the Cape Horn, Cape Nord, Cape Vincent, Cape Finisterre, Cape Verde and Cape
Palis, top-sail schooners, during World War I; the McDougall-Jenkins Engineers
Limited, east of Lonsdale, which, among others, produced the Point Ellice, a steel tug,
for the Department of Public Works (1911)—these all belong to the present century.

But the Wallace firm, which has become the Burrard Drydock, is most outstanding
both in accomplishment and in continuous history. It was a great day for North
Vancouver when in 1907 the enterprising and hard-working Englishman, Alfred
Wallace, moved his yards from False Creek to its present situation, just east of the
ferry dock. Previous to the First World War he was building scows, cannery
tenders, Ferry No. 3, tugs, notably the Point Grey, the Dola and the No Name. The
plant was wiped out by fire in 1912, but was rebuilt on a larger scale.

In 1914 it was reorganized for the machining of high explosive shells, but in 1916
an order was received for the building of six auxiliary wooden schooners known as
the Mabel Brown type. In 1917 a further order for three 4700-ton steamers for the
Imperial Munitions Board was received. In 1918 the Canadian Government placed
an order for four steel freighters, 8390 and 4300 tons.

In 1919 the building of ships’ engines in B. C. was pioneered at Wallace's. The
building of “the luxury coastwise steamer, the Princess Louise in 1920, made Canadian
history. Until this time Canada had never been able to compete with the old-
established yards in Britain either in workmanship or cost, but on the completion of
this vessel, in which beauty of design, luxury of outfitting, and all-around excellence

were combined, competent critics agreed that she was superior to anything in the
B. C. Coast Steamships.”

Among the ships built between the two wars were the Vancouver fireboat, the
J. H. Carlyle (1928), and the sturdy St. Roch (1928), built for the R. C. M. P.,
which in 1944 made the famous 7500-mile trip from Vancouver to Halifax via the
Arctic in 80 days.

Orders came fast during World War II. The keel of the first four corvettes was
laid in 1940. These were followed by six mine sweepers, eight victualling ships, five
maintenance ships, and reconstruction jobs on the Prince Henry, Prince Robert,
Prince David and the Awatea. One hundred and nine cargo vessels, more than one-
third of Canada’s total of 312 10,000-tonners, were built in Burrard Drydock. There
is a floating dock with 16,000-ton capacity. It is 556 feet long, and 98 feet wide at
the bottom. There is also a 2000-ton marine railway on which smaller vessels
are accommodated.

The North Shore Press on January 13, 1950, carried the announcement that the
keel of a new $8,000,000 subchaser would be laid in May or June. The announce-
ment was made by J. V. Kline, Chairman of the Canadian Maritime Commisson, at
the launching on January 12 of the Alexander Mackenzie, a lighthouse supply ship
and buoy tender.

Ex-Alderman

Athelstan George Harvey

Alexander Houston

It is with the greatest regret that we record
the passing of Mr. Houston, on the 16th of
February last. Born at Fort Langley 81
years ago, he lived on the site of the original
Fort Langley, built in 1827. An Honorary
Member of this Association, our Museum

An enthusiastic and universally admired
Historian, Mr, Harvey has left a rich heri-
tage of historic material for the use of we
who survive. In his account of the deriva-
tion of many of the place names of British

houses valuable donations from his hand,
commemorating the building of the Govern-
ment Buildings there in 1858, by the Royal }
Engineers. He delighted in preserving and
showing to his visiting friends the still easily
discerned marks of the original palisades of
the fort, and donated the land beside the
thoroughfare there to the Municipality of
Langley, on which the Monument stands in
commemoration of the building of it. All
honour to a kind-hearted gentleman, whose
passing many deplore.

Columbia, his memory will be lovingly en-
shrined in the hearts of the people of this
province. A Past President of the Vancouver
Branch of the British Columbia Historical
Association; an Alderman who assisted mate-
tially in the shaping of the destiny of this
city, and as one of our most assiduous His-
torians, his accomplishments will cast a most
pleasing glow athwart the darkening skies, as
his confreres live on in the afternoons of life.
Rigidly upright, he possessed a warm heart
and gentle manner. May he rest in peace.

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