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service at St. Paul’s Church. On the evening of the 21st, the closing entertainment consisted of a ball and banquet held at the Colonial Building, which was a most enthusiastic demon- stration. From here during the short hours of morning, their Excellencies were escorted to Queen’s wharf, where they em- barked on board the Druid and sailed from our shores.
William C. Robinson, Esq., who arrived here in 1870, was the only Governor since first the British flag waved in Char- lottetown harbor, whose salary had to be paid from the Island treasury. The years of his administration comprised years of great changes and political agitation. But he had the satisfac- tion of knowing, that those efforts set forth in the struggle for Confederation had consummated in conformity with the views of the Home Government, On Mr. Robinson’s retirement, which occurred during August, Sir Robert Hodgson, Chief Justice, was sworn in Administrator of the Province.
This month also witnessed one of the most disastrous storms that for many years had visited this Island. On the morning of the 24th, long heaving billows were observed approaching the north shore; shortly afternoon the wind began to blow from the northwest, increasing to a perfect hurricane. This being a fishing period, St. Lawrence Gulf abounded with fish- ing vessels, having on board crews varying from fourteen to twenty men each. Many of these crafts, following their avo- cation some distance from the land on that day, were seen to- wards the evening stretching their way westward and eastward, in order if possible to weather the East Point and West Cape, and make safe their retreat to some sheltered nook, in which all were not successful. On the marrow a vast wreckage lined the coast. Of the crews of the forty vessels stranded very few were saved. Various inland districts throughout the Island also suffered severely,—fences, barracks, barns, and ripening crops, were prostrated; nor did the bridges and wharves escape without receiving some injury from the violence of the storm, which had reached the various ports flowing into the Gulf.
The Dominion Legislature being about to assemble for the despatch of business, necessitated a Dominion Election in the Province of Prince Edward Island, in order that it should elect its quota of representatives to the House of Commons at Ottawa, which amounted to a representation of two members
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