108 HISTORY or PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND.

as a governor was destined to be of short duration, for he died in October of the following year, at the comparatively early age of fifty y tars. In Sir Donald Campbell were united some of the best qualities of a good governor. He was firm and faithful in the discharge of duty; at the same time of a c01'1ciliatory and kindly disposition.

The Honorable Ambrose Lane, who had been formerly administrator during Governor Huntley’s temporary absence, was again appointed to that otlice till the arrival of Sir A. Bannerman, the new lieutenant-governor. His )xcellency arrived at Charlottetown on the eighth of March, having crossed the strait in the ice-boat. The legislature assembled 011 the twenty-fifth of March, 1851. In the opening speech the governor informed the house that responsible govern- ment would be granted on condition of compensation being allowed to certain retiring oflieers. The house acceded to the proposal, and a new government—sustained by a ma-

jority of the assembly was accordingly formed in April, ———the leaders being the Honorable George Coles, president, and the Honorable Charles Young, attorney general. The Honorable Joseph Pope was appointed to the treasurer- ship, and the Honorable James lVarburton t0 the oilice of colonial secretary. Besides an important act to commute the Crown revenues of the island, and to provide for the civil list in accordance with the suggestions of the home government, a measure was in this year passed for the t‘ansference of the management of the inland posts, and making threepence the postage of ordinary letters to any part of British Ameri 'a, and a uniform rate of twopenee to any part of the island. This year was also memorable in the annals of the island, in consequence of a violent storm which swept over it on the third and fourth of October, by which seventy—two American fishing vessels were seriously damaged or cast ashore.