To Meet His Requirements The House Of Assembly Voted In 1808,
A Sum Of L7,000 To Repair The Chateau St. Louis.
Sir James took up his
quarters in the interim, in Castle Haldimand.
The Chateau St. Louis
received an additional story and was much enlarged. In 1812 an additional
sum of L7,980 19s 4d was voted to cover the deficit in the repairs. Little
King Craig inhabited Chateau St. Louis during the winters of 1809-10-11,
occupying Spencer Wood during the summer months. The Chateau stables
were subsequently converted into a riding school, afterwards into a
theatre, where the exhibition of Harrison's Diorama caused the awful
tragedy of 12th June, 1846. [41] The Earl of Durham, in 1838, struck with
the commanding position of this site, had the charred ruins of the old
Chateau removed and erected a lofty platform which soon was called after
him "Durham Terrace."
In 1851-2-3-4, Haldimand Castle was repaired at a cost of $13,718.42. In
1854, Hon. Jean Chabot, member for Quebec and Commissioner of Public
Works, had Durham Terrace much enlarged; the adjoining walls were repaired
at an expense of $4,209.92. More expenditure was incurred in 1857. When
the Laval Normal School was installed there, Bishop Langevin, then
Principal, had the wing erected where the chapel stands. The vaulted room
used as a kitchen for the Laval Normal School, was an old powder magazine;
it is the most ancient portion of the building. The present Castle was, by
Order in Council of 14th February, 1871, transferred by the Dominion
authorities to the Government of the Province of Quebec, together with
Durham Terrace, the Sewell Mansion, facing the Esplanade (Lieutenant-
Governor's office), also, the site and buildings of the Parliament House,
on Mountain Hill.
The extension of this lofty and beautiful Terrace, suggested to the City
Council by the City Engineer in his report of 1872, necessarily formed a
leading feature in the splendid scheme of city improvements, originated by
the Earl of Dufferin, with the assistance of Mr. Lynn, an eminent Irish
engineer, and of our City Engineer, le Chevalier Baillairge. An appeal was
made by a true and powerful friend to Quebec (Lord Dufferin) to our
gracious Sovereign, who contributed munificently from her private purse,
for the erection of the new gate, called after her late father, the Duke
of Kent - Kent Gate, in remembrance of his long sojourn (1791-4) in this
city. Large sums were also granted by the Dominion, it is thought, chiefly
through the powerful influence of Lord Dufferin, seconded by Sir H. L.
Langevin; an appeal was also made for help to the City Council and not in
vain; it responded by a vote of $7,500.
The front wall was built at the expense of the Dominion Government, and
occupies part of the site of the old battery, erected on that portion of
the chateau garden granted to Major Samuel Holland in 1766.
The length of Dufferin Terrace is 1420 feet, and it is 182 feet above the
level of the St. Lawrence.
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