42 PAST AND PRESENT OF

tion of which would have immensely im- proved the condition of the province. In fact, the arrears in some cases amounted to more than the lands would sell for at auc- tion, hence these proprietors had now no in- .ducement ’to fulfill the other terms of the grants, and settle their lands, and purchas- ers were not to be had who would buy the lands subject to this burden of arrears. The committee recommended that a composition should be accepted, which was decided upon, the composition being made smaller in pro- portion to the efforts made by the respect- ive proprietors to settle their lands. They were divided into five classes. The first consisted of those whose lands had the full number of settlers required by the terms of settlement. From these only four years' quit rent was demanded, in lieu of the full amount from 1769 to 1801. The second class consisted of those whose lands had one-half the required number of settlers. Five years' quit rent was demanded from them. Those, whose townships had from one-fourth to one-half the required popula- tion, were to be charged nine years' quit rent in lieu of the arrears. Those who did not possess one-fourth the required num— ber were charged with twelve years’ quit rent, and those townships which had no set— tlers were charged with fifteen years' ar- rears. The defaulting proprietors were cer— tainly not entitled to such generous treat- ment, but the effect of this arrangement was good, as, in a short time, nearly one- third of the lands were sold, and settlement received a great impetus. Those who re- tained their lands. in some cases did not pay even the composition, and again let the arrears accumulate, and when efforts were made to escheat their lands, they always had sufficient influence in London to procure

the disallowance of acts of the local Legis- lature having that object in view.

It is not the intention, in what it but a sketch, to enlarge upon the land question subsequent to this period. That subject would afford matter for a work much more extensive than this is intended to be. It has been deemed well, by the writer, to enter somewhat fully into the earlier stages of the question. As to its subsequent history, it must suffice to say that, for yet over three- quarters of a century, it remained a vexed question on the Island, keeping the people in a state of unrest. It was not finally dis- posed of until the estates not previously purchased became vested in the government of the Island, under the compulsory provi— sions of the “Land Purchase Act, 1877.”

GOVERNOR FANNINGS ADMINISTRATION.

The position in which Colonel Fanning found himself, on his arrival in November, I786, was an anomalous one. It has already been pointed out that Patterson refused to surrender the government to him until the following spring, when peremptory de- spatches arrived, dismissing him and order— ing him to transfer the government to Fan- ning. There can be no question but that the latter was in a most awkward situation dur- ing the period between his arrival and Pat- terson’s departure, the following year. He evidently bore himself with dignity, under trying circumstances, while Patterson weak- ened himself by the extraordinary ill-advised course he saw fit to pursue.

During the summer and autumn of 1787, the governor made a journey around the