SHAP. Xx] MILITARY AND NAVAL DEFENCE 1259 
generally they proceeded to act as if they, and not the 
Governor in Council, were the executive authority of the 
Colony. The Governor, naturally, was unable to acquiesce in 
this position, which in his opinion would, if continued, be 
most detrimental to the carrying on of the necessary opera- 
tions against the natives in the Colony. He therefore 
determined that he must take strong steps to end the 
situation. He pointed out that appointments and promo- 
tions which he had not approved had been gazetted ; more- 
over steps had been taken which were liable to stir up the 
Gaikas by attacks made upon them, which simply complicated 
the situation. Eventually the Governor felt that it was no 
longer possible to work with his Ministry. He made every 
effort to induce his ministers to leave the control of the 
operations to the Imperial forces, but he was unable to 
obtain their consent to the course. Finally he decided that, 
in view of the unmistakable determination of Mr. Merriman, 
who was acting in charge of the forces, to set up his own 
dictatorship in opposition to local and constitutional 
authority of every kind—ecivil as well as military—he was 
unable to continue the Government any longer in office. The 
Government, he held, declined absolutely to accept the 
decision of the Governor, and determined to continue the 
Commissioner of Crown Lands as Responsible Dictator and 
Commander-in-Chief in military affairs. If ministers were 
justified in their proceedings, there was no course consistent 
with the respect due to Her Majesty's Government and the 
safety of Her Majesty’s forces except to withdraw the 
Governor, the Commander of the forces, and the troops, 
as suggested by ministers. 
Fortunately for the Governor, his strong action in remov- 
ing the ministers from office was entirely supported by the 
events which ensued. Mr. (afterwards Sir) G. Sprigg under- 
took to form a Government, and did so with success. On 
the meeting of Parliament, Mr. Merriman endeavoured to 
obtain from the House of Assembly a vote practically cen- 
suring the Governor for the dismissal of the ministers. But 
in the first place the Speaker of the House prevented the