CHAPTER II.

Determination of the Home Government to dispose of the whole Island— The manner in which it was elrected—Conditions on which grants were made—Appointment of Walter Patterson as Governor—Novel duties imposed on him—Callbeuk niade prisoner by Americans—Arrival of Hessian Troops—Sale of Land in RSI—Agitation in consequence—Com- plaints against the Governor, and his tactics in defence—Governor super- ccded, and Colonel Fanning appointcd—l'nsputes between their—Charges ot‘ immorality against Patterson—His departure from the Island.

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:ijTHOUGH the government had resolutely opposed ii the scheme of settlement proposed by Lord Egmont, yet it was disposed to divide the island among persons who had claims on the ground of military or other public services; and it. was accordingly determined, in order to prevent disputes, to make the various allotments by ballot.* The Board of Trade and Plantations accordingly prepared certain conditions, under which the various grants were to be made. On twenty—six specified lots or townships a quitrent of six shillings on every hundred acres was reserved, on, twenty-nine lots four shillings, and on eleven lots two shillings, payable annually on one half of" the grant at the

expiration of five years, and on the whole at the expiration

* The method of granting the lots was the following :—The Board of Trade ordered all petitioners for grants to appear before them personally or by deputy on the 17th and 21th June, and lst July, 1767, in support of their respective claims During,r these days, after hearing parties, they selected those whose claims seemed prelerable. and on the Sth of July the list was completed, and finally adopted, The balloting tool; place on the 23rd of July, 1767, in presence of the Board. The name or each applicant was written on a. slip of paper or ticket, and put in the balloting b0x,—the lots being granted in running numbers as they were drawn.