_Sir John Berry_, at his return, attended the committee, where he repeated and confirmed what he had written, and assured their Lordships of the necessity of encouraging a _colony_ in Newfoundland, if not, the French would take advantage by the intended removal, to make themselves masters of all the harbours and fishing places about the island, or would otherwise entice the English planters to come and settle among them, to the great prejudice of our fishery. The struggle between the adventurers and planters now grew very violent. In 1676, _John Downing_, an inhabitant of Newfoundland, petitioned the king against the endeavours of the adventurers to pull down the houses, and burn the stages of the planters, in order to drive them out of the country. This complaint was referred to the committee of trade, where counsel were heard in behalf both of the adventurers and planters; and the committee having reported their opinion thereon, the king signified his pleasure, that the masters and seamen belonging to the fishing ships should not any ways molest the planters, upon pretence of a clause in the western charter, whereby, “No person was to inhabit within six miles of the shore,” until his majesty should proceed to a further resolution concerning the fishery and plantation of Newfoundland. Direction was accordingly given, by order from his majesty, to the captains of the convoy ships, to make publication of his majesty’s pleasure, that the planters should be permitted to continue in the possession of their houses and stages, according to the usage of the last years, until further order. Moreover, that the state of the colony and trade might be better known, they were ordered to return answers to several _heads of inquiry_ prepared by the committee for trade and plantations; and the following are the answers thereto sent by _Sir William Pool_ from St. John’s harbour, dated the 10th of September 1677.