6S TRAVELS THROUGH LOWER CANADA" 
. % 
issued, shortly after we left Kingston, for lay¬ 
ing up the other vessels of war, one alone ex- 
j _ % 
cepted *. For one King’s ship there would be 
ample employment on the lake, in conveying 
to the upper country the presents for the In¬ 
dians and the stores for the troops, and in 
transporting the troops across the lake when 
they changed quarters; Every military officer 
at the outposts enjoys the privilege of having 
a certain bulk, according to his rank, carried 
for him in the King’s vessels, free of all charges. 
/ 
The naval officers, if their vessels be not other¬ 
wise engaged, are allowed to carry a cargo of 
merchandize when they sail from one port to 
another, the freight of which is their per¬ 
quisite ; they likewise have the liberty, and are 
constantly in the practice, of carrying passen¬ 
gers across the lake at an established price. 
The commodore of the King’s vessels on Lake 
Ontario is a French Canadian, and so likewise 
are most of the officers under him. Their uni¬ 
form is blue and white, with large yellow but¬ 
tons, stamped with the figure of a beaver, over 
which is inscribed the word, Canada.” Th<^ 
naval officers are under the controul of the mi¬ 
litary officer commandant, at every post where 
* Subsequent orders, it was said, were issued, during the 
summer of 1/97, to have one or more of these vessels pul* 
3£ain in commission. 
