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In the Akins Catalogue of 1886, volume 22 is described as "Original Minutes of His Majesty's Council at Annapolis Royal, from 1720 to 1742. Bound in Vellum — folio." It is in a state of excellent preservation; the entries have been made with great care in a clerkly hand, with marginal references and two indexes. The volume was completely transcribed by the editor's own hand to provide the copy; but the proofs were read with the original MS. The editor's object was to reproduce, as far as possible, the original MS, errors and all, in order that the historical student might be able to use it as if he had the document before him ; but various abbreviations in the script could not be managed without special type. The usual conventions have been followed, such as indicating the expansion of various signs for contraction by italics. To be exact, the period covered is 1720-1739, but the authority of Akins is sufficient justification for preserving the traditional dates in the running title. These nineteen years were uneventful in the history of Nova Scotia and in the history of the world. It was a time of peaceful expansion of the British Empire, and the policy of Walpole affected even this remote corner of it. To the careful student, however, these transactions of a handful of army officers entrusted with the civil administration of a British province, with an increasing hostile population, Alien in speech and race and religion, must always have interest. They were alive to the value of the province, and to the ever growing menace of French power; they tried to induce immigrants of their own blood to settle here; and they were careful to do justice, and preserve order, as far as lay within their power. Picturesque incidents crop up even through Mr. Secretary's dry prose, like the loss of the Baltimore and the arrival of the three French adventurers from Quebec ; but the chief value of this document is for the light it throws upon the internal administration of Nova Scotia during this obscure period of its history.
A. M. M.
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