the
matter, Chief Justice Belcher, who succeeded him in the administration,
remained on good terms with him."[145]

In the same month that Governor Lawrence died, occurred the death of
George the Second, in consequence of which the first House of Assembly
of Nova Scotia was dissolved, and a new election, with some changes in
the electoral districts, took place. The first meeting of the new
Assembly was held the 1st of July, 1761, and the members of the House
again agreed to give their services gratuitously. From the death of
Governor Lawrence to the close of the American Revolution in 1783, there
were ten governors and lieutenant-governors of Nova Scotia, under whose
administration the colony was quiet and prosperous, though there was
little increase in the population (until the influx of the U.E.
Loyalists), and domestic manufactures were discouraged in the interests
of English manufacturers.[146]

Down to the year 1783, at the close of the American revolutionary war,
the population of Nova Scotia amounted to only a few thousand; but in
the following year, by the forced exodus of the Loyalists from the
United States, the population more than doubled. "Even before
hostilities began, a number of loyal families emigrated from Boston, and
settled on the River St. John, founding the town of Parrtown, now St
John, N.B. They found the climate and soil both much better than they
had expected; and the colony soon began to thrive apace. Settlements
were made at Oromocto, where a fort was built, and one bold explorer
penetrated as far as the present site of Fredericton, and cleared a farm
there for himself. These emigrants numbered about 500, and the district
they settled in was made the county of Sunbury. This, however, was only
the advance guard of the immense army of emigrants which was to be
attracted to the colony at the close of the war, and which was destined
to play so important a part in the history of the Maritime Province. The
exodus of the Loyalists from New England commenced immediately after the
opening of negotiations for peace in November, 1782; for so bitter was
the action of the different State Legislatures against them that Sir Guy
Carleton (afterwards Lord Dorchester) could not await the action of
Parliament, but took upon himself to commence their removal to Nova
Scotia. On the 18th of May, 1783, the ships bearing the first instalment
of Loyalist emigrants arrived at Navy Island, and during the summer they