Cape Breton's Magazine

very careful about it. (If they ever ex? isted.) If they were ever there. (So he's moved on to a new phase of his life, the post-Atlantic Neptune.) Exactly. And that next phase centres around a num? ber of things. By 1783 he publishes the At? lantic Neptunee And at the same year, the American Revolution is over. And the Amer? icans get their independence. And the Ad? miralty still owes DesBarres money for the Atlantic Neptune. And he is going to get that money. No one is going to prevent him from getting his due. That's when Cape Breton comes into the scene. Loyalists are moving up from the United States. And the Colonial Office hits upon the idea--having been coaxed into it by Abraham Cuyler, the former mayor of Albany, New York, with a band of Loyalists--to make Cape Breton a separate colony. Samuel Holland, in his survey of the coast of North America in 1763, had suggested that Cape Breton would make a good separate province. Now the British government looked at this as a place to put Loyalists. Because Quebec was rapidly filling, and they didn't want any trouble, with too many Englishmen in a French area. And they were moving into Ontario, of course. But that was still utter terra incognito. But there was this nice little place here, on the coast. The only problem was that Britain didn't want to spend any money. But Holland had pointed out that, going back to the days of Louisbourg, less than 30 years previously, there was prosperity here, a very booming French colony. Plus, Holland had pointed out, and DesBarres had seen, the coal reserves. So the idea was that this place had a great potential, for lumbering, agriculture, fishing, of course, and coal mining. The Colonial Office, sometime in the sum? mer of 1784, had come to the conclusion that they were going to break Cape Breton away from Nova Scotia. So who was going to be the governor? DesBarres was in London by that time, trying to get his pa5niient for the Atlantic Neptune. And he felt that he would be an obvious choice. Meanwhile, Abraham Cuyler (former mayor of Albany, New York) had got wind of this (the decision to make Cape Breton a sepa? rate colony). Cuyler had high-tailed it over to England at the same time, in early 1784, to the Colonial Office, to say, "I can bring 3000 Loyalists to Cape Breton." And he had ambitions to be, if not gover? nor, at least in the government of the new colony. Now, there's no record of Des? Barres having met Cuyler there during this time. Both ambitious men. Both looking to run the colony. And that was never re? solved, really. Even after the colony be? gan, DesBarres and Cuyler fought; they nev? er got along. And Cuyler was finally part of the downfall of DesBarres as governor of Cape Breton colony. At any rate, DesBarres pushed his case with numerous requests, numerous peti? tions, I mean 25-, 30-page petitions, in which he lays out his whole career. He sends these petitions to Lord North, and later. Lord Sydney. And convinces them that the colony can be run efficiently. Now remember, Britain has just fought a war, so she's broke. She's got to pay all ' Career Opportunities Nova Scotia Department of Education A Career in Modern Technology Technical programs related to surveying, mapping, scientific computer applications, land-use planning, and environmental resource management are available at N.S. Land Survey Institute. Programs are at the post-secondary level. Some are suitable for those who wish to acquire technical skills for the first time; some are designed for those who wish to enlarge and improve on earlier training and experience. N.S. Land Survey Institute P.O. Box 10-A Lawrencetown Annapolis Co., N.S. BOS 1IVI0 Hon. Terence R.B. Donahoe, Q.C. Minister • 1 • ?'> I ?? ?? ?? I ' Frea Kierce Limitea Bicycles & Appliances • Parts & Accessories Oil, Coal, Wood Heating Systems & Stokers 249 Charlotte St., Sydney, N. S. (564-8484) 7 snn an pay exp F sta tlia C onl Co Sm the C Bi Managemfiiit expertise. You have it with... CASE FBDB he challenge of running a counselling Cy successful, all business: you have to be retired people who are knowl- sxpert at everything... from edgeable in your type of roll to profits, inventory to business, orts, cash flow to promotion. p' CASE counsellor can help act is, you can't be an in- you improve your business nt expert in everything, and operation, quickly, 's where CASE can help. :ase is a service offered , j? ''"' out how CASE can y by FBDB. It stands for help your business, get in jnselling Assistance to touch with your local Federal all Enterprises and it can be Business Development Bank secret of your success. Branch office at: 564-7710. ;aSE provides hands-on aCKING INDEPENDENT BUSINESS ifl'' Federal Business Banque federale • QBT Development Bank de developpement '??'' La Banque offre ses services dans les deux langues officielles. CanadV > (28)