\ _ 108 HISTORY OF 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 years. 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 conciliatory and kindly disposition. The Honorable , who had been formerly administrator during Governor Huntley 's temporary absence, was again appointed to that office till the arrival of Sir A. Bannerman , the now lieutenant-governor. His excellency arrived at Charlottetown on the eighth of March, having crossed the strait in the ice-boat. The legislature assembled on 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 officers. 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 Warburton to the office 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 transference of the management of the inland posts, and making threepence the postage of ordinary letters to any part of British America, and a uniform rate of twopence 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.