HISTORICAL SKETCH. 39

Mott’s Chocolate, Grateful and Comforting.

' government of Nova Scotia. A survey of the Island and of all the British North American Provinces, ordered by the Imperial Government, was commenced in 1704*, and finished in 1766. After this survey no doubt remained as to the fertility of the land. Previous to that various plans were suggested as to the settlement of the colony. The most strenuous efforts were made by the Earl of Egmont, first Lord of the Admiralty, for a grant of the Island, and to hold the same in fee of the croWn. He proposed to settle it on a feudal plan, and that he himself should be 10rd paramount of the whole Island. His plans were set forth in an elaborate memorial to the king,and were backed by several communications addressed to the lords of trades and plantations, and signed by influential gentlemen dis- tinguished for military and other services. The king referred the matter to the board of trade. In 1764: the board reported that the principles of the plan seemed adverse to the system of late years adopted in the settlement of the colonies, and that as his lordship's scheme was more calculated to answer the purpose of military and defence than of agriculture and commerce, they could not advise his majesty to comply with Lord Egmont’s proposal. The Is- land was afterwards divided into sixty-seven lots. These lots or townships, with the exception of a few reservations, were disposed of, by means of the ballot box, to parties having claims on the government upon certain conditions. Thus, on the twenty-third of July, in the year 1767, was the Island apportioned, with the exception of lot sixty—six. About six thousand acres were reserved for the crown, and lots forty and fifty-nine—Which had already been promised to parties in consideration of having made improvements and established fisheries on the Island.

In 1770, at the request of the proprietors, the Island was erected into a separate government, and Capt. Walter Patterson, one of the Island grantees, was appointed Governor. .At this time there Were only one hundred and fifty families and five proprietors living on the Island. In 1773 the first Assembly was convened, and the first Act passed was one ratifying the proceedings of the governor In council from the first day of May, 1769, to the then

Ask your Grocer for Mott’s Spice.