Sioux County pioneer., 1922-03-09

Bay Of st. Ann
SPrsparsd By the National Geographic 3d.;
ciety. Warrington. D. c.3 4.
Close to home, yet less known to
Americans than many parts Of Europe,
Cape. Breton Island, a part OF Nova
Scotia, 10 far from being the ''few acres
of snow" that Voltaire contemptuously
dubbed 1t in the days when France and
England were at each others throats
over It It is barely an island, and for
all practical purposes may be consid-
cred the easternmost point Of Canada's
mainland.
Perhaps many who have not seen
this land think Of It as Voltaire did,
but It has its fruitful apple orchards
and thriving general agriculture, and
growth Is remarkably rapid, once vege-
I tation Is started. It has, too, all the
ingredients for industrial success in
this "Steel Age" iron ore, coal and
limestone. And, unlike those Of the
competing iron-producing regions Of
North America, Cape Breton's materl-
ais are at the waters edge, where the
finished product can be handled most
cheaply. a, sss38
The ports Of Cape Breton are closer
to Europe and Africa by hundreds Of
+ miles than any others on the North
American continent; and, surprisingly
to those who have not closely studied
their maps, the distance from Cape
Breton to Rio de Janeiro is less than
that from New Orleans to Rio.
"A less material but important asset
of Cape Breton is its scenery and cli-
+ mate. Relatively few American tour
lists haye ..discovered" the island yet,
hut those who have swear by its
charm. It's summers are pleasantly
cool and Its winters, thanks to the
proximity of the Gulf stream, relative
~ mild. A principal pleasure feature
and beauty spot is the islands inland
sea, the beautiful Bras dor lakes, a
paradise for yachtsmen:s y
Cape Breton's history is old and full.
Undoubt her coasts were frequent
ed by Norwegian rovers as early as the
Tenth century, and we even have it ON
the authority of the Flemish geogra-
pliers that the island was discovered
and named by Basque fishermen, who
crossed the Atlantic in pursuit of
whales d hundred years before the voy.
ages Of Columbus.
.s2 John cabot's landfaii.
It Is from the voyages Of the Cabots,
Z however, that Cape Breton dates her
I history. The highland to the north Of
the island is now generally agreed to
have been the landfall of John Cabot
the first sighting Of North America
I OF which we have record. Peter Mar
tyr's account of the voyage Of the
!. younger Cabot In 1893. when the is-
lantl was claimed In the name Of
3'Kyng Henry, shows that landing
4 was made on these northern shores at
least a year before Columbus touched
upon the mainland Of the continent.
Standing far out In the Atlantic, the
most easterly extremity Of the Domin-
s Ion OF Canada, Cape Breton owes much
& OF her colorful history to her geograph-
ical position. She reaches out into the
& ocean trade lanes, the landfall Of
:west-bound shipping today as In the
time Of the Cabots. .,sliss
Two centuries ago her commanding
position with reference to the trade Of
the st. Lawrence and the West Indies
made Cape Breton an issue I'm world
d politics, an issue sometimes disturbing
the peace Of Europe and upsetting the
treaties Of the powers. The fortunes
of the little island, now under the
& red cross. Of st. George, now under
the gold lilies Of France, are a part OF
the continents history greater
4 part ofs its b war history.
The story of I.ouisburg, fortress
25 years III the building, at q cost
4 OF six millions 0f dollars than
4 four times that sum IN the value Of
our money Its two sieges, and fts
final demolition 10 the best known
chapter Of Cape Breton's history.
The fortress became not only the
(. base, of French naval power In Amer
lea, but, with outlying posts at st.
Peters, Ingonish, and st. AIMS, the
resort of privateers that infested the
New England coast and the haven to
which they conveyed their spoils.
Upon the; outbreak of war between
@ France and England, In 1744, to the
4. \ colonists of Massac chusetts and New
& Hampshire the u reduction OF this
stronghold was . highly attractive
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