128 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



was accordingly instructed to procure such a report. Captain Samuel 

 Holland was ordered to make the uecessar}^ examination and report. 

 The report was submitted in the spring of 1767. 



In the meantime, rumours of the fertility and value of Cape Breton 

 were widely circulated, no doubt caused by the delay in opening the 

 island to settlers. We find accordingly, that in 1764, the Duke of Kich- 

 mond applied for a grant of the whole island. In the same patriotic 

 strain Brigadier-General Howe and his associates wanted a grant of the 

 coal, and so on with Sir Samuel Fluyders and others. 



Up to 1767 it appears that a small number of licenses of occupation 

 had been granted. Although continually, especially in 1769, numerous 

 applications were made for grants, the Lords of Trade refused to enter- 

 tain them. 



In 1770, as fis:hermen and smugglers were constantly stealing coal 

 from the outcrops of the seams on the shore, a proclamation was issued 

 forbidding any one to dig or remove coal. The policy of not encourag- 

 ing settlement in Cape Breton continued up to the year 1784. I am not 

 aware of the reason for this continued delay in the opening up of this 

 island. As mentioned already in these notes. Nova Scotia proper had 

 since 1759 been laid out into townships and had received a steady inflow 

 of settlers from 'New England, followed by Loyalists and others. It may 

 have been that the application of the Duke of Eichmond for the land and 

 minerals of the island suggested its reservation from settlement, with a 

 view to its being ultimately handed over to a member of the Eoyal 

 family. As already mentioned, this plan of disposal of the island was 

 entertained in 1788, and finally carried into effect in 1826, as far as the 

 mineral rights were available. 



It is deeply to be regretted that the Government of Great Britain 

 had not at first aid opted a system of colonization; for Cape Breton lost 

 half a century, and its settlement was practically deferred until the dawn 

 of the last century. 



In 1784, Cape Breton island was erected into a separate province 

 and Major DesBarres, an officer of high attainments and extensive 

 acquaintance with Nova Scotia, was appointed governor. The policy of 

 exclusion had been reversed on the appointment of Lord Sydney as 

 Secretary of State for the Colonies, and the Governor-General of the 

 Maritime provinces was directed to see that in future land grants 

 reservations were made of all gold, silver, copper, lead and coals. 



The first grant was issued May 17, 1786, to H. W. Perry, of a lot 

 of land at Sydney, the new capital of the island, named after Lord 

 Sydney, 



A number of grants were made to Loyalists, who, however, in many 

 cases did not become permanent settlers. As an example the case of the 



