Penetang Strikes National Treasure: Schooner Days MCXXVIII (1128)

by C. H. J. Snider

PENETANG and Western University trolled for a muskie and hooked a treasure chest, when hunting for the U.S.S. Scorpion this summer. The Scorpion is still available at the bottom of the bay, but the haul Wilfred Jury landed on Aug. 29 involves a fortune which calls for federal exploitation for the general advantage of Canada.

Premier Frost, alert to Ontario's educational and commercial interests, has been invited by the Penetang Chamber of Commerce to. study and inspect the situation.

TREASURE TROVE

Penetang and Prof. Jury have brought to life an ancient Canadian military and naval establishment and Indian depot, much more interesting nationally than the pre-revolution town of Williamsburg, Capital of the old Commonwealth of Virginia. The restoration of the town, in full color and costume, does more than draw thousands of visitors to Virginia every year. It teaches millions of Americans history they would never learn otherwise. The Penetang finds present Canadians with the same opportunity.

Archaeologist Jury has located the sites of more than 30 buildings, the wharf, skidways, sawpit, forge and equipment of a naval shipyard aspiring to frigates. He has also placed the powder magazine and ordnance stores, the loopholed stone-built officers' quarters, the foundations of barracks, hospital and administrative buildings of a forgotten outpost of empire.

PENETANG'S PAST

John Galt, faring forth in 1827 to, found Galt, Guelph and Goderich, came to "Penetanguishene, the remotest and most inland dockyard that owns obedience to the meteor flag of England, where, by orders of the admiralty, his Majesty's gunboat, the Bee, was placed at my disposal." The Bee sailed him to the Maitland River on Lake Huron — and Goderich resulted.

Other notables found Penetang the springboard for high adventure. Sir John Franklin came here on his Northwest Passage expeditions of 1825-27. Lord Morpeth. Lord Prudhoe and Sir Henry Harte, captains, RN, came to Penetang to reach the Great Manitoulin. Rear Admiral Ross passed through the establishment to seek the North Pole.

The establishment was in full flower by 1830. Into it British taxpayers poured a million pounds sterling for the defense and development of "the Canadas."

The monster anchor at Holland Landing shows the scale upon which Britannia furnished this infant nation's cradle. That anchor, sent out from Chatham arsenal, 3,000 miles away, would hold the largest ocean frigate. It was intended to build one at Penetang, to dominate the Upper Lakes. A set of sails for a 32-gun frigate was sold at a "vendue" of naval stores at Penetang in March, 1832.

TWELVE MEN-OF-WAR

The Royal Navy based upon Penetang numbered twelve vessels, it began with H.M.S. Confiance, and H.M.S. Surprise, ex-Scorpion and Tigress, captured American prizes of battle, H.M.S. Newash, brigantine; and H.M.S. Tecumseth, schooner, were added, then these, smaller schooners, Mosquito, 31 tons, Bee and Wasp, 41 tons each, Firefly, unknown tonnage;. lugger galleys, Troughton, used by Lieut. Bayfield, and Ramsden, used by Mr. Collins, Bayfield's assistant, in Admiral Owen's Great Lakes survey.

There were also two iron paddlewheel gunboats of 60-horsepower the "steam-sloops" Minos, 1843, and Mohawk, 1847, and the steamer Experiment, possibly the one built for Lake Ontario in 1837.

OLD ARMY POST

Military force was needed for the protection of the arsenal and because of Indians. Two thousand Potawatomi, driven out of American territory, and many native Hurons and Ottawas annually flocked to Penetang for their treaty "presents" and for medical treatment and rations.

In 1828 troops from Drummond Island, a detachment of the 71st, Lieut. Ingall, 79th, Lieut. James, and 15th, Lieut. Ingall, were withdrawn to Penetang.

Besides the bluejackets of the fleet thirty Royal Marines were attached to the Establishment. These British regiments from time to time had detachments stationed there: 34th, Lieut. Hutton, 1838; 93rd Highlanders, Lieut. Hay, 1840; 84th Reg. Lieut. West, 1844; Royal Canadian Regiment, Lieut. Black, 1846; Lieut. Fitzgerald, 1850; Lieut. Moffat, 1851; Enrolled Pensioners, Capt. Hodgett, 1851, Incorporated Militia, Col. Davis, were also there in Rebellion times, 1838. Two soldiers who died of heat prostration in a hot night march in the Rebellion are buried in the cemetery.

CONTINENT'S OLDEST?

Evidences of such occupation are the treasure chest the town of Penetanguishene has opened with the help of the University of Western Ontario. The whole northwest arm of the harbor remains to be explored. It was a naval basin.

Penetang has spent $6,000, too much to ask from one municipality. But 17,000 admissions this season to the museum started in the restored officers' quarters shows the interest awakened.

One of the attractions there is possibly the oldest gun in America. The town paid for it and is well advised to retain it. It was bought from a Christian Island Indian, who found it there in 1929. It is a crude piece of metal work the chamber of bronze, octagonal in section, and the barrel of 15 iron bands or rings fitted together. On the butt or chamber is a fleur-de-lys crown, with the initials "Le G C," a dozen Roman numerals, and the figures "1630" or "1650." The top of the third figure is missing. It is identified as the gun known to have held the Iroquois off from Fort Ste. Marie at Midland three centuries ago.