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covered with a platform, and served as^^ a pub- 

 lic promenade. In the batteaux-yard the 

 boats and batteaux employed in the service 

 of government are built, repaired, and laid up 

 during the winter. On the western side of St. 

 Nicholas Street, and fronting that of St. Val- 

 lier, are the ruins of the intendant's palace, once 

 an edifice of much importance and no mean 

 share of grandeur, as the apartments were fitted 

 up with all the splendour that the times could 

 confer upon them, for the Council of the French 

 Government. After the conquest in 1759 but 

 little attention was paid to it, and in the year 

 1775 its ruin as a palace was completed ; for 

 when the Americans, under Arnold, blockaded 

 the city, they found means to establish a body 

 of troops within it ; but they were soon after- 

 wards dislodged from their quarters by shells 

 thrown from the garrison, which set it on fire, 

 and nearly consumed the whole. Near the 

 ruins is a small building preserved in good 

 repair, and appropriated for the residence of 

 the chief engineer of the garrison ; since the pe- 

 riod of its demolition, a small part, that requircid 

 but little expense to restore, has been con- 

 verted into government store-houses. The dis- 

 tinction of Le Palais is still applied to a part 

 of the Lower Town, in the neighbourhood of 

 the ruins. Between Le Palais and the beach 



