Section II., 1910. [poo | Trans. R. S. C. 
IlI.—Nova Scotia under English Rule; from the Capture of Port Royal 
to the Conquest of Canada, A.D. 1710-1760. 
By Rev. W. O. Raymonp; LL.D. 
(Read September 27, 1910.) 
The maritime provinces of the Dominion are very nearly co-exten- 
sive with the tract of country that in the days of the French regime bore 
the name of Acadia. Possibly the day may come when these proviuces 
may deem it well to reunite under one local government, in which event 
a return to the ancient name of Acadia would be eminently fitting. 
The earlier history of this part of the Canadian Dominion naturally 
divides into (a) the Pre-historic, or Indian, period, (6) the Acadian 
period, and (c) the Pre-loyalist period. This paper will deal with the 
later portion of the Acadian period, and will serve as an introduction to 
the progress of settlement in Nova Scotia during the Pre-loyalist period, 
the consideration of which is reserved for another paper. 
During the century that followed the attempt of the Sieurs de 
Monts, Champlain and Poutrincourt to establish a colony in Acadia, 
the centre of authority remained, for the most part, at Port Royal. 
But Port Royal had a chequered experience and, while it remained for 
the greater part of the century in possession of the French, it was re- 
peatedly taken by the British, only to be restored to its former owners 
by conquest or by treaty. Samuel Argal, Sir Wm. Alexander, Sir 
David Kirk, Col. Robert Sedgewick and Sir Wm. Phips in turn held 
possession and for fully a century, from the time of its first occupation 
by the French, Port Royal was doomed to be the foot-ball of fortune. 
It was not until the brave Commander Subercase, overpowered by a 
superior force, surrendered to General Nicholson in September, 1710, 
that the ancient stronghold passed permanently into the hands of the 
British. The treaty of Utrecht, three years later, confirmed the Eng- 
lish in possession; but for the next fifty years they held Acadia by a 
very slight tenure, and, had it not been for the efforts of the people of 
New England in various emergencies, the country would undoubtedly 
have again passed under French control. 
By the treaty of Utrecht “all Nova Scotia, or Acadia, compre- 
hended within its ancient boundaries,” was ceded to the English. At 
once there was a disagreement as to the “ancient boundaries.” The 
English insisted that the territory north of the Bay of Fundy—now the 
Province of New Brunswick—was undoubtedly part of Acadia. The 
French, on their part, stoutly asserted that Acadia included nothing 
more than the peninsula of Nova Scotia. The dispute lasted for nearly 
half a century, sometimes confined to wordy warfare over the council 
