‘Alexander Murray. 95 
supposed to be the only source of wealth and the interests 
of the mercantile class were opposed to the development of 
any others. At first Mr. Murray’s reports, pointing out 
the other riches of the island, were received with incredul- 
ity, but after a time there was a reaction in the opposite 
direction and a mania for mining and prospecting set in. 
Copper was successfully mined in large quantities in several 
places, but many speculative enterprises failed, and blame 
was unreasonably cast upon the Survey. ‘The information 
contained in Mr. Murray’s reports in regard to the timber 
led to the carrying on of lumbering operations in several 
quarters. ‘These reports also showed the existence of con- 
siderable areas of cultivatable land around Bay St. George, 
and in the valleys of the Humber, Exploits and Gander 
rivers and more serious attention has since been paid to the 
agricultural capabilities of the colony. All this has given 
the people new ideas and has led to great changes in the 
positions of classes. The affairs of the colony are no longer 
controlled entirely by the merchants, nor do the working 
men depend so exclusively as formerly upon the fisheries. 
Other industries are springing up and a railway is being 
built across the island. 
Before closing this brief sketch of the late Alexander 
Murray, we must say a few words about his domestic life in 
Newfoundland. After having been a widower for six years, 
he married Miss Elizabeth Cummins on 28th January, 1868. 
Five children were born of this marriage, namely, Mary 
Isabella Logan, 24th March, ’69; Frances Augusta, 30th 
December, 70; William Edmond Logan, 11th September, 
"72; Alice Oliphant, 17th August, 74, and Alexander 
Greene, 3rd January, 76. Sir Wm. Logan left £1,000 stg. 
for the benefit of the eldest son who had been named after 
him. Murray was greatly pained when he heard the news 
of the death of his old chief and life-long friend to whom he 
was much attached, and he wept like a child. 
As before remarked, he was created a C.M.G. in 1874. He 
acted as aide-de-camp to Sir John Glover, Sir Henry Maxse 
and Sir Frederick Carter, respectively, while these gentle- 
