42. 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



of Upper Canada from 1808 to 1816, was every inch a Governor, and the adminis- 

 tration of the country was in his hands down almost to the smallest detail. He 

 kept a watchful eye upon the public domain, and, following the good example set 

 by Simcoe, he sought diligently to promote its settlement. 



In May, 1803, Col. Thomas Talbot commenced the settlement known by his name 

 on the shores of lakeErie, in what is now Elgin county. JS"ext year an expenditure of 

 £250 currency was made under his di- 

 rection in building a road through his 

 lands. When Gore became Governor 

 a memorial was addressed to him by 

 Talbot, praying for a plan of settle- 

 ment similar to the one adopted in 

 the formation of Yonge street, which 

 in Talbot's opinion would result in 

 completing the road to the full extent 

 of the first intention. The matter 

 was referred to the Executive Council, 

 who reported to the Governor that 

 the district to be served by the pro- 

 posed road was very thinly 'inhabited, 

 that in no other part of the Province 

 was the want of facility of intercourse 

 more sensibly felt and experienced, 

 and that the money already expended 

 would be entirely lost to the public if 

 the design of continuing the road was 

 frustrated. Besides, it was felt that 

 a highway extending through the 

 country and occupied by a good class 

 of settlers would add to the value of 

 the large adjoining block of land 

 which had been set apart in South- 

 wold, Yarmouth and Houghton as the 

 source of a fund for public schools. 

 It was therefore advised that a grant 

 of lots of 200 acres should be made to 

 persons willing to become settlers on 

 each side of the projected road, sub- 

 ject to these conditions, viz : (1) That 

 within two years from the time each 

 settler was permitted to occupy a lot 

 he should build thereon a good and 

 sufficient dwelling house of at least 15 

 by 20 feet in the clear, and occupy it 

 in person or by a substantial tenant. 

 (2) That within the same time he 

 should clear and fence ten acres, and 

 clear and open up one-half of the width 

 of road in front of his lot, and cut down 

 all trees within a hundred feet of the 

 road. But as the lots proposed to be 

 granted under this scheme were parts of 

 the lands set apart for public schools, it 

 was recommended that land of equal 

 extent and value should be appropriat- 

 ed elsewhere for the same object. 



The office of Surveyor General was vacant at this time, and was occupied by 

 Messrs. Chewett and Eidout as acting Surveyors General.* They were commanded 



years, and again Mr. Chewett became acting: Surveyor General, but he never attained the full rank. 



A Page from the London Township Journal. 

 Reduced to % size. 



