taken from "Chronicle of Canada"....quotes: #1..page 357...March 24, 1870..NL...Reports are circulating tht American sealing and whaling companies are planning to enter the local seal fishery. Americans are already involved in the Pacific seal industry and could easily adapt their fleets to work in the ice off Newfoundland. Ever since the Scottish whaling and sealing steamers began to take seals in this colony's traditional waters, there have been concerns about Newfoundland not being able to protect its second principal resource from foreign exploitation. Furthermore, local firms fear American sealing steamers could enter Newfoundland's ports and offer sealers higher wages and improved working conditions. However, informed sources say the Americans think the seal fishery is too risly to lives and ships, especially with seal oil prices declining. The sources believe Americans will be reluctant to invest in a seal fishery off Newfoundland. #2...page 360..April 20, 1871...Montreal--In a move seen as an effort to set up a Catholic political party, powerful ultramontane bishops Ignace Bourget and Louis-Francois Richer Lafleche issued a statement today urging Catholics in Quebec to support certain candidates in the upcoming federal election. The Catholic Program orders the faithful to vote for Conservatives over Liberal Party "opportunists". In the event there is a Conservative candidate who rejects the ultramontane line, Catholics should "refrain from voting." #3....page 364...April 30, 1872..St. John's NL--The present season has been a disasterous one for the sealing fleet --more than 100 lives have been lost, along with two new steamers and several sailing ships. The 'Huntsman' from Bay Roberts sank in a storm off the Labrador coast, taking Capt. Robert Dawe, his son and 40 crew members with it. The 'Village Belle' of Brigus disappeared without a trace with Capt. John Antle and 18 crew members, and the 'Dundanah' of St. John's under William Jenkins also disappeared, with its captain and 31 sealers. The loss of the 'Huntsman" and the 'Village Belle' will undoubtedly hurt the already faltering seal fisheries in Bay Roberts and Brigus. To make matters worse, Bay Roberts and Brigus also lost other sailing vessels and lives. The 'SS Retriever' and the 'SS Bloodhound' sank, although their crews were picked up by neighbouring ships. For the fist time in Newfoundland's history, sensation mongers in New York have published wildly exaggerated accounts of disasters here. The New York Times writes: " Over forty vessels...total wrecks, have been dashed to pieces amid huge icebergs and plains of ice during a terrific hurricane....out of 4,000 human souls only 175 have been accounted for." Officials are correcting these reports. ===== Almost three year hobby of researching these Surnames (and variations) /ancestors, who were recorded in BNA before 1835.....*Batten *Beauchamp, *Beecham, *Bishop, Bucham, Buchan, Buchanan, Churchill, *Dawe, Fitzpatrick, *French, **Lamb, **Russell, *Roswell, Rowell, *Rousell, Snow, *Sparks, Tucker In-law surnames of interest include Earle, **Babcock, etc. (*Timeline Docs. on file for these surnames and the history of Bay Roberts CB and St. Mary's PB. All subject related family history comments, contributions and questions are welcome. **Maritime L o y a l i s t surnames.) __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com