A plan for carrying into effect this long-cherished design was, however, matured by the Board of Trade and Plantations, in the year 1748, and submitted to Government in the autumn of that year, and being warmly supported by Lord Halifax, the President of the Board, advertisements soon appeared under the sanction of His Majesty's authority, "holding out proper encouragement to officers and private men lately discharged from the Army and Navy, to settle in Nova Scotia." Among other inducements was the offer to convey the settlers to their destination, maintain them for twelve months at the public expense, and to supply them with arms and ammunition for defence, and with materials and articles for clearing the land, erecting dwellings and prosecuting the fishery. The encouragements appeared so inviting, that in a short time 1176 settlers, with their families, were found to volunteer, and the sum of £40,000 being appropriated by Parliament for the service, the expedition was placed under the command of Col. the Honble. Edward Cornwallis, M. P., as Captain General and Governor of Nova Scotia, and set sail for Chebucto Bay, the place of destination, in May, 1749.[3] [Footnote 3: Cornwallis was gazetted 9th May, 1749.] The fleet consisted of 13 Transports and a Sloop of War. The following is a list of the vessels, with the number of settlers.[4] [Footnote 4: Smollet's History mentions 1,000 settlers with their families; this probably was intended to include the Germans and other settlers who arrived between 1749 and 1753.] ======================================+========+============ Sphinx Sloop of War, with Gov. | | Cornwallis and Suite. |Tonnage.| Number of --------------------+-----------------| |Passengers. TRANSPORTS. | Captains. | | | | | --------------------+-----------------+--------+------------ Charlton Frigate |Richard Ladd | 395 | 213 Winchelsea |Thomas Cornish | 559 | 303 Wilmington |Thomas Adams | 631 | 340 Merry Jacks |---- Granger | 378 | 230 Alexander |Samuel Harris | 320 | 172 Beaufort |Elias Brennan | 541 | 287 Rochampton |Samuel Williamson| 232 | 77 Cannon Frigate |Andrew Dewar | 342 | 190 Everly |S. Dutchman | 351 | 186 London |John Barker | 550 | 315 Brotherhood |.... | .... | 27 Baltimore |Edward Cook | 411 | 226 Snow Fair Lady |Isaac Foster | .... | 10 | | |------------ | | | 2576 ====================+=================+========+============