52 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
expressed his fear that such settlers would prove unsuitable and very 
expensive to the Crown. Having nothing to set out with they must be 
furnished with provisions for one year at least, with implements of 
husbandry and cattle to stock their lands, with materials and tools 
for building as well as with the cost of transportation. And after all 
said and done it was his opinion that any general attempt to establish 
them as settlers would fail. ‘ According to my ideas, which,” said he, 
“T offer with all possible deference and submission, they are the least 
qualifyed from their occupation as Soldiers of any men living to establish 
new countrys, where they must encounter difficulties with which they 
are altogether unacquainted, and I am the rather convinced of it as 
every Soldier that has come into the Province since the establishment 
of Halifax has either quitted it or become a Dram seller.”’! Lawrence 
had rather more confidence in the proposal to settle mariners in a 
situation in which they might be employed in the fishery, and thought 
that 200 families might be settled to advantage in each of the following 
places:—Chedebucto, Canso, Torbay, Country Harbour, River St. Mary, 
Bay of Islands, Great Jedore. 
Lawrence’s mind was relieved at receiving, soon after, a letter 
from the Lords of Trade in which they express great satisfaction at 
the growth of the province, and advise him to continue the establish- 
ment of townships upon the same plan and with the same conditions 
on which the thirteen townships had been already granted. They add, 
“Tho’ we are sensible this measure may possibly prevent the settling 
of soldiers in those parts of the Province which were intended to be 
reserved for that purpose, we think nevertheless that the present is too 
immediate and too considerable an object to be risked in favour of any 
more distant views. And we are willing therefore to postpone for the 
present every other consideration, recommending to you at the same 
time not totally to lose sight of the intended Establishment of Soldiers, 
but to pursue it only as a secondary object, and no farther than may 
be consistent with making a compensation to the settlers and com- 
pleating the establishment of the thirteen townships, which you are 
to regard as the first and most important object of your attention.”’ 
Another untoward event which threatened to seriously interfere 
with the settlement of the townships was the damage wrought by 
the tremendous gale and disastrous tide of the 3d-4th of November, 
1759. This has only been paralleled within historic times by the 
famous “Saxby gale” of 1869. The gale of 1759, levelled the forest 
along the coast and for many miles inland. The tide rose to a height 
eight or ten feet above the ordinary, and great waves, driven by the 
! Letter to Lords of Trade of 11th of May, 1760. 
