MILITARY AND CIVIL. 93 
     
    
   
   
    
     provided by William Douse, Esq., agent of the estate on which 
     
     the Lighthouse was built, the party returned to Charlottetown. 
     
     During the ensuing summer His Excellency visited various 
     
     sections of the Island, and was well received everywhere. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Owing to the failure of the crops, great distress and destitu- 
     
     tion existed in the western part of the Island. To such an 
     
     extent was the failure that many people were actually suffering 
     
     for the want of food. On the fact being made known to the 
     
     Lieutenant Governor, he at once, with praiseworthy. humanity, 
     
     promptly caused circulars to be addressed to the proprietors 
     
     and agents, soliciting aid for their tenants. These circulars 
     
     had the desired effect and a list was opened, headed by the 
     
     Cunard Estate with a subscription of £40, others gave £20 
     
     and some £10. A subscription list, headed by His Excellency 
     
     with a handsome donation of £20, was also put in circulation, 
     
     which was cheerfully responded to by all classes of the com- 
     
     munity. Several hundred pounds were collected and forwarded 
     
    
   
   
    
     to commissioners appointed to distribute the money where it 
     
     was most needed. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Victoria’s birthday 
     
     and that of her coronation was again this year marked with 
     
     loyalty and respect. On the 6th of June, the troops of the 
     
     Garrison were relieved by the arrival of a detachment of the 
     
     97th Regiment, 100 rank and file, and 8 gunners of the 
     
     Artillery under command of Capt. Pattinson. The census 
     
     returns taken this year gave the population as 62,634. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The Steamer Merlin arrived from Halifax on the 30th June, 
     
     1849, with a company of the 38th Regiment and some Artillery 
     
    
   
   
    
     commanded by Capt. Lecky, to relieve the troops on garrison 
     
     duty here. 
     
    
   
   
    
     In this year the First Division of the Sons of Temperance 
     
     was organized in Charlottetown, of which Order there are now 
     
     many branches established throughout the Island. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The discovery of rich gold mines in California, during this 
     
     year, caused a considerable excitement and a great many 
     
     persons became desirous of emigrating to that country in the 
     
     hopes of bettering their fortunes. California was but little 
     
     known except by name, and the chief route was 1122: Cape 
     
     Horn to San Francisco. Although this was a long and 
     
     dangerous sea voyage, yet the gold excitement had got to