Book II. that Mr. Bolland had preferred a petition to his majesty on the subject, in behalf of the province of Massachusetts, 1752. a committee was appointed to prepare a plan and survey May, 1755. of the line run by the commissioners in 1713, between the two colonies, and the desire of the said towns to be under the jurisdiction of Connecticut, and to enjoy the privileges granted to its inhabitants by the royal charter; and the evidence of their desire at, and ever since the running of the line, in 1713; with all other exhibits which could be serviceable in the case: and directions were given, that they should be transmitted, as soon as might be, to the agent in Great-Britain.*

The colony was successful in maintaining its claims and jurisdiction, and the inhabitants of those towns have uninterruptedly enjoyed the government and immunities of the people of Connecticut, from that, to the present time.

Spanish ship, 1753.

CHAPTER XI.

A Spanish ship arrives at New-London, in distress. The cargo is unladen, and stored in that port. When it was called for by the supercargo, a great proportion of it could not be found. Don Joseph Miguel, the supercargo, refuses to sail, without the whole of his cargo. Petitions the assembly. The resolution of the legislature respecting it. Ferment in the government, in consequence of it.

ABOUT this time an unhappy event took place, dis

honourable to the colony, injurious to foreigners, and which occasioned a great and general uneasiness, and many unfriendly suspicions and imputations, with respect to some of the principal characters in the colony. A Spanish ship coming into the port of New-London, in distress, ran upon a reef of rocks, and so damaged the vessel, that it was necessary to unlade her, and put her freight into stores at New-London. The cargo was delivered into the custody of Joseph Hill, Esq. collector of the port of New-London. The supercargo was Don Joseph Miguel de St. Juan. That he might sail with his cargo early in the spring, he obtained a ship of about two hundred tons, and was ready to sail in April. But when he had shipped part of his cargo, other parts of it were withholden from him, or lost, and * Colony records in the several years to which reference is had.

could not, by any means of his, be found and recovered. Book II. As he could obtain no relief, and was determined not to sail without the recovery of his cargo, or some indemnifi- 1753. cation for the loss of it, he waited until October, and then Oct. 1753. preferred a memorial to the assembly, representing his arrival in the snow St. Joseph and St. Helena, from Havanna, bound to Cadiz, at the port of New-London; and that he had stored his cargo there, in the custody of Joseph Hill, Esq. the collector; and that when he had procured a vessel in April, and required his cargo, that it might be reshipped, that a considerable part of it was withholden, lost, and embezzled; and praying for relief, or that he might reland that part of his cargo which remained, and secure it at their expense, and, also, that his men might be discharged.

The assembly, after hearing and deliberating on the me morial, resolved, That whatever losses he had sustained, it was either by means to them unknown, or which they were by no means able to prevent. The assembly represented, that nothing appeared to them, but that he might have put all his cargo on board, about the 23d of April, when he shipped part of it: That Joseph Hill, Esq. collector of the port of New-London, had, at that time, delivered his money, and part of his cargo, and they knew not why the residue was not put on board. They resolved, that they could not, according to law, discharge the master and mariners, nor oblige and compel Mr. Hill to receive the goods again into his custody, according to the desire of the petitioner; especially at their own cost and risk, as the petitioner declared that he would be at no expense in the affair. It was declared, That the requests of the pe titioner were unreasonable, and, therefore, could not be granted: but, that as protection and assistance were due to a foreigner, cast among them, the assembly did advise the governor to grant all due protection and relief to the said Don Miguel, according to the laws of trade, nature, and nations. The governor was also desired and empow ered, in case the said Joseph Miguel should desire it, to direct a full search after any part of his cargo, which might have been embezzled, or lost; and to take all such reasonable measures therein, as should be necessary to do justice in said case. *

Before the meeting of the freemen in April, it was generally known that the Spaniards had been robbed; or, at least, that an important part of a rich and very valuable cargo, had been stolen, embezzled, or, by some means,

* Records of the colony.

Book II. lost, or kept back from the owners; and it occasioned a great ferment through the colony. It was imagined, that 1753. it might involve the colony in great difficulties; that it might be obliged to indemnify the owners, and that it would bring a heavy debt upon it; or that it might effect a rupture, and hostilities between the two nations. Others were moved with a sense of honour, sympathy, and justice. They were ashamed and grieved, that, when foreigners, in distress, had cast themselves upon, not only a civilized, but christian people, they had been plundered and injured, as though they had fallen among heathens, thieves, and robbers. All the feelings of covetousness, honour, sympathy, and justice, were touched. Great blame was imputed to some of the principal characters in the colony, especially to governor Wolcott. It was imagined by many, that he had not taken such care, and adopted such measures, to secure the property of those foreigners, and to save them harmless, as he ought to have done. Whether there was any just foundation for faulting him or not, it so disaffected the freemen, that, notwithstanding his former popularity, he lost their suffrages, and Thomas Fitch, Esq. was chosen governor, in his place. Mr. Hill did not escape a share of blame, among others. How such a quantity of stores, of various kinds, should be lost, or embezzled, without his know, ledge or privity, and that no thorough search should be made for them, in so many months, is very unaccountable. But where the fault lay, or what became of the lost goods, never came to public view. Nor does it ap pear that the colony was ever put to any extraordinary expense or trouble, on that account. The war was now

commencing, and private concerns were neglected and forgotten; while national interests, of greater moment, and more general concern, engrossed the public mind both in Europe and America.

CHAPTER XII.

The history of the College continued from Chapter I. Its state under the rectorship of Mr. Williams. Donations made to it while he presided. He resigns, and the Rev. Thomas Clap was chosen president. A new charter granted. A new college, or Connecticut hall, built. Professor of Divinity settled. Labors and donations. Enemies of the college write against it. Petition the assembly to take it out of the hands of the corporation, appoint visitors, &c. The president appears and pleads the cause of the college before the assembly. Chapel is built. An account of donations is interspersed.

RECTOR WILLIAMS, was a gentleman of solid learning, great prudence, and popular talents. He was rector about thirteen years, during which period, the college enjoyed peace and flourished. A number of valuable donations were made to it. In 1730, the trustees received a deed of 628 acres of land in Salisbury, of Messrs. Fisk and Leavins, in exchange for lands given them many years before, by major James Fitch. The title to it had been controverted, and it was supposed that the trustees had expended nearly half the value of the land in defence of the title.

Book II,

1730.

Connecti

cut, 1732.

In October, 1732, the General Assembly made a gene- Grant of rous donation of 1500 acres of land to the college; 300 acres in each of the new townships of Norfolk, Canaan, Goshen, Cornwall and Kent. A patent was given in confirmation of the donation in May, 1741.

donations.

The Rev. Dr. GEORGE BERKELEY, then dean of Derry, Dean in Ireland, afterward bishop of Cloyne, made a number Berkeley's of donations to the college. He came into America, with a view to found an episcopal college. He made a purchase of a country seat, with nearly an hundred acres of land, at Newport, in Rhode-Island. He resided there about two years, in which time, he formed a correspondence with rector Williams, and became acquainted with several other principal gentlemen in Connecticut. From them he learned the state and genius of Yale College. He, therefore, while he resided at Newport, made a present of all his own works to the college. He finally gave up the design of founding a college in North America, and returned to London.

After his return, in 1732, he gave the rents of his farm

1732.

BOOK II. to the college, to be appropriated to the maintenance of the three best scholars in the Greek and Latin languages, who should reside at the college, at least nine months in a year, in each of the three years, between their first and second degrees, He directed, that on the 6th of May, annually, or in case that should be the Lord's day, then on the 7th, the candidates should be publicly examined by the president or rector, and the senior episcopal missionary within this colony, who shall be then present; and in case none be present, then by the president only. And that in case the president and senior missionary should not agree in their sentiments, who are the best scholars, the case should be determined by lot. It was further directed, that any surplusage of money which should happen by any vacancies, should be distributed in Greek and Latin books, to such under-graduate students, as should make the best composition, or declamation in the Latin tongue, upon such a meral theme as should be given them.

This donation happily answered the design of the donor, proving a great and lasting incitement in the students to excel in the knowledge of the classics,

At the same time, Dr. Berkeley, in pursuit of his be nevolent and noble designs, transmitted to the college the finest collection of books which had ever before, at any one time, been sent into America. It consisted of nearly a thousand volumes, including those which he had sent before; 260 of these were folios, and generally very large. It was estimated that the collection cost at least four hundred pounds sterling.

Mr. Williams, though highly acceptable to the students, and to the colony in general, was nevertheless obliged to resign his office, and leave the college, on account of bodily indisposition. The sea air and southerly winds at New-Haven, so affected his constitution, as, sometimes, to incapacitate him for business. He resigned his office the last of October, 1739. He received the hearty thanks of the trustees, for his good services to the college.

After his resignation, he retired to his seat at Weathersfield. He soon became a member of the assembly, and speaker of the house of representatives. He was further promoted, to be one of the judges of the superior court, and to the command of a regiment, in an intended expedition against Canada. He afterwards went to England, to receive the wages due to himself and his regiment. Having contracted an intimate acquaintance with Dr. Doddridge, and several other gentlemen of distinction, in that country, and married a lady of superior accomplishments, he re