76 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
their Industry and Frugality to succeed, and had incurred less expence 
to the Province than any other settlers that had been brought into it.” 
It seems that Lieut. Governor Belcher was inclined, perhaps on the 
ground of economy, to limit the supply of provisions to two months 
instead of four. This led Messrs. Collier, Morris, Newton and Francklin 
to observe: “We cannot help remarking that this unsteady and irre- 
solute kind of conduct, which indeed tinctures the whole of the Lieut. 
Governor’s administration, must necessarily give the new Inhabitants 
an unfavourable impression.” 
The little world of Halifax was so full of cabals at this time that 
even the Council appears to have been divided into factions. MeNutt’s 
friends were manifestly dissatisfied with Belcher’s administration, 
and their letter to Governor Ellis closes with an expression of their 
earnest desire soon to have the pleasure of congratulating his Excellency 
upon his safe arrival in Nova Scotia to assume the reins of government. 
It is quite possible that these gentlemen may have been unduly pre- 
judiced against the Lieut. Governor, nevertheless, they had been resi- 
dents of the province since the first settlement of Halifax, and the 
records show them to have been the most liberal minded and progressivè 
of the Lieut. Governor’s advisers. It may be mentioned that in writing 
to Governor Ellis they employed the old familiar argument for the 
speedy settlement of Nova Scotia. “We cannot close our letter,” 
they say, “without remarking to your Excellency that considering 
the circumstances of Nova Scotia—bordering on the Province of 
Canada, whose inhabitants are a numerous body of people, all Roman 
Catholicks and all French and firmly attached to the interest of the 
Crown of France, and who cannot be kept in subjection to His Majesty’s 
Government but by means of Garrisons, and which may by some unfor- 
seen accident be wrested out of the hands of the English—we are of 
opinion it is of the utmost importance to the Crown of Great Britain 
that this Province, capable of entertaining more than a million inhabi- 
tants, should be filled with them as fast as possible as the most effectual 
method of retaining it at all hazards as a Barrier against Canada and as 
a support of the fishery of Newfoundland against any sudden surprize 
or attempt. Regard ought also to be had that the Province should 
be settled by Protestants of known attachment to His Majesty and to 
the interest of Great Britain, whether from Great Britain itself, Ireland, 
Hanover or any other part of His Majesty’s dominions, and that all 
Protestant subjects should have free liberty to come and settle and 
have equal rights of land and equal privileges in all respects.” 
There was undoubtedly in Halifax a considerable number of people, 
some of them holding official positions, who were anxious to curtail 
MeNutt’s ambitious plans with the design of themselves becoming 
