[cruikshank] administration OF SIR JAMES CRAIG 73 



and the men in charge declared that they would resist any attempt to 

 make them return by force and were permitted to proceed to St. Johns.^ 

 Other rafts afterwards succeeded in crossing the boundary in a similar 

 manner. Elsewhere, houses were built as smuggling resorts, half being 

 in Canada, and the other half in the United States. The Embargo and 

 !N on-Intercourse Acts, consequently became a source of great profit to 

 Canadian merchants and shipmasters. The harbour of Quebec was 

 thronged with vessels and rafts while the American seaports were silent 

 find deserted. So numerous and well organized were the bands of smug- 

 glers tliat President Jefferson finally issued a proclamation declaring 

 that certain districts of Vermont were in a state of insurrection and' 

 requiring the Governor of that State to call out a force of militia to 

 restore order. - 



Craig lost no time in strengthening the defences of Quebec. The 

 old walls were repaired and new works built. A powerful battery was 

 built on the highest ground within the Citadel and eeveral martellio 

 towers were constructed on commanding points without. 



A line of telegraph stations was established connecting the Citadel 

 of Quebec with Bic. Six regular officers were appointed inspecting field 

 officers of militia, and put in charge of the several districts into which 

 the province was divided. Preparations were made to embody one-fifth 

 of the militia, but were not carried into effect. The expenditure of 

 'public money upon the fortifications of the city created considerable 

 industrial activity, and the Governor-General himself maintained a much 

 greater retinue of sentants than his predecessors in office, and enter- 

 tained liberally. During the summer of 1808, he resided at the Powell 

 House, near Wolfe's Cove, four or five miles from the city, where, from 

 time to time, he invited most of the principal inhabitants to breakfast 

 M'ith him in the open air. He kept a large number of horees and gave 

 his patronage to races, which wore held on the Plains of Abraham. 



His apprehensions of a war with the United States were much 

 abated by the arrival at Washington of Hon. D. M. Erskine, as a special 

 envoy from Great Britain; and Craig readily promised that every pre- 



1 Lambert, Travels, Vol. I, 254-5. 



'Le Canadien quotes a statement from the" Louisville Gaspttc (l8th June, 

 1808): "There are in Upper Canada more than 740 persons who have deserted 

 at different times from the service of the United States. There are now 

 in prison in Canada about 140 who have refused to perform military service 

 and to bear arms against the United States. Many of these are citizens of 

 the United States who have emig'rated to Canada in the hope of obtaining 

 grants of land. Within two months about 300 families have returned to 

 the State of Vermont who had been lured from the United States to the 

 British Colonies." 



