30 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

young King was only in the twenty-second year of his age when he ascended the Throne. His Majesty the following year married Princess Charlotte of Meclenburg, and from the year following, or the year 1763, dates the civil history of this Island as a British possession and at that time was placed under the jurisdiction of the Government of Nova Scotia, remaining so for some few years, or until 1769.

During the year 1764, Surveyor General, Captain Holland, arrived from England and commenced making arrangements for the survey of the Island. Fort Amherst not being provided with suitable accommodation, the captain was obliged to build quarters for himself and staff, for which he selected a spot in the woods facing the Strait, and is recognized to this day as Holland’s Cove. On the completion of the survey thé Island was then divided off into counties, to each of which was a reserve or site for a Town and Royalty.

To King’s and Prince Counties an area of 4,000 acres each were granted, while 7,300 acres were reserved for Queen’s County, which was also to be honored with the metropolis of the Island. The western extremity of the north bank of the Hillsborough River was selected as the site for this Town, it being central, as well as having the advantage of a beautiful harbor and easy communication with inland places by means of three fine rivers. On the south of the Town was situated the site of a fortification and other military works for the defence of the harbor. This section of the forest which as yet afforded good habitation for prowling bears and roving foxes, Captain Holland denominated Charlotte Town, in honor of the youthful Queen of England ; to the fort a Royal appellation was also given —namely—George’s Battery. At this period, too, the name of the beautiful harbor was changed to that which it now bears, while that of Port-la—joie remain only in imagination—as a dream that once had been.

The large basin which hereafter shall be called Charlottetown Harbor, Capt. Holland described as being a safe haven for ships of burden to enter. Truly spoken, for noble war vessels, having armaments of 80 and 90 guns respectively,——such as the Hero, and the Nile, and others of greater capacity built of iron, as were the Bellerop/zon and Royal Alfred; besides the massive cruiser the majestic Howe, made of steel and heavily armed, all those regardless of either wind, tide or canvas,