36 ' PAST AND PRESENT OF

The previous month (May) Mr. Des- Brisay wrote, stating that he could not be happy under the command of Patterson, and asked to be appointed lieutenant govem- or of Nova Scotia, or, if he had to remain here, that he be given a salary as lieutenant governor, as his present salary of three hun- dred pounds as secretary is but small, owing to the high prices here. He enforced his re- quest by giving the prices of various ar- ticles, which, as they may be of interest to present-day housekeepers, are here repro- duced. It will be remembered that these prices are in sterling. They were:

.s. d. Equ 0 Beef, per pound ..................... 0. 7. 14c Mutton, per pound .................. 0. 7. 14¢ Veal, per pound .................... 0. 10. 20c Pork, per pound .................... 0. 6. 12¢ Fresh butter, per pound ............ 1. 3. 30c A loaf bread, weight 3% pounds ..... 1. 3. 300 Lump sugar, per pound ............. 2.6. 600 Milk, :1 quart ....................... 0. 6.12c

“And all other articles, wearing apparel, &c..

&c., as dear in proportion.”

The Assembly was to have met the day of Patterson's arrival, but as a suflicient number to form a House did not attend, it was adjourned for four days, when curiosity brought every member to town who had heard of his arrival. They passed several acts, particularly one to change the name of the Island to “New Ireland.” In urging its approval, he points out that the Island is constantly mistaken for a variety of ’ places of the same name, with which it is surrounded; that “St. John’s, Newfound- land, is the place longest known by that name to the majority of the mercantile and common people at home; and since ever it has been known, the ideas of fogs and bar- renness have been annexed to it. We are so much confounded with this part in par-

ticular that people have even sailed for Newfoundland, thinging they were coming hither.” He adds that the confusion oc- casioned in their correspondence was in- conceivable.

The home government, however, would not assent to this name, as it was already appropriated, and suggested New Guernsey or New Angelsea.

In March, I 781, the Governor forwarded a number of acts for approval, among which it seems strange to us to find one en- titled “An Act declaring that Baptism of Slaves shall not exempt them from Bondage.”

In I784, an important constitutional change was made in the Island government. In I 769, it had been erected into a govern- ment separate from Nova Scotia, and having a governor and lieutenant governor of its

own. The Island was now to be an- nexed to Nova Scotia, and adminis- tered by a lieutenant governor. The

Legislature was to be preserved intact, and every act of government was to be executed by the lieutenant governor, except when the governor-in-chief was in person on the spot. A commission as lieutenant governor was sent out to Patterson, which he read to the Council, and took the prescribed oaths. He appointed a new Council, which was the same as the old, except that Mr. Townshend, collector and naval officer, was added, and Mr. DesBrisay, who had been lieutenant governor, was left out. In a despatch to the secretary of state (Sydney), Patterson men- tioned his successful efforts, largely at his own expense, to bring the Island out of chaos to order; referring to the enmity of Nova Scotia against the Island, on account of the latter’s superiority in natural advan- tages. He referred to premature attempts