66 THE* ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
ships had a promise of a continuance of their grants, if they were in 
earnest to come and settle in the province, till ‘the first of June next, 
provided they would in the meantime return a list of such persons as 
really intended to come and settle. In consequence I have received 
lists of persons intending to settle Onslow and Truro,! who with their 
families amount to about five hundred persons, and a very considerable 
stock of Cattle, but all declare their inability of removing unless assisted 
by the Government with transportation. I have also received a list 
of two hundred persons with their stock ready to embark for Sackville 
but unable to provide themselves with transportation, and I daily 
expect other lists for the other Townships. 
“As their early arriving in the Spring may be a means of their 
doing something toward raising provisions this year, I ordered the 
other three Government vessels to repair to Connecticut and Boston 
to take in the settlers for Onslow and Truro, and have given orders 
to Mr. Hancock to hire as many others as will be sufficient to embark 
all those who shall be ready, at the allowance of two ton per head. 
As the run will be short the expence will not be great. This was thought 
a necessary measure at this juncture as the reduction of Canada has 
induced many of those who have contracted to decline coming into 
this Province, the other Provinces being very solicitous to detain them 
to settle their own frontiers. I have reason to hope that transportation 
being granted to those who now offer will be an inducement to their 
friends and associates to follow them. 
“Application has been made by a number of Fishermen belonging 
to Marblehead, the principal Town for the Fishery in Massachusetts, 
for the grant of a Township at the west end of the Peninsula at a place 
called Pugnico. As the encouragement of Fishermen to settle in this 
Province is of the utmost importance and the only proper means of 
establishing the Fishery, I have promised them that upon their associat- 
ing a number of families sufficient for a Township they should have a 
Grant of those Lands they have requested, with all other assistance 
that should be in my power to grant them. They propose to begin their 
Settlement next Fall.” 
The Lords of Trade were not convinced of the necessity of provid- 
ing free transportation, even in the vessels belonging to the province, 
to those who proposed to settle in Nova Scotia, and they quoted against 
the representation of Belcher his predecessor’s assertion that the lands 
needed only to be seen for the people to be in love with them. “We 
are so satisfied,” they add, “ of their fertility and the advantage of their 
situation that we do not the least doubt but that the Settlers who 
originally contracted will fulfil their agreements without extraordinary 
encouragement. And we are the more fully convinced of this from 
what is stated in the minutes of Council you last transmitted to us, by 
which it appears that Mr. McNutt has agreed to transport at his own 
! Alexander McNutt was a very active promoter of the settlement of these 
townships, 
