74 ST. HELENA 



being referred to the British Government, who replied to 

 their requests for employment : — " We must employ our 

 own servants first, and we have only sufficient employment 

 for them." The East India Company saved annually 

 £90,000 by relinquishing the island, and yet most ungener- 

 ously made no arrangement with the British Government 

 for the provision of their civil and military servants. Major 

 Middlemore arrived on February 24, 1836, and took pos- 

 session of the island for William IV. The first regiment 

 sent was His Majesty's 91st. 



£9,000 per year had been the East India Company's pay 

 for the Governor here, but this was all cut down to about 

 £2,000. On this it was impossible to keep up such an 

 establishment as had been and should be kept with such 

 a beautiful residence and grounds. Reduction was made 

 in salaries of all Government officials. Not only the 

 officials, but the labouring classes quickly felt the difference, 

 and emigration took place. Many families and about no 

 other persons, consisting chiefly of lads who hired themselves 

 for a period of from five to seven years to agriculturists at 

 the Cape of Good Hope, left the island. 



During this year, when His Majesty King William's 

 Government took charge of the island from the East India 

 Company, 648 vessels called, and during the first six months 

 of the year 1845, ending June 30, the crews and passengers 

 of no fewer than 890 vessels of all nations sought and ob- 

 tained refreshment, recreation and health amidst the perfect 

 scenery, and in the beautiful climate of this island. Yet 

 so happily is the island situated, that during the whole of 

 the above period of nearly nine years, during which of course 

 many thousand vessels visited the roadstead, not one catas- 

 trophe occurred. 



In 1838 a grandson of the King, Prince William Henry 

 Frederick of Holland, visited the island. 



The supreme Court was established by Her Majesty Queen 

 Victoria's order in Council on February 13, 1837, and by 

 law slavery was for ever abolished within this colony in 



1839. 



Cotton and coffee were amongst the objects of culture 

 at this time. This is shown by the following interesting 

 reports : — 



