By, John (1781-1836). Born in England. Entered the army in 1799. In 1802 came to Canada; returned to England in 1811; and served in the Peninsular War. In 1826 again came to Canada, and engaged on important military and engineering works until 1832. Constructed the Rideau Canal from Bytown (Ottawa) to Kingston, the first steamer passing through in the spring of 1832. Bib.: Morgan, Cel. Can.; Dict. Nat. Biog.; Women's Can. Hist. Soc. of Ottawa, Trans., vol. 1.
Byng, John (1704-1757). Born in England. Entered the navy in 1718. In 1727-1736 stationed at Mahon, Minorca; and in 1747-1748 commanded in the Mediterranean. In 1756 engaged the French at Minorca and after an indecisive battle retreated to Gibraltar, leaving Minorca to its fate. Recalled to England, court-martialled, and shot on March 14, 1757. Index: WM His reserve at Minorca, 33. Bib.: Dict. Nat. Biog.
Bytown. Former name of the city of Ottawa. Index: Md Chosen by the queen as capital, 85; suggestion came from Sir Edmund Head, 85; opposition to decision in Parliament, 85. BL An all-water route between Montreal and Kingston, 75; favoured by some persons as capital, 1843, 181. E Water communication established with Montreal, 98. See also Ottawa. Bib.: Women's Can. Hist. Soc. of Ottawa, Trans., vols. 1 and 3.
Cabir-Coubat. Ch Indian name of St. Charles River, 148.
Cables. The first submarine cables in America were those laid between New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, 1851; and between Cape Breton and Newfoundland, 1856. Newfoundland was connected with Ireland by cable in 1858. In 1902 the Pacific Cable was laid, between Canada and New Zealand and Australia. See also Gisborne; Fleming. Bib.: Bright, Submarine Telegraphs; Johnson, The All Red Line.
Cabot, John. Probably a native of Genoa. Became a citizen of Venice, March 28, 1476, and at that time had been a resident of the city for fifteen years. Went to England, and in 1497, under the direct authority of Henry VII, sailed to the westward on a voyage of discovery. Landed on the shores of America, but his exact landfall has been a moot point. It is now generally believed that it was the easternmost cape of Cape Breton. The following year sailed again, but there is no record that he ever returned from this second voyage. Bib.: Beazley, John and Sebastian Cabot; Dawson, The Voyages of the Cabots (R. S. C., 1894, 1896, 1897); Deane, Voyages of the Cabots, in Winsor, Nar. & Cr. Hist. of America, vol. 3; Harrisse, John Cabot, the Discoverer of North America; Weare, Cabot's Discovery of North America; Ober. John and Sebastian Cabot. Cabot, Sebastian (1477?-1557?). Son of John Cabot. His share in the discovery of North America has been the subject of much controversy. From having once been regarded as the sole discoverer, it is now considered doubtful that he had anything to do with the voyages of 1497 and 1498. He was in the service of Spain, and also of England, receiving from Edward VI the title of Grand Pilot of England. Bib.: Biddle, Memoir of Sebastian Cabot; Nicholls, Life of Sebastian Cabot; Tarducci, John and Sebastian Cabot. These are favourable to Sebastian's claims. See references under preceding entry for the other side of the controversy.
Cadboro. D First sea-going vessel on Fraser River, 116; arrives at Victoria from Fort Vancouver, 180; leaves for the Columbia, 180; built 1824, destroyed 1862, 180.
Cadet, Joseph Michel. Began life as a butcher; won the confidence of the intendant Bigot, and as commissary-general seconded him in his infamous schemes for plundering the colony. Index: WM Commissary of stores, 88; makes his headquarters at Beauport, 88; feeds his poultry with grain, while the people starve, 88. See Bigot.
Cadieux. A French coureur de bois, whose tragic death forms the subject of one of the popular chansons of Quebec. His reputed grave is at the foot of Grand Calumet Island, on the Ottawa. Bib.: Le Moine, Legends of the St. Lawrence; Bourinot, The Ottawa Valley in the Canadian Monthly, January, 1875; Gagnon, Chansons Populaires.
Cadillac, Antoine de la Motte. Came to Canada as an officer of the Carignan Regiment. In 1694 appointed to the command of the post at Michilimackinac. In 1701 built a fort at Detroit, and remained in command there until 1710. From 1712-1717 governor of Louisiana. Subsequently appointed governor of Castel Sarassin, in Gascony, his native province. Died there Oct. 16, 1730. Bib.: Parkman, Old Régime; Cadillac Papers (Michigan Pion. & Hist. Coll., vol. 33).