BRITISH, COLONIAL AND OTHER CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 575 



the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and also at all other places in the sea where 

 they previously used to fish, and on the coast of Newfoundland ; but 

 not to cure their fish on that island. It was also agreed, that pro- 

 visions might be imported to the British colonies in British bottoms. 

 This was strongly opposed by the western merchants, but unsuccess- 

 fully; and, in 1788, upon the representation of the merchants con- 

 nected with Canada, it was proposed to bring a bill into Parliament 

 for preventing entirely the supply of bread, flour, and live stock, from 

 the United States; but this intention was abandoned, and the mode 

 of occasional supply continued. 



The Board of Trade was abolished in 1782, and, for the last years 

 of its existence, scarcely any thing appears on its records relative to 

 Newfoundland. Matters of trade and plantations were for some 

 years afterwards managed by a committee of council, appointed in 

 1784. 



By this time the practice of hearing and determining civil causes 

 became a subject of frequent complaint. Hitherto no court of civil 

 jurisdiction had been provided for the colony; and, while the island 

 remained merely a fishery, carried on by vessels from England, the 

 causes of actions were not of great magnitude ; but now that the popu- 

 lation had increased to considerable numbers, and heavy mercantile 

 dealings were frequent among them, discontent arose from time to 

 time, that led to the establishment of a new court, by a commission 

 to Admiral Milbanke, who was sent out as governor in 1789. But, 

 as heavy complaints were preferred by the merchants, as well as the 

 planters, against the proceedings of this court, an act was passed in 

 1792, empowering the governor, with the advice of the chief justice, 

 to institute Surrogate Courts of civil jurisdiction in different parts 

 of the island. The first chief justice was Mr Reeves, who published 

 an interesting account of Newfoundland, with acts of Parliament 

 relative to its government. He was a man of excellent character, and 

 a sound lawyer. Newfoundland owed much to him; and it would 

 have been well for that colony if his successors had followed the ex- 

 ample of his conduct. Some of them were not only unskilled in the 

 law, but weak or obstinate men, who were influenced by their inter- 

 ests or passions. 



Admiral Gambier was appointed to the government in 1802. His 

 administration was mild, and he appears to have been anxious to 

 promote the interests of the colony, and to encourage the education 

 of children born or brought up on the island. 



Before the peace of Amiens, a regiment of volunteers was raised in 

 the colony, and then disbanded. On the commencement of hostilities 

 another regiment was raised, and afterwards attached to the regulars, 

 under the name of " The Newfoundland Regiment of Light In- 

 fantry," under the command of Colonel Skinner. 



The trade of the island was not in the least interrupted by the 

 war, the vessels employed in the fisheries being fully protected by 

 the ships of war on the station ; and the admirals appointed from time 

 to time to the command of the Newfoundland squadron, administered 

 the government as formerly. 



"They were called "floating surrogates," and had the same jurisdiction as 

 the supreme court ; to which, however, appeals lay for all sums above 40. 



