Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-02-08
IRA ALIENS DIARY.
Interesting Relic Presented to the
University of Vermont.
His Manuscript journal OF His Visit to
England in 1906, to Interest the Brit
ish Government in Canal From
Lake Champlain to the st. Law
renee.


spirits of the infant commonwealth of
Misunderstanding of its council of safe
ty, its first treasurer, Its first surveyor
general, and its agent in various impor-
tant diplomatic negotiation is known to
all stud euts of Vermont history. That he
was the first protector of the enterprise
of connecting the waters of Lake
IChampldin and the River St. Lawrence
by a canal, is also we'll known In 1875
he went to England, to enlist the British
government in his scheme. He kept a
diary OF his journey and interviews with
representatives of the British government,
which has been carefully preserved in the
Allen family. Deeming that an appro-
pirate place for the keeping of this most
interesting relic would be in the archives
of the University which he founded, two
OF Ira Aliens descendants, Miss Sarah
Allen, of Barton, VT, daughter of the late
Hon. Ira Allen of Irasburg. and grand
daughter of Gen. Ira Allen, and Mrs w
.. Stetson of Newport, Vt. great grand
daughter Of Gen. Ira Alien, have recently
given his diary to the University Of YER
mont. 1t is a leather covered n~nmoran-
dum book, the pages Of which are now
yellow With age. The hand writing Is
bold, and generally perfectly legible. Like
most of his contemporaries, Ira Allen
spelled to suit himself and was not very
closely bound by fixed rules of capitaliza-
ticn and punctuation.
We gather from his diary the following
facts:
He sailed from Boston December II, 1885,
on the ship Minerva" Captain Scott, and
paid 30 guineas for his passa sc.The table
was good on the ship, he says. and there
was plenty of wine and brandy for those
who chose to order 1t of the steward. At
ter an uneventful voyage the Minerva
cast anchor in the harbor of Falmouth
January .. 1886; but the sea being ruff
the passengers did not land till evening.
on a height above the town he saw PEN
dennis Castle in which his brother Gen.
Ethan Allen, was confined as a prisoner
of war in 1875; but he did not have time to
visit the castle. He went to London by
post chaise, in company with a Colonel
Graham and Mr.. and Mrs. Phelps. who
were fellow-passengers with him on tine
ship. He remarks that it was fortunate
for Mrs. Phelps that he accompanied this
married couple as Mr.. Phelps and she
were both young. but had fine boy about
four months after" On the road between
Faith and London the party became much
evcited by what they believed to be a
plot to rob them on the highway In
paying for dinner at an inn Col. Graham
Their suspicious then became aroused by
the way in which the landlady of the inn
urged them to drive on beyond the next
inn which would be a convenient stopping
place for the night, to a nostelry farther
on which they could not reach before
dark. They saw that their driver was
holding in his horses ard delaying them
on the road; and when towards nightfail.
horseman, in a blue cloak, and well
mounted overlook and passed them,
speaking some words in a low tone to
their postilicn as he passed, they became
convinced that he was hiGhwayman,
and that there was a plot 10 halt and rob
them farther on. Thereupon Gen Alien
and Col Graham, with much emphasis
and some swearing ordered the driver TO
push on East. threatening him with in
stant death if he dared to stop, and the
party reached the next inn in safety and
stopped there for the night
Nearing London, they passed Windsor
Castle the out-of-town residence of King
Geolge III and 1t struck Col. Allen as "a
pleasant place" In London he found va
rious American acquaintance and Eng
lishmen to whom he had letters and after
various consultations with them he ap
Piled for. and secured an appointment
with the Duke OF Portland, the Home Sec
rotary Of the British government. In his
interview with the Duke he explained the
project of the canal, set forth the ad-
vantages to come from 1t to both Canada
and the United States and asked II the
British government would cut the canal
and take a tole." The Duke thought
his government would not be at the ex-
rcnse of constructing the work and that
it would be better to have it done by pri-
Vatc enterprise Col. Allen was not sat
isiied to leave the subject in that condi-
lion, and having obtained leave to present
the matter in writing, on the 18th of Jam
uary he addressed to the secretary COM
munication, which he copies in his diary.
AS the earliest formal presentation OF
the project of the st. Lawrence and
Champain canal that IL extant, 1t is
worth printing, as follows:
To the Most Noble. the Duke of Portland:
one of his Majesty's principal secre-
taries of state.
The memorial of Ira Allen. Esquire, OF
the City of Burlington, in the State Of
Vermont, North America. respectfully
sheweth.
That several applications having been
made to the British government by the
People OF Vermont. for the Opening of a
Canal from Lake Champlain to the River
ST. Lawrence below Montreal without that
success which would Promote Unity and
the Commercial Intercourse between Yer
mont and Canada and be greafully ac-