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NEWFOUNDLAND
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V19,
Page 481
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NEWFOUNDLAND , a large See also: island, forming a See also:British See also:colony, its deepest portion being 300 ft. below See also:sea-level. It contains an and occupying an important and commanding position off the island 22 m. See also:long. The next, Red See also:Indian See also:Lake, is 37 m. long, with eastern See also:coast of the See also:North See also:American See also:continent, not dissimilar an See also:area of 64 sq. m. Gander Lake is 33 M. in length, and See also:Deer to that occupied by See also:Great See also:Britain towards See also:Europe. It stretches Lake, through which the See also:Humber flows, is 15 m. After these directly lakes See also:rank across the entrance of the Gulf of St See also:Lawrence, to which lakes rSandy next in e, See also:size. See also:Victoria, See also:Save where See also:Hind's, Terra the railNovaway and and lumGeorgeberIn See also:ing See also:access is afforded at both the See also:northern and the See also:southern camps have invaded them the shores of these lakes are still See also:primitive extremities of the island. In the See also:south-See also:west its distance from See also:wilderness. Cape See also:Breton is less than 6o m., while only 1640 m. See also:separate its The coasts of the island, intersected by many great bays, have of See also:Ireland. It is situated been See also:familiar to fishermen from an See also:early See also:period, but the interior most easterly point from the coast remained almost completely unknown until the See also:geological survey, between 46° 36' 50" and 51° 39' N., and between 52° 37' and still in See also:process, was begun in 1864. See also:Chief amongst the inlets are 59°' 24' 500 W. The See also:total area of the island is about 40,200 sq.M. Placentia See also: Bay, 55 M. in width at its mouth and 90 M. long; Notre or one-See also:sixth larger than Ireland: its maximum length from Cape D and ame Ba 50 m. 70 long; and StiMarand M. g; See also:Fortune y's Bay, 25nm. wide by B5 m. Innlength. See also:Ray to Cape See also:Norman is 317 m., its maximum breadth from Opposite Fortune Bay, which has several important arms, are the Cape See also:Spear to Cape Anguille, 316 m. In shape it is roughly two islands of St See also:Pierre and Miquelon, ceded by treaty in 1713 to triangular, three extensive peninsulas, which project from the See also:France, as shelter for her fishermen, and now all that remains of north (See also:Petit See also:Nord) and south-See also:east. (See also:Avalon), assisting the See also:con- See also:French See also:sovereignty in North See also:America. In the neighbourhood of formation, although the latter, the most populous region of the boating a See also:good See also:harbour) are itute(d so some of idethe most fertile lands island, is joined by a very slender See also:isthmus, at one See also:place only in the island, well-timbered and containing large deposits of See also:coal 3 M. wide. A further See also:division of the Avalon See also:peninsula is wrought and other minerals. Three extensive arms run 20 M. inland from by the two bays of St See also:Mary's and Conception. St See also:
Bay is one of the largest and most important in the island, having in Igor a See also: population scattered through the settlements on its shores See also:Physical Features.—Viewed from the ocean the coasts of of over 40,000 inhabitants. Another See also:principal inlet is Bonavista Newfoundland appear See also:bleak, rocky and barren. The See also:
The most important range of mountains is the Long Range, shows itself on the coast between See also: Canada Bay and See also:
t C•goY a0f'0 6 vor UE L wewerap°.na Bay st Beov ee Coat Need ~-`- St.Paudee 1., See also:
/ ~.0 SN GNbou „ Y a Janu 101, a' B [ •(, FT' PeYtP : R•' r eI uayMLf'!n 'eno .Y ~1 ` rn4 e• Ru,': I •r C.Blena Great Miquelon Miquelon Mooch) LM Little Miquelon . :tG See also: Platte PL n, See also:Churn,. c :See also:Mute le. tnrmy C. SL/una,.e See also:hit robe! R ~ma%Ien See also:Nei* .,°O .C. fn hot /F. St.Ju/.enl. See also:roc Harbour ,;„XCroie 1. See also:Fee C H,Ihen ore. /' /See also:Bar/ 1. See also:ado a town, elkse et. Lake. There is also a wider spread of the same See also:series along the valley of the Humber and See also:round the shores of Deer Lake and the eastern half of Grand Lake, and as far as Sandy Lake. " Coal," says Mr J. P.Howley, F.R.G.S., See also:
eareat f. Brgyle Harbour '`. a OAi19 FCr[ytM,•6 ferrplanc Head r+. F',muse See also: Mara See also:ingot of the intermediary system have been ground down to the Laurentian gneiss, and, subsequently, the submarine valley thus formed has been filled up with a new set of sediments, the remains of which are still to be found skirting the shores of the bay and forming the islands in it. Rocks of the Silurian age are most extensive on the peninsula of Cape St Mary, and around the head of Trinity Bay. These belong to the Primordial Silurian group. The Lower Silurian rocks have a large development, and in them the metallic ores occur which seem destined to render the island a great See also:mining centre. The Lauzon division of the Quebec group, which is the true metalliferous zone of North America, has an immense spread in the island. It consists of See also:serpentine rocks associated with See also:dolomites, diorites, &c., and is well known throughout North America to be usually more or less metalliferous. The Newfoundland rocks are no exception, but give See also:evidence of being See also:rich in metallic ores. The Middle Silurian division of rocks is also widely spread; and the most fertile belts of See also:land and the most valuable forests are nearly all situated on the country occupied by this formation. The great valley of the Exploits and Victoria rivers, the valley of the Gander and several smaller tracts belong to it. The Carboniferous series occupies a large area on the western side of the island, in the neighbourhood of Bay St George and Grand Open fireplaces are sufficient to warm the houses, and See also:free exercise in the open See also:air is attainable at all seasons.The See also: average mean temperature at St John's is 41.2° F., the maximum being 83° and the minimum 7°; the average height of the See also:barometer is 29.37 in. The average rainfall is 58.3o in. Winter sets in, as a See also:rule, in the beginning of See also:December and lasts until the middle of See also:April. Generally the See also:snow lies during this period, and the See also:frost rarely penetrates the ground to a greater See also:depth than a few inches. See also:Spring is sometimes See also:late in arriving, but once vegetation sets in it advances with marvellous rapidity. The autumn is usually very See also:fine, and is often See also:pro-longed till See also:November. There is nothing in the climate to interfere with See also:agriculture. Tornadoes are unknown, and thunderstorms are very rare. Fogs, of which so much is said in connexion with the country, are confined to the shores and bays of the south-eastern and southern coasts. See also:Fauna.—Among the well-known See also:wild animals indigenous to the country the caribou or See also:reindeer hold a conspicuous place. They migrate regularly between the south-eastern and north-western portions of the island. The winter months are passed in the south, where " browse " is plentiful, and the snow is not too deep to prevent them from reaching the See also:lichens on the lower grounds.In See also:
The great See also: auk, now See also:extinct, was once found in myriads around the island. The little auk, See also:guillemot and the See also:razor-billed auk are abundant. No venomous See also:reptiles occur. Frogs have been introduced and thrive well. Of molluscous animals the common squid, a cephalopod about 6 or 7 in. in length, visits the coasts in immense shoals in See also:August and September, and supplies a valuable bait. A gigantic species of cephalopod was discovered in 1873, which excited much See also:interest among naturalists: the See also:body varies from 7 to 15 ft. in length, with a circumference of 5 or 6 ft.; from the head ten arms radiate, the two longest (tentacles) being from 24 to 40 ft. in length, and covered with suckers at their extremities; the other eight arms vary from 6 to 11 ft., and on one side are entirely covered with suckers. See also:Professor Verrill, of Yale See also:College, distinguished two species—one he named Architeuthis Harveyi, after the discoverer, and the other Architeuthis monachus. See also:Flora.—The See also:pine, spruce, See also:birch, See also:juniper and See also:larch of the forests of the interior furnish ample materials for a large See also:timber See also:trade as well as for See also:shipbuilding purposes. The white pine grows to the height of 7o or 8o ft. in some places, and is 3 or 4 ft. in See also:diameter. There is an abundance of See also:wood suitable for making pulp for See also:paper; and in 1906-1907 a See also:London See also:company, with See also:Lord Northcliffe (of the Daily See also:Mail) at its head, acquired large tracts for this purpose, and operations were begun iii 1910. The mountain ash, See also:balsam See also:poplar and See also:aspen thrive well. Evergreens are in great variety.The See also:
The system of public See also: education is denominational, each religious body receiving grants from the See also:revenue according to numerical strength. The total sum allotted to education in 1904-1905 was $196,192. The aggregate number of pupils under fifteen attending the 783 elementary See also:schools and See also:academies in the island was 35,204. It is estimated that 25 % of the population, chiefly the older folk, are illiterate. Fisheries.—These constitute the great See also:staple See also:industry of the island. On the export of its products the trade of the colony still mainly depends. The most important See also:fish in these See also:waters, commercially, is the See also:cod, which is here more abundant .than anywhere else in the world. Although subject to considerable fluctuation the average See also:annual export of dried cod-fish over a See also:term of years is about 1,200,000 quintals. The value of the export varies between five and six million dollars, according to the See also:market See also:price of the dried fish. The cod are taken on the shores of the island, along the Labrador coast and on " the See also:Banks." These Banks, which have played such an important part in the See also:history of the colony, and are the chief source of its wealth, stretch for about 300 M. in a south-east direction towards the centre of the North See also:Atlantic, and probably at one See also:time formed a part of the North American continent. The depths range from 15 to 8o or 90 fathoms. The deposits consist of See also:sand and See also:gravel composed of ancient rocks, and fragments of See also:quartz, See also:mica, See also:hornblende, felspars and See also:magnetite; along with these are many calcareous fragments of echinoderms, See also:polyzoa and many See also:foraminifera.In the deeper parts there is sometimes a fine mud containing the above-mentioned minerals and calcareous fragments, and in addition numerous frustules of diatoms. The Banks are swept by the cold Labrador current, and icebergs are frequently stranded upon them. The Gulf Stream passes over their southern portions. These two currents bear along many species of pelagic See also: algae and animals, which See also:supply abundant See also:food to the myriads of echinoderms, molluscs, annelids, coelenterates and other invertebrates which live at all depths on the Banks. These invertebrates in turn supply food to the cod and other fishes which are sought for by the fishermen. Sea birds frequent the Banks in great See also:numbers; and, as diving birds are not met with at any great distance from them, the presence of these in the sea gives See also:seamen an indication of the shallower See also:water. The total annual catch of cod in Newfoundland waters has been estimated at about 2.500,000 quintals (a quintal being one-twentieth of a ton), with a value of about £ 1,400,000 See also:sterling. The cod fishery forms four-fifths of the entire industry, in spite of the increase in the herring and See also:lobster catch. No increase in the quantities taken is to be noted, but the market value of dried cod fish is generally enhanced. In 1885 an export of 1,284,710 quintals was only See also:worth $4,o61,600. In 1905 1,196,814 quintals were valued at $6,108,614. To this may be added the value of the fish consumed by the See also:people of the colony, estimated at $450,000.According to the census of 1901 there were 41,231 See also: males and 21,443 See also:females engaged in the catching and curing of fish. The figures have greatly varied in past years: as for instance in 1857, 31 % of the total population were engaged in catching and curing fish : in 1869, 25.4%, in 1884, 30.6%, and in 1901, 28.4%. Small voyages and low price* have tended to limit fishery operations; and the opening up of other See also:industries has diverted labour from the fisheries. The total number of vessels engaged is about 1550, with a See also:tonnage of 54,500; over 11,000 fishing rooms are in actual use. The use of traps has followed the decrease in number of nets and seines, but the continued increase of fishing rooms shows that there is no falling off in the Newfoundland cod fishery, which has now been prosecuted for fully four centuries. Notwithstanding the enormous drafts every See also:year, to all appearance the cod are as abundant as ever. They begin to appear on the coasts of the island about the first of June, at which time they move from the deep waters of the coast to the shallower and warmer waters near the shore, for spawning purposes. Their approach is heralded by the caplin, a beautiful little fish about 7 in. in length, vast shoals of which arrive, filling every bay and harbour. The cod follow in their See also:wake, feasting greedily upon the caplin, which supply the best bait. In six See also:weeks the caplin disappear, and their place is taken by the squid about the 1st of August. These also supply a valuable bait, and are followed by the herring, which continue till the middle or end of October, when the cod fishery closes. The cod are taken by the See also:hook-and-See also:line, the See also:seine, the cod-See also:net or gill-net, the cod-See also:trap and the bultow.Newfoundland exports cod to See also: Brazil, See also:Spain, See also:Portugal, See also:Italy, Great Britain, See also:Greece, the West Indies and the See also:United States. Brazil and Spain are the largest consumers. After the cod the See also:seal fishery is of next importance. The industry was begun about 1740, when the value of the seal oil exports was ;E1000. In 1904-1905 sealskins and seal oil to the value of $370,261 and $374,974 were exported, the price of a skin varying between $.90 to $1.25. This shows a considerable falling off. The number of men employed is about 4000. Steamers were first used in 1863. They are from 350 to 500 tons See also:burden, most of them carrying from 200 to 300 men. The larger class can bring in from 30,000 to 40,000 seals. In one instance 41,900 seals were brought in by a single steamer, the " See also:Neptune," the See also:weight being 874 tons and the value $103,750. In See also:bad years the catch may not exceed 200,000-in 189 it See also:fell to 129,061.By See also:
The See also: season for taking it is brief, six or seven weeks, beginning at the end of May. The proper preservation of the salmon waters has been for generations neglected, and reckless practices bade See also:fair wholly to exterminate the fish. In 1888, however, a fisheries See also:commission was appointed, and See also:rivet warders were charged with the stringent enforcement of the new See also:laws. The best salmon fisheries are in Bonavista Bay, Gander and Exploits bays, and on the west coast. See also:Mackerel formerly frequented the Newfoundland coasts, but disappeared about the middle of the 19th See also:century; and few See also:halibut or See also:haddock are caught. Sea See also:trout and brook trout, however, abound, and latterly See also:Loch See also:Leven and Californian See also:rainbow trout have been introduced with success. The most extraordinary increase concerns the whaling industry. Before 185o a very successful See also:whale fishery was carried on, but it then suddenly ceased and has only recently been revived. The revival is due to the invention of a See also:harpoon-See also:gun which kills the whale effectually and with despatch. There are now fourteen whale factories in operation for the See also:production of See also:bone and oil. While in 1895 the value of the oil reached only $7300 and the bone $1000, a See also:decade later the values were $384,062 and $34,833 respectively; no fewer than 1275 whales being caught. A patent process manufactures the carcases into a fine See also:guano, and utilizes the by-products, thus adding $See also:ioo,000 to the industry.On the whole the aggregate value of the Newfoundland fisheries for 1906-1907 was nearly £2,000,000 sterling, including the fish consumed in the colony. Agriculture.—Until recent years little See also: attention has been paid to agriculture, the belief being current that the interior of the island was a See also:desert. The reports of the geological survey dispelled this fiction, it being conclusively shown that out of the 28,000 sq. m. of dry land over one-sixth or 7000 Sq. m. is available under suitable conditions for arable and for grazing purposes. The best land is situated in the Codroy valley, which is rich in alluvial See also:soil. That in the Bay St George district is very fertile, and in the Humber valley, Exploits valley and elsewhere many thousands of farmers could See also:work to See also:advantage. In 1874 only 36,339 acres were under cultivation. In 1901, 215,579 acres were occupied, of which 85,533 acres were actually under cultivation, producing chiefly See also:hay, oats, potatoes, turnips and cabbages. In the numbers of live stock there has been a notable increase, especially in See also:sheep. Newfoundland seems especially adapted for a sheep-grazing country. Mining.—Not until a comparatively recent date was Newfound-land known to contain mineral deposits of great value. The first See also:discovery of See also:copper ore took place at a small fishing See also:hamlet called Tilt Cove in 1857. Seven years later the mine was opened, and during the following fifteen years Tilt Cove mine yielded about o,000 tons of copper ore valued at $1,572,154, besides See also:nickel worth 32,740.In 1875 another mine at Bett's Cove was opened. There are three principal mines, all in Notre See also: Dame Bay, the copper exports in 1905 being 81,491 tons, with a value of $448,400. The copper-bearing deposits are widely distributed.Additional information and CommentsThere are no comments yet for this article.
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