DISCOVERY 1497. John Cabot, in the ship Matthew, of 50 tons, with sixteen English seamen, and one Burgundian, first sighted land at early morn, June 24th, Tradition points to Cape Bonavista as the land first seen, but this landfall is disputed by some historians.

FIRST REGULAR FISHERY 1502. Rev. Phillip Tocquee, deceased local historian, said that in this year the Portuguese established the first regular fishery in Newfoundland. Capt. John Rut who visited St. John's in 1527, in a letter which he wrote to King Henry VIII, said that he had found 11 sail of Norman, 1 Breton and 2 Portuguese barques but no English. Judge Prowse says in his history that the English fished here in 1498, and that records show their continuous operations from that date.

TOOK POSSESSION OF NFLD 1583. Sir Humphrey Gilbert reached the harbour of St. John's, August 3rd. Queen Elizabeth gave him letters patent authorizing him to take possession of Newfoundland. On August 5th Sir Humphrey and his men landed, and the ceremony of taking possession was performed.

SIR GEORGE CALVERT ARRIVES 1623. Sir George Calvert, afterwards Lord Baltimore, a native of Yorkshire, arrived. He obtained a patent from King James I., conveying to him a whole of the Southern Peninsula of Newfoundland, extending from Trinity Bay to Placentia Bay, and it was named by him Avalon. He planted his colony at ferryland, forty miles North of Cape Race, where he built a fine house and was resided for many years with his family. He left for Maryland, one of the American colonies, where he founded the city of Baltimore.

POPULATION OF NEWFOUNDLAND 1650. It was estimated that the population between Cape Race and Cape Bonavista amounted to 2,000.

PLACENTIA FOUNDED BY THE FRENCH 1662. Placentia, known as "ye ancient capital," was founded by the French.

FRENCH TAKE ST. JOHN'S 1696. St. John's and nearly all the settlements in the country were taken by the French. Carbonear gallantly resisted all attempts at capture, and so did Bonavista.

ANOTHER FRENCH ATTACK 1705. St. John's attacked by French in command of Subercase,governor of Placentia, and about 500 troops. Town destroyed and many inhabitants taken prisoners of Placentia.

FIRST GOVERNOR ARRIVED 1729. Capt. Henry Osburne of H.M.S. Squirrel was appointed gevernor. it is said that he was a painstaking, honest and conscientious ruler.

FIRST MENTION OF SEALFISHERY 1763. Rev. Moses Harvey, in his history, says that the first mention of a sealfishery is by L' Abbe Raynal, who tells us that as early as 1763 some English fishermen used to repair to certain parts of Newfoundland, during winter, for the prosecution of the sealfishery. This was principally catching seals with nets. In 1807 about 50 small schooners were engaged seal hunting. Fifty years afterwards 400 vessels were engaged , employing about 14,000 men. Steamers only prosecute it now.

FIRST SUPREME COURT 1793. Supreme Court of Judiculture appointed Chief Justice Reeves first President Supreme Court.

FIRST LIGHT HOUSE 1811. Fort Amherest Light House at the entrance of St. John's Harbour was built.

BIG FIRE AT ST JOHN'S 1816. A fire broke out in a house at "King's Beach" at 8 p.m. on Feb. 12th. About 120 houses were destroyed involving a loss of 100,000.

ANOTHER BIG FIRE 1817. Nov. 7th a destructive fire broke out and in a few hours 140 dwelling houses besides stores and wharves were burnt to the value of 500,000 Stg. 1,100 persons were rendered homeless. On the 21st another fire took place, destroying 56 houses. In 1881 still another big fire occured.

ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE APPROVED 1824. An Act of the British Parliament provided that the supreme Court should be held by the Chief Justice and two assistant judges. The Island was divided into three districts, in each of which a Citcuit Court was appointed to be held each year by one of the judges, from the decisions of which an appeal to the Supreme Court was permitted. A court of Civil Judisdiction was also instituted for Labrador.

FIRST SESSION OF ASSEMBLY 1833. Monday, Jan. 1st, the first local Parliament was opened by Governnor Cochrane.

CONSTITUTION RESTORED 1847. An Act passed the imperial Parliament restoring to Newfoundland her constitution of 1833, retaining, however, the qualifications under the amalgamated system.

COLONIAL BUILDING OPENED 1850. The colonial Building, or what we call The house of assembly, was opened for the first time.

RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT IS GRANTED 1855. The form of government which Newfoundland possesses today was granted by the Imperial Government, and on May 22nd, Governor Darling opened the House of Assembly.

OPPOSITION TO FISHERY AGREEMENT 1857. Big demonstration held protesting against terms of Anglo-French Fishery Agreement Convention. Delegates leave Newfoundland for Canada.

CABLE SUCCESSFULLY LAID 1866. On July 21st, the Atlantic cable was successfully landed at Heart's Content by the steamship Great Eastern.

NEWFOUNDLAND RAILWAY STARTED 1881. Firts sod for railway construction turned, August 29th. First locomotive arrived Dec. 5th. railway Depot was at Fort William, which stood where Newfoundland Hotel now Stands.

ST. JOHN'S FIRST LIGHTED BY ELECTRICITY 1886. On November 1st, the streets of St. John's were first lighted by electricity. The switches were manipulated at the headquarters of the Electric Light Co. by Anna and Emma Pooke, daughters of Mr. T. S. Pooke, manager.

DOLLARS AND CENTS INTRODUCED 1888. Dollars and cents were introduced as Newfoundland currency, which hitherto had been proud, shillings and pence.

ST. JOHN'S DESTROTED BY FIRE 1892. On July 8th a fire started ina barn at the junction of Pennywell and Freshwater Roads. Before Nightfall half of the city was destroyed and 11,000 people were rendered homeless.

COUNCIL OF HIGHER EDUCATION APPOINTED 1893. An Act was passed to provide for higher education. It made provision for the appointment of a Council of Higher Education with a view to promoting a high standard of education throughout the country, the awarding of prizes and diplomas, and scholarships to the successful candidates.

WABANA IRON MINE OPENED 1895. Opened at Bell island, distance, 12 miles from St. John's, situated in Conception Bay, and has an output of 1,000,000 ton per year; shipments being made to Europe and America.

FIRST MAIL AND PASSENGER TRAIN 1898. The first regular mail and passenger train to Port aux Basques left St. John's station at 6 p.m., July 25th.

FPU ESTABLISHED 1908. On November 3rd a mass meeting of fishermen was held at Herring Neck, in the L.O.A. Hall, to consider the advisibility of establishing a fishermen's union for Newfoundland. Mr. W. F. Coaker (now Sir W.F. Coaker) was the convenor of the meetingand was elected pesident. This meeting marked the birth of the Fishermen's Protective Union, which was later destined to exercise a large influence in the political, commercial, and general economic life of the country, and to enroll 25,000 fishermen under its banner. Resolutions were passed establishing the F.P.U., and its constitution was unanimously adopted.

BOWRING PARK OPENED 1914. Bowring Park was opened by Duke of Connaught, who was visiting St. John's in July.

PROHIBITION LAW PASSED 1915. Total Prohibition for the whole island was carried this year by vote. It required 40 per cent. of the registered voters at the election of1913 in order to make prohibition operative. The total vote polled for prohibition was 24,965, against 5,348. The najority was 19,617. It came into force on January 1st, 1917. The Government took over the sale of liquor.

FIRST SUCCESSFUL AIR FLIGHT 1919. Alcock's winnign air flight started at St. John's on the evening of saturday, June 14th. During the foggy night he crossed the Atlantic, and a landing was made at Clifden, Ireland, after a fligth a 15 hours and 57 minutes. The distance flown over the ocean was 1,800 miles. Both Capt. Alock and his pilot, Lieutenant A. Whitten Brown, were knighted by the King for their feat.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CREATED 1919. The first Newfoundland Department of Education created under the Administration of Sir Richard Anderson Squires. Hon. Dr. Barnes, Ph.D., accepted the Portfolio of Minister of Education. Dr. Vincent P. Burke, M.A., Debuty Minister.

LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONE OPERATED 1921. This year a long distance telephone was instituted. It was operated for the first time on Sunday, November 27th.

GRACE MATERNITY HOSPITAL 1923. The Grace Hospital was opened on December 10th. Staffed and administered by the Salvation Army in conjuction with an inter-denominational advisory board and Newfoundland Medical practitioners generally. Dr. W. Roberts, M.B., Tor., F.R.C.S., M.R.C.P., Edin., present Medical Superintendent. Staff Captain Fagner, S.A., Maltron. Lady Allardyce is Honorary President and Lady Squires President of the Grace Maternity Association.

NEWFOUNDLAND HOTEL 1925. The Newfoundland Hotel opened its doors to receive guests for the first time on July 1st, 1925, by Messrs. T.E. Rousseau, Ltd., og Quebec,and was soon raised to tower above the surrounding duildings. The erection of this magnificant hotel, fully equipped with every modern requirement that most exacting guest would desire, marks a new era in the social and commercial life of St. John's, While the primary purpose of the undertaking was to afford accommodation to tourists, the hotel is at present catering to social getherings in St. John's, and has already become the popular centre for all social functions. The building is erected on the site of the old Fort William, which is noted for its historical associations. The hotal is controlled and operated by the Newfoundland Hotel Facilities, Ltd., of which Hon. Sydney D. Blandford and Stafford were the chief promoters of the project.

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