Pierre should be the chosen site for the capital because it was thickly populated, the richest in commerce, and the most varied in fishing. (29) Neither man was to get his way.

In 1740, St. Pierre continued to lead the Island in population with one hundred and forty residing in its fishing town, while eighty—one souls resided at the capital. These were difficult years for the French settlers residing on the Isle. They did not obtain much help from Louisbourg, yet were strictly kept under the control of this base. Population did not increase again until nine years later, at which time French Officials made efforts to encourage settlement on 116 St. Jean.

Between 1749 and 1751, one thousand, three hundred and thirty seven settlers came to Ile St. Jean. The concept of the Island acting as the breadbasket for Louisbourg resurfaced, and Officials took steps to make this concept a reality. King Louis XV ordered the French Settlers living on the Island to stop fishing and start focusing on farming to “ensure that the garrison at Louisbourg was well fed." (30) To ensure this switch to farming took place, fishing was restricted to only St. Pierre and Tracadie harbors.

Farming was extremely difficult for the settlers because land literally had to be made. By 1731, St. Pierre had only eight farmers living in the area. (31) With a focus on fishing, much of the Island was still covered in forest and naturally few farms existed. The land that had been cleared, and the farms that did exist, however, were of high quality. In 1752, de la Ronde stated that in the St. Pierre area. despite the focus of the fishery, land had been cultivated that “vied with the banks of the Northeast River as the best agricultural area of the Island. (32) By this time both farming and fishing were flourishing in St. Pierre.

THE FORTIFICATION OF ST. PIERRE

In 1751, Colonel Franquet, a military engineer working at Louisbourg, visited Ile St. Jean. The purpose of his visit was to tour the Island‘s settlements and make recommendations toward the improvement of the military and defense of the Island. One of his stops was in St. Pierre in August of that year:

The settlement was entirely composed of old settlers. The Acadtan irrunigration had not reached it. The farms were large and bore crops that Franquet had never seen surpassed. Fishennan’s houses were scattered along the sloping lands, where also where stores and warehouses. On the higher ground there was a large church dedicated to St. Peter. (33)