Navigating the Lower Saint Lawrence in the 19th Century.
 
      What the nature of Mr. Christie's appointment from the committee for managing the affairs at Lloyd's may be, we know not; but we rather suspect he may have mistaken it; and we most sincerely thank those gentlemen for the opportunity they have given us, in furnishing a copy of that part of his letter, to ward off the blow which his envenomed shaft was calculated to inflict. The liberality and justice of the British underwriters is known and felt throughout the universe, and will no doubt point out to them the proper manner of proceeding, where the characters of individuals have been maliciously, unjustly, falsely and wantonly misrepresented by an agent of theirs. How Mr. Christie can reconcile such conduct to himself, we are at a loss to find out: surely the way to earn his salary from the committee, (for it is to be supposed he has one,) is not by advocating cases against them, which Mr. Fraser's certainly was, or by falsely representing others who have happily succeeded in doing their duty. We shall do Mr. Christie more justice than to suppose even he could believe, that the salvage was to be borne by us, or that it made any other difference to us, whether the underwriters or Mr. Fraser got the proceeds, than the wish faithfully to fulfil our duty to those by whom we are paid, and which, by the foregoing award, appears now at least we have done.
    (Note: The list of 185 persons in London, Liverpool and Dundee entrusting Messrs. George & William Hamilton to look after their interests is available on request, but not significant to the present case.)

    An apology for this lengthy statement, will not, we trust, be deemed necessary, by the thinking part of our readers, when it is recollected that the invidious attempt which has been made by Mr. Christie to vilify our characters, has attacked us in those points, which, we trust, will ever be considered of the greatest consequence to British merchants - their honour and humanity.		  
      George & William Hamilton.  
      Quebec, October 8th, 1811.      
 
    P.S. Unfortunately we have not been furnished with the documents mentioned as accompanying Mr. Christie's letter; had we, they should have formed a part of this statement; however, we trust, he may think himself called upon to produce them to the public.		  
  G. & W. H.    
 
 
Quebec Gazette #2430 17/10/1811 Page 2, Col. 4T.
 
      On Saturday next the 19th instant, will be sold, on the wharf of Messrs. Monro & Bell, for the benefit of the underwriters and others concerned, precisely at one o'clock:
    The undermentioned articles, saved from the sloop Phoenix, William Gibbons, Master, from Trinidad, stranded on Green Island, viz:
    36 puncheons strong proof Tobago rum, 8 puncheons molasses and one puncheon of lime juice,		  
 and afterwards, 
      3 pipes excellent port wine, 4 barrels cider in bottles, 3 tierces bottled ale, 6 chests Hyson tea, 6 pipes Teneriffe wine, and 50 barrels apples, and other articles, by  
      John & Munro,  
      Auctioneers & Brokers.  
     Quebec, 13th October, 1811.      
 
 
Quebec Gazette #2434. 14/11/1811. Page 2, Col. 4C.
 
      A statement of facts, relative to proceedings upon the ship Trio, stranded last autumn, upon the shoals of Mille Vaches, in the St. Lawrence, having been ushered into public notice, under the sanction of Messrs. Hamilton, of this city, may have given room to expect some attention to that subject on my part. I am not flattered, nor am I offended at the epithets with which they have condescended to embellish my reputation, being liberal enough to presume, that these gentlemen have, contrary to their usual precaution, forgotten to consult their learned counsel previous to insertion of the present statement. I shall therefore pass in silence, any allusion to myself in that production, and these gentlemen will not mistake the present as a compliment, in return for the conspicuous place they have given me amongst the heroes of their poem.  
 
G. R. Bossé©2001-05 Page 9 Chapter 1811

outline Table of Contents Table of Contents

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