THE FIRST ANGLO-FRENCH DUEL 105 



quintals of fish per boat for the support of a minister, and it 

 was whispered that these tithes went the way of Lilburne's 

 fines. Both Moody and Lloyd organized the militia, with the 

 consent of the militiamen, and Moody arranged (1705) that 

 twenty militiamen should keep watch and ward in the fort each 

 night. In 1708 A. Cummings was appointed by the \\Q\\IQ and a 

 authorities custom-house officer, but having no Court or Ct ' stoms 



officer 



Executive to back him he merely held a watching brief. existed. 



Captains Bridge (1702) and Leake (1704) inadvertently Command- 



referred to the commandants of those years as Governors, and ants actei * 



as Cover- 

 the title was a prophecy as well as a reminiscence. In 1709 nors when 



the regular officers and soldiers having been removed, the t]te 

 inhabitants elected commandants of militia at different places, W g re away, 

 and amongst others John Collins as commandant at St. John's. 

 In the same year Captain Taylour, R.N., having restored the 

 forts at St. John's, confirmed this election, and conferred on 

 Collins the title of ' Governor and commander in chief of the 

 port- and harbour of St. John's and all the sea-coasts between 

 Ferryland and Carbonear Island ' ; with power ' to defend the 

 fort, keep discipline, and order all the inhabitants into the said 

 fort ' with their provisions. Once more there was a resident 

 Governor. He was only the deputy of an annual official, so 

 that his functions would necessarily close with the year, and 

 would be in abeyance during the presence of the convoy- 

 captain, from whom he derived his authority. He was unpaid, 

 and, like Lord Baltimore's Governors, ruled over a part only 

 of the English settlements. In 1711 Captain Crowe, R.N., and a 

 as convoy- captain, summoned 'Courts', composed of the 

 ships' captains, merchants, and chief inhabitants, which sat off 

 and on for two months, examined witnesses, imposed fish- 

 tithes for the chaplain, services on the work of fortification, 

 duties to patrol the neighbourhood, and to keep watch and 

 ward in the fort by twenties at a time, organized the 1,925 

 male inhabitants into companies, and ordered them into 

 winter quarters at Ferryland, St. John's, Harbour Grace, 



