84 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
to you with respect to the settlement of those lands, which appear to 
us to be an object of the utmost importance, and on the right deter- 
mination of which the future strength and prosperity of the Colony 
greatly depends.” 
Benjamin Green, one of the Council of Nova Scotia, went to Boston 
in January, 1756, with instructions to discuss with Governor Shirley 
the question of re-peopling the evacuated lands “with good Protestant 
subjects” from New England. Shirley wrote to Lawrence shortly 
afterwards on the subject, expressing his fears that the present state 
of hostilities in North America would seriously interfere with the ac- 
complishment of the project. He also states that the present con- 
stitution of government in Nova Scotia may prove an obstacle to its 
settlement, since the people of New England have a preference for 
being ruled by a governor, council and House of Representatives, and 
set much store by a Charter Constitution. He adds: “All that occurs 
to me at present that can be done for drawing settlers from this con- 
tinent to the evacuated lands in Nova Scotia, is a publication of the 
terms upon which they may be encouraged to settle there, and the 
protection from an Indian or French enemy they may expect in the 
district where they are to sit down.” 
In the course of the war with France, which had now begun, 
Governor Lawrence served with distinction at the reduction of Louis- 
bourg and Colonel Monckton (who was now Lieut.-Governor of Nova 
Scotia) took possession of the valley of the river St. John and built 
Fort Frederick on the site of the abandoned French fort at the mouth 
of the river. 
The surrender of Quebec the next year was the last dramatic act 
of the final campaign between England and France for supremacy on 
the North American continent. Meanwhile, the province of Nova 
Scotia had established a House of Assembly and, with representative 
institutions, was in a position to take measures for its own development 
as a British possession. The story of the beginning of this develop- 
ment under Charles Lawrence and his successors must be delayed for 
another paper. 
