparés ; il vous plaira d'engager en qualité de journaliers les charbonniers et autres 
que vous jugerez absolument necessaires pour faire la cuisson et autre ouvrages dependants 
de cette partie là. Vous tiendrez, s’il vous plait, une compte exacte des gens que vouz em- 
ploirez, du temps que durera leurs travaux, et de quantité de charbon qu'ils feront. Vous 
