In the Hands of the English 5 
     
    
   
   
    
     of the island. But on June 7, 1746, a Council of War 
     
     held in Louisburg decided to postpone the evacua- 
     
     tion at present, “as the transports that were design’d 
     
     for that service will now be wanted for the use of the 
     
     Troops, and further Considering the vast Expense 
     
     that the Transporting those inhabitants to France 
     
     will amount to and the great Exigence of the State 
     
     at present for money.” 
     
    
   
   
    
     And having heard the Deputys from the People of 
     
     the Island of St. John’s Solicitation for Liberty to 
     
     remain in possession of their former Lands some time 
     
     Longer, subjecting themselves to His Majesty’s obedi- 
     
     ence which they were indulg’d in last September by Ad- 
     
     miral Warren, Sr. William Pepperrell and Govr. Shir- 
     
     ley, and finding they have strictly comply’d with all the 
     
     Articles and Restraints that they were lay’d under and 
     
     have behav’d in an Inoffensive manner Do recommend 
     
     it to Mr. Knowles to grant them Liberty to remain in 
     
     possession of their lands till His Majesty’s further 
     
     pleasure shall be known or till the Intended Expedition 
     
     be over and more proper and convenient opportunity 
     
     offers for their Transportation to France taking care 
     
     to have Hostages for the performance of the Articles 
     
     that are agreed to and which we recommend to be con- 
     
     formable to the Copy hereunto, Annex’d.° 
     
    
   
   
    
     In accordance with this recommendation Knowles 
     
     issued the following declaration of indulgence to the 
     
     inhabitants of Isle Saint Jean, a copy of which he 
     
     sent to the Duke of Newcastle informing him that 
     
     the evacuation was postponed because the transports 
     
    
   
   
    
     5 Report, 1905, App. C, pp. 43-45.