During the winter 1880-1881 the negotiations for limitation were continued and met with success, and as the Rothesay, in the spring of 1881, could only get a certificate for "river" work, for which she had been constructed and was well adapted, she was withdrawn to the St. Lawrence River, where she ran between Kingston and the Thousand Islands until in 1882 she grounded and was abandoned.
At length our competitor was gone, having made no money for himself and having caused much loss to others, including his first partners who had introduced him.
CHAPTER XI.
Niagara Camps Formed—more Changes and Competition—Beginnings of Railroads in New York State—Early Passenger Men and Passenger Ways.
The Chicora opened the season of 1881 on May 21st, connections being made with both Canada Southern, and New York Central Railways.
During this season the first "Niagara Camp" was held. On the 5th of June, the Chicora took over on the morning trip the Toronto Field Battery, Mayor Gray, Lieut. Beatty, Surgeon McDonald, sixty-five non-commission officers and men, twenty-seven horses, four guns and five companies of the 31st Battalion, Col. Brown, Major Cameron, Capt. and Adjt. Pollard and Surgeon Barnhart.
From modest beginnings began this annual gathering of the volunteer militia of Ontario, which has since assumed such considerable proportions and greatly extended in its sphere of operations. It has been found by experience that the attraction of a visit to the "Falls," which is possible while at this camp, brings more willing recruits, and the coming into actual touch with the battle fields of the defence of Canada in 1812, creates a sense of duty and of fervour which is very helpful to the service. Many lessons are learned from the remarkable collection of relics of early days, and of stirring times, contained in the Museum of the Niagara Historical Society.[2] Recently the acreage of the camp has been largely added to and Fort George the embanked ancient fortress, just above the steamboat dock has been repaired and renewed.
Just below the ramparts is to be seen a long one story wooden building—the last remaining portion of the old "Navy Hall," the headquarters of Lieut.-Governor Simcoe, where the meetings of the first Parliament of Upper Canada were held in 1792 and where he entertained the Duc de Liancourt in 1795. The other buildings of the group, as shown in the drawings of Mrs. Simcoe, were destroyed or removed in the construction of the Erie & Ontario Railway.