THE LATE FIRES IN QUEBEC (Hansard, 31 July 1845)

§ The Chancellor of the Exchequer

rose to move the Address of which he had given notice, praying that Her Majesty would grant a sum not exceeding 20,000l. for the relief 1300 of the sufferers by the late fires at Quebec. In moving a Resolution to this effect, he was sure that he would only be doing that which would be strictly in unison with the feelings of the House. He need not attempt by any powers on his part to induce them to perform an act of kindness and of policy to which he was sure they would be most ready to assent. The calamity with which they had to deal was one of a most extensive nature. He was unable to give to the House those details which must be so interesting to all who were disposed to concur in the Resolution he was about to move, but the facts of which he was aware were these:—On two several occasions—on the 28th of May, and again on the 28th of June—fires broke out in different places in Quebec, the conflagration on the first occasion lasting from eleven o'clock in the morning until ten o'clock in the evening; on the other from twelve o'clock at night until eight o'clock the next morning. And although he did not know how many dwellings had been destroyed by the two calamities, yet with respect to the last of them he was informed that upwards of 1,200 houses had fallen a prey to the flames. And as the duration of the second fire was about the same as that of the first, he presumed that they could not expect that any smaller number of houses were upon the occasion of the first unfortunate occurrence destroyed. They were also aware that the fires took place in that part of Quebec inhabited by a poor and labouring population, and, therefore, the sufferers were those who were least able to provide for themselves the means of repairing the calamity which had fallen upon them, and which had entailed the loss of great part of their little property, leaving them in a state of the greatest destitution. He was happy to state that every possible exertion had been made upon both occasions by the troops stationed at Quebec, and by the officers commanding them, in order first to arrest the flames, and then to afford succour to the sufferers. There was but one feeling of zeal and interest displayed by the military, and he believed that it was mainly owing to their unremitting exertions that the calamity had not proved more extensive than it did. Every effort, too, he was bound to say, had been made by all persons in authority to afford relief to the sufferers, in providing for those who found themselves homeless, some temporary accommodation. The Governor of 1301 the Colony had come forward with the view of providing shelter for the unfortunate persons in question; and he felt, upon an occasion of this sort, independent of the calls of humanity, that it was most consistent with good policy to show that when our fellow subjects proceeded to distant Colonies they were not forgotten, but that if they were exposed to any sudden calamity, not only did we in this country as individuals sympathize with and strive to aid them, not only did the Crown feel the deepest interest in the alleviation of the calamity, but that Parliament was ready and willing to take the earliest opportunity of coming forward, and marking their sense of the suffering endured, by the means they were prepared to adopt for its relief. He begged to move that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to take into consideration the Resolution which he was about to submit, on which to found an Address to Her Majesty, praying that she would be graciously pleased to direct that a sum not exceeding 20,000l. should be apportioned for the relief of the sufferers at the recent fires in Quebec.