PART II. From Stat. 10 & 11 Will. 3. to Such were the terms of the first commiffion of civil governor, granted for Newfoundland. The inftructions that ac- A. D. 1728. companied this commiffion, have nothing in them very particular. They are fourteen in number; and the laft required him to execute all fuch matters as Lord Vere Beauclerk fhould propose to him, for his majefty's fervice. The instructions to his lordship contained all the heads of enquiry relating to the trade and fishery, and the abuses and irregularities fo long complain ed of, and they were fifty in number. We are told, that on the 24th of May 1729, a box was fent to the Lord Vere Beauclerk, in which were eleven fetts of Shaw's Practical Justice of the Peace, each impreffed on the covers, in gold letters, with one of these titles, Placentia, St. John's, Carboneer, Bay of Bulls, St. Mary's, Trepaffey, Ferryland, Bay de Verd, Trinity Bay, Bonavifta, Old Parlekin IN NEWFOUNDLAND; together with thirteen printed copies of Stat. 10 & 11 Will. 3, and a bundle containing the acts relating to the trade and navigation of this kingdom. And thus provided, his lordship and the governor fet PART H. fet fail for Newfoundland *, in the fum From Stat. 10 & 11 Will. 3. to A. D. 1728. mer of the year 1729. Having brought down this hiftory to the period, when an attempt was made to afford fome fort of civil government to Newfoundland, I fhall make a fhort pause in the narrative; and call the reader's attention to fome few documents, that will more ftrongly imprefs upon his mind the actual state of things in that island, and the preffing neceffity there was for the interpofition of the parliament, or of the executive government, to correct abuses, and establish some fort of regular authority. I have before given a particular account of the enormities fubfifting within three years after paffing Stat. 10 & 11 Will. 3, from a letter written by a person then confided in by the government at home; I mean Mr. Larkin. It is very plainly to be collected, from the reprefentation made by that gentleman, that this ftatute was ineffective and inadequate from the very beginning. What is inapplicable in its origin, is not likely to become more ufeful in a courfe of time. It will be * Entries F. 176 to 234. Bund. O. 40. + Vid. ant. pa. 34. found, found, in fact, that in all the time that PART IL elafped between paffing that act, and From Stat. 10 & the year 1729, disorder and anarchy in- 11 Will. 3. to creased more and more; and nothing remained but to try another fyftem. The documents I fhall produce will be extracts from the correfpondence and communications made by the commodores and commanders on the Newfoundland ftation, to the board of trade. In thefe it will be feen, what was the nature of the disorders and irregularities committed in the island; and it will appear how very inadequate was the authority and jurifprudence conferred by the ftatute of King William, and how ill the authority and jurisdiction fo given, was adminiftered. A. D. 1728. Newfoundland, the fishing admi. rals during this One of the correfpondents writes in this Diforders in manner." The admirals which are ap- and conduct of pointed by the Newfoundland act, to decide differences, in relation to fishing- period. rooms, &c. have entirely neglected it in all its parts. Indeed, at their firft arrival, they claim their prerogative, as by the faid act, as far as it fuits with their own interest and no further; except a particu lar From Stat. 10 & A. D. 8728. PART II. lar friend of theirs fhould arrive with a fishing fhip; in such case should the ships I Will. 3. to fishing rooms of that harbour be taken up before he arrives, they often remove fome planter or other for him, pretending that the planter's title is not good to the room he poffeffes, when the commanders of men. of war, fome years before, adjudged it to be the said planter's right." "Thefe things are often done, and fe veral of the inhabitants' fishing voyages ruined thereby. It is common, that what is done one year, in relation to fishing rooms, is contradicted the next; fo that the fishing-rooms are not fettled to this very day. Many times these admirals never were in the land before, nor knew any thing of the matter; in which cafe fome old weft country mafter commonly takes care that the faid admiral do nothing but what he pleafes.-Thofe are the patrons that are commonly called kings in that country, who facrifice other people's interest frequently to ferve their own. The admirals are fome of the firft men to cut down the roofs of their stages, cook-rooms, and flakes, which paves the way for the inhabitants to follow their example, who in the From Stat. 10% 11 Will. 3. to the winter season generally carry away all PART II. the remainder. It is certain the admirals are feldom or never at leifure to hear any A. D. 1728. complaints whatsoever, except one of their favourites is the plaintiff." "The mafters of fhips in Newfoundland generally endeavour to force their goods upon the inhabitants, especially the poorer fort, who generally pay deareft. Say they, if he makes a good voyage, we shall be all paid; and if he does not (fays every one to himself) I will be quick enough to get my payment. By this means they have a jealous eye, the one over the other. If the fishing does not prove fo good as was expected, fome of these mafters will fall upon them, before the fishing feafon is half over, take away their filh before half made; another comes and takes away his train; and many times there comes a third, who has more men than they, and takes it away from the former; he that has moft men is fure to have the greatest fhare. This is a common practice in Newfoundland. They never acquaint the admirals with this proceeding before they do it; 2 * Entries, D. pa, 337. neither |