The Preservation of the Woods. 97 



wihtout Bridger's consent. Bridger stated his objection to 

 such an appointment, at the time, on grounds that then ap- 

 peared satisfactory.^ 



The Board of Trade adopted a laissez-faire poHcy in regard 

 to the afifairs of the woods during the year 1720, neither sending 

 instructions to Armstrong nor recalHng Bridger. The latter 

 continued his warfare against the loggers, but although he re- 

 peatedly wrote to have his seizures confirmed, he received no 

 word from the Board of Trade for fifteen months and no salary 

 for two years.- Meanwhile the loggers, seeing that Bridger re- 

 ceived no recognition from the government, defied his authority 

 more boldly than ever, until his position became most embar- 

 rassing. " 'Tis very hard," he wrote, pathetically, in the twenty- 

 fifth year of his serv^ice in the woods, "to serve my King all my 

 life, and to at last want Bread and do the Duty.'"'' Toward the 

 end of the year 1720, Armstrong appeared and began his du- 

 ties, and Mr. Bridger returned to England with testimonials 

 from Governor Shute and Lieut-Governor Wentworth, prais- 

 ing his industry, skill and honesty, and a certificate from the 

 Council of New Hampshire that the General Assembly had 

 passed a vote of thanks to him for promoting two acts to en- 

 courage the raising of hemp.* Wentworth showed a special 

 friendliness to him and wrote to the Board of Trade that the 

 reports against him were utterly false.' In May, 1722, Bridger 

 made a last efifort to induce the Board of Trade to restore him 

 to his office, pleading the increasing need of vigilance now that 

 all kinds of timber had been freed from duty," and the people 

 would be thereby encouraged to destroy the king's woods; and 

 urging the incompetency and lack of experience of Armstrong.'^ 



iMr. Bridger to the Board of Trade, B. T. New Eng., W: 69. 

 2Mr. Bridger to the Board of Trade, B. T. New Eng., X: 74, 75. 

 3Mr. Bridger to the Board of Trade, B. T. New Eng., VV: 104. 

 *Mr. Bridger to the Board of Trade, B. T. New Eng., X: 77. 

 5Lieut.-Gov. Wentworth to the Board of Trade, B. T. New Eng., 



X:7i. 



"8 Geo. I, c. 12, passed 1722. 



'Mr. Bridger to the Board of Trade, B. T. Plants. Gen., L: 27. 



