IIISTOKIC'AL SKETCH. 15" 



SIK OKOKGE CALVEKT. 



Next came anotlifi' gallant kniglit — Sir (Icoigc Calvert, after- 

 wards Lonl Baltimore — a gentleman of keen intelligeiu-e ami 

 liigli cliaraeter. From Janie.s I. lie olitained a patent conveying' 

 to him the lordshiji of the whole southern ])eninsnla of New- 

 foundland whieh he named Avalon. He l)uilt a nolde mansion 

 at Ferrvland, and brought out a numlter of emigrants of a su]>e- 

 rior tyjie. His settlement, however, was so much harrassed hy the" 

 French that he l)ecame disheartened and returned to Englaml ; 

 hut nearly all the colonists he hrouglit Mith him remaint-d to in- 

 crease the resident ]iopidation. 



SIR DAVID KIKKE. 



The brave sea-captain — Sir David Kirke — olttained the next 

 chai'ter from Charles I. in 1638, and it conveyeil a grant of the 

 Avhole island. He did much to promote the settlement of the 

 country and governed wisely. He tlieil at Fenvland in IGGo,-. 

 at tlie age of fifty-six. 



THE FRENCH IX NEWrOUNDLANXJ. 



All this time the French had been struggling to found an em- 

 l)ire in the New Worhl. In doing so they never lost sight of a 

 l>roject early formed for the conquest of Newfoundland. The 

 jjcssession of it they knew wonhl enable tlieni to control the fish- 

 eries, and also to command the narrow entrance to the St. Law-- 

 rence and their Canadian possessions. Hence tliev never ceased 

 their efforts to obtain a footing in the island ; and llieir jiresence' 

 and encroachments were a constant annoyance to the English 

 settlers. As early as 1635 the Frencdi managed to obtain ])er- 

 mission ti'om England to dry fish on the shores of the island, on 

 jjayment of a duty of five per cent, on the produce, which duty 

 was afterwards remitted. In 1660 they founded Placentia on the" 

 .southern coast, and erected a strong fortification for its jnotection. 

 From this centre they succeeded in jilanting other settlements on 

 the same shore. iJesperate eftbrts were made liy them again and 

 again to effect tlie con([uest of the island. Their successes, how- 

 ever, were short-lived ; and though they cajtturcd St. John's more" 



