THE FIRST ANGLO-FRENCH DUEL T05 



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 hom^ and a 



authorities custom-house officer, but having no Court ^"^i Jmcer^^ 



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



Captains Bridge (1702) and Leake (1704) inadvertently Coi7imand- 



referred to the commandants of those years as Governors, and ^'^^5,^<^^^^ 



•^ . ' aj Gover- 



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



the regular officers and soldiers having been removed, the ^^^^ . 

 mhabitants elected commandants of militia at different places, were 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 I 

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

 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 1 7 1 1 Captain Crowe, R.N., ««^ ^ 

 as convoy- captain, summoned 'Courts', composed of ^^ made laws, 

 ships' captains, merchants, and chief inhabitants, which sat off 171 1* 

 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, 



