54 Industrial Experiments in Colonial America. 



the work was exceedingly important.^ The progress of Colonel 

 Dunbar's operations was unfortunately retarded by his quarrel 

 with Governor Belcher- and by the disputes with the Massa- 

 chusetts proprietors who claimed title to the lands about the 

 Kennebec. Moreover, though vigorous and able in his admin- 

 istration, Dunbar had no tact, and he contrived to make him- 

 self very unpopular in Massachusetts in the exercise of his 

 duties as surveyor of the woods. He believed, too, that the 

 Massachusetts proprietors regarded his government of the new 

 province as an usurpation and looked to Governor Belcher as 

 the champion of their rights.^ The latter had begun his admin- 

 istration by issuing a proclamation reminding the inhabitants of 

 the land about Pemaquid of their allegiance to the province. 

 The nature of the quarrel over the title to the Kennebec lands is 

 not important in this connection ; but the hard feeling so in- 

 creased, that in September of 1730 Dunbar wrote from Boston 

 to the Board of Trade, that the disputes between the pretended 

 proprietors and the new settlers was like to end in a kind of 

 war. The former openly said that they would part with their 

 heart's blood before they would give the king one farthing quit 

 rent. Dunbar was informed by the advocate whom he consulted 

 that if he should attempt to go to Fredericksfort, the Gov- 

 ernor and Council would send a force to take it from him and 

 make him prisoner. In view of this possibility, Dunbar applied 

 for military protection to Colonel Philips, Governor of Nova 

 Scotia.* Governor Belcher at once wrote to the Board of Trade 

 utterly denying any intention to attack Fredericksfort.^ Intense 



iDunbar to the Board of Trade, B. T. New Eng., Entry Bk. K, 

 May 7, 1730. 



^Letters from Dunbar to the Board of Trade, B. T., New Eng., 

 Z: 217, 145; Petition from the Council and inhabitants of New 

 Hampshire to be separated from Massachusetts, B. T. New Eng., 

 Z: 218. 



^Willis's Paper. 



*.Dunbar writes to the Board of Trade of his action in the affair, 

 B. T., New Eng., Z: 145. 



5Gov. Belcher to the Board of Trade, B. T. New Eng., Z: 155. 



