The motives as eloquently expressed in the opening part of the appeal are firstly those of common humanity; secondly, the “Canadians are our fellow subjects.” “The consideration of distance ought to make no difference in the minds of a people whose EMPIRE is extended to so many places over the earth.” “There are other weighty considerations: much the greater part of these sufferers are strangers who, to use the language of liberty, the fortune of war has put under our protection; and those who have not seen them may form some idea of them by report. They are stout, comely and intrepid, of a vigilant, laborious, and obedient disposition. They have given proof of their discernment as well as of the necessity of their situation by the preference they have shown to British Sovereignty when they were at their liberty to have gone to Old France, and though military government, which took place, is seldom the most favourable to a commercial people, they had reason to be sensible of the advantageous change. There is now a form of Civil Oeconomy: if it is duly administered and not tinctured with military power it will be the most grateful to a brave and intelligent people. It is our wisdom and our duty to show them in every instance that we are as willing to be Their friends as They can be Ours, and let us endeavour to secure their fidelity to the crown of the realm by engaging their Hearts as well as their tongues. They profess allegiance to the King, let us engage them by every tye to render that allegiance inviolable.”
The details of the disaster are then given. The concluding words of the appeal, after an allusion to the “Most Awful Gratitude” to “Divine Providence” which has blessed His Majesty’s arms and given him “the possession of the country of which the city in question is in several respects the principal” are: “In these several views we present the cause of the sufferers in Montreal. It is meant that no circumstance which religion, humanity or True Policy can suggest shall be omitted. Thus shall we conciliate their minds to the British Government and render the oeconomy of it in that quarter of the world so much the safer. In proportion to the encouragement afforded by the promotion of useful industry and labour it is to be presumed their attachment to their country will increase by such means we shall also show them that Our Protestantism inspirs the most essential part of Christianity: We shall show them that the British nation is not more to be dreaded for their valor and intrepidity than beloved, for the exercise of the social virtues; and these qualities, displayed on this occasion, will in their natural tendency promote that harmony on which the prosperity of the state depends. Thus shall we behold commerce and navigation, Fixed on the securest basis; benevolence cherished; the hearts of all the subjects of the British Empire united by a concordance of sentiment; a just discernment of what is right and fit for the common good; and a resolution to adhere to such right. And being thus bound by a sincere and mutual affection, even the most adverse events may in the issue contribute to give permanancy to the state and uninterrupted happiness to the King and his people.”
This committee by March 20, 1766, had collected £1,818 16s 8d, of which His Majesty contributed £500. The “case of the Canadians” is worth quoting further, since it gives a picture of the city at this period from an English point of view. “Montreal contains about seven thousand inhabitants. It is here that the French Canadians were most desirous of retreating when they had acquired a subsistence; the adjacent country where they had many seats and farms on the banks of the river being delightfully pleasant and the climate more agreeable than at Quebec.” It was computed that one-fourth of the city was consumed and about one-third part in value. The loss sustained by the “dreadful fire” was carefully attested by His Excellency, the Honourable James Murray. An abstract is given:
| Value in Buildings (an exact survey being made by masons and carpenters) | £31,980 | 0 | 0 |
| Value in Merchandise | 54,718 | 5 | 9 |
| Value in Furniture and Apparel | 25,261 | 12 | 6 |
| Value in Cash, plate and Bills | 4,814 | 0 | 3 |
| ——— | — | — | |
| Their currency | £116,773 | 18 | 6 |
| Equal to sterling | 87,580 | 8 | 10 |
“It is worthy of notice that these people were so tender of what they evidenced on oath that great numbers declared, some time after, that they found their loss considerably greater than the account they had sworn to.
| Families. | |
| In St. François Street were burnt out | 54 |
| In St. Paul Street were burnt out | 87 |
| In the Market Place were burnt out | 26 |
| In Hospital Street were burnt out | 1 |
| In St. Louis Street were burnt out | 15 |
| In St. Eloit Street were burnt out | 6 |
| In St. Sacrement Street were burnt out | 6 |
| In St. Nicholas Street were burnt out | 1 |
| In St. Ann Street were burnt out | 1 |
| In St. Ann Suburbs were burnt out | 10 |
| Grey Sisters Hospital, Suburbs and houses nearest were burnt out | 8 |
| In all 215 families, of whom much the greater part were Canadians newly become subjects.” | |
An extract from “A genuine letter written the 20th of May from the city two days after the fire” is quoted: “The fire began in the garret of Mr. Levington (a person of reputation) occasioned by hot ashes carried thither to make soap. It broke out at the roof and in an instant the whole was in a flame which communicated to the neighboring houses on both sides of St. Francis Street. The confusion and distress of the inhabitants is not to be exprest. Many of them were in the country and those who were present had not any time to save any part of their merchandize or household goods. Others lost all, even to their books, papers, plate, money. This misfortune has fallen on the richest and most trading part of the city, where the buildings were the best and most filled with merchandize. But the far greater part of the sufferers have now only the cloths on their backs. Many who had the fortune to save the few goods out of their houses and lay them on rafts or by the riverside lost them again, either by the flames or theft. The fire was stopt by uncovering Mons. Landrieve’s house, one end of the hospital and two small houses between Mons. St. Germain’s and the corner opposite Mons. Reaume’s. The wind, which, when the fire began, was at N.N.W., turned suddenly to N.E. which, with these precautions and the united efforts of the soldiers and the inhabitants, saved the rest of the town. For, had it gone up that street which leads to the parish church or fired the hospital des Soeurs it would have been difficult, if not impossible, to have saved any part of the town. There are 110 principal houses burnt.”
From footnotes we learn that though the houses destroyed were made of limestone they were either covered with shingles made of white cedar in the manner of tyle or with boards; and they had not at this time any fire engines. Last summer two of these useful machines were sent over to them. It must also be considered that the houses were inclosed within the fortifications and some so near that one of the city gates was burnt as well as the General Hospital without the gates. A postscript of 11th of February, 1766, adds: “It should be observed that the rooms of their houses at Montreal are floored with clay and stones laid on them in order to prevent fire; but as the French in Europe are much behind us in the mechanic arts which contribute to the safety and convenience of life they are still more so in their colonies; to which cause we may attribute these Canadians having been without fire engines on this occasion. This misfortune will be remedied hereafter and it may be hoped every other conveniency will be introduced among them and especially the conveyance of water to reservoirs which is much wanted there. This defect, indeed, is the more pardonable when it is considered that in so vast and opulent a city as London it is but the other day it was attended by very fatal consequences.” “It is hoped,” concludes the postscript, “every expedient that reason and experience can suggest will hereafter be brought into use now that they have such able instructors as ourselves.”
Then, various devices for roofing and covering the houses are suggested. “Iron plate coverings are certainly the best as practiced in Sweden and in Russia. Two layers of brown paper dipt in hot tar placed over the wooden roof and under layers of iron plates will probably answer better. Some of the persons now going to Canada intend to try if slate will not stand the frost.”
The practical genius of the English was to be devoted to Montreal and Canada. Thus during the early part of British rule, as in that of the recent French régime, Montreal being built so largely of wood, was in constant danger of fire. The English governors early saw this and some of Gage’s earliest acts were to fight this peril. Another fire in 1768 destroyed more than a hundred houses. In 1777 an act was promulgated by Governor Carleton providing for the appointment of an inspector to prevent accidents by fire in each of the towns of Quebec, Montreal and Three Rivers. The inspectors were to see that the chimneys were swept once a month and each tenant was obliged to take certain precautions against fire under penalty of a fine. Under the French régime regulations were issued that buckets of water should be kept in readiness and should be carried to the scene of fire when the signal was given. The carpenters were to carry their axes.