Читать книгу The Lieutenant-Governors of Upper Canada and Ontario 1792-1899 онлайн

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Governor Simcoe in a spirited manner vindicated his conduct, and showed that instead of erecting the fort to assist the Indians it was done upon the principle or self-defence. In a paragraph in his reply to Secretary Randolph's complaint, he wrote: "My having executed the order of His Majesty's Commander-in-Chief in North America, Lord Dorchester, in reoccupying a fort on the Miami River, within the limits of those maintained by the British forces at the peace in 1783, upon the principle of self-defence, against the approaches of an army which menaced the King's possessions, is what I presume Mr. Secretary Randolph terms Governor Simcoe's invasion."

In 1794 General Simcoe was promoted to the rank of major-general.

During the winter of 1794-95, Governor Simcoe was engaged in projecting plans for the future of York, and arranging for its civil and military administration. A soldier himself, he could bivouac in his tent, but arrangements had to be made for public buildings for the accommodation of officials and for the meeting of the Legislature. We have the authority of Mr. Bouchette, who surveyed Toronto harbor, for saying that His Excellency, in the winter of 1793-94, made his headquarters in the neighborhood of the Old Fort, at the entrance of the harbor, in a tent or canvas house which had served Captain Cook in his voyage round the world and was now the property of Governor Simcoe. After the Governor had got fully established at York, he spent part of his time at Castle Frank, on the bank of the Don, built by the Governor and named in honor of his oldest son and heir, Frank Simcoe. It thus seems that some idea of perpetuating his son's name still remained with the Governor, though far removed from his native land of hereditary honor and degree.