Another writes, “I have made it my particular care to inform myself about the government, _that_ being the material and only thing wanting: for without that there is nothing; and with that, I mean a good government, there would be every thing—it would give a new life and spirit to every thing; for then every man would know his own, and no more; every one would know his master, and obey; and every one would know his servant, and no more; every servant would do his master’s work, and every master would pay his servants’ wages without fraud; he would know his own pile of fish, his boat, his stage, his nets, &c. But on the foot it is now on, he that happens to be the strongest, knows every thing to be his own, and the weakest knows nothing, or had as good as know nothing, except in that little interval of time when his majesty’s ship, or ships, happen to be there; and very often the aggressor absconds, runs into the woods, and flies from justice, until the ships are gone; and then down he comes, and reigns lord again. This has been done by a great many, but especially by one _Ford_, who had a power left him by a commander of one of his majesty’s ships to be governor of _Petty Harbour_. I have seen, and heard so very much of this, that I faithfully believe, and I have done myself the honour in two letters to my lords of trade, to acquaint them, as I here do, that no man living in the country of Newfoundland is fit to govern. For the set of people that live here, are those that cannot live in Great Britain, or any where else, but in a place without government; and it is my opinion, without there is a _governor_, a man of honour and justice sent to Newfoundland, I mean a _civil governor_, that shall not reside altogether at one place, but must have a sloop, or some embarkation, to transport him from cove to cove, and set order and rule amongst them, the fishery and trade to that place must fall in a little time.” “I have given out several orders for the admirals, and the oldest masters and planters to survey the stages and cook-rooms, &c. to know what belong to ship-rooms, and what was boat-rooms; and their report to me was, that they had not been surveyed so long, that there was none, either admirals, masters, or inhabitants, knew one from another; which was the best, and all that I could get on that head[41].” Again—“for the most part the admirals are for their own private benefit, and not the public good, in general; they have some privileges more than the others, and especially in collecting their debts due to themselves, and very little else is minded of the act of parliament, relating to the admirals of the harbours, if they are not compelled by the commanders of his majesty’s ships of war, and all this is for want of a governor on the spot. The admirals determine differences, and very often they appeal to the commanders of his majesty’s ships for a final determination; but stand by that no longer than while the captain is on the spot[42].”