Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/352

 280 THE HISTORY OF BAEEINGTON. dispute. Both colonies sent agents to London to represent the contestants. In May 1746, the royal decree was issued, confirming the decision of the commissioners of 1741, and settling the boundary line as indicated by the accompanying map. " This closed," says Arnold, " at least during the colo- nial period, a controversy which was coeval with the Charter of King Charles, and had virtually commenced soon after the settlement of Aquidneck. A century later was to witness the revival of this territorial dispute before another tribunal, upon grounds equally untenable, with these that were thus summarily dismissed by the Privy Council." Arnold's His- tory of Rhode Island, page 134. By this change of the eastern boundary line of the colony, the towns now known as Cumberland, Barrington, Warren, Bristol, Tiverton, and Little Compton were added to Rhode Island. The last two towns went to Newport County. Bar- rington, which had enjoyed a corporate life since I7i7> was increased in territory and population from old Swansea, and the new town was called Warren, Warren and Bristol con- stituted a new county in Rhode Island, called after its shire town, Bristol. The act of incorporation of the several towns may be found in Vol. 5, R. I. Col. Records, pages 204-206. This act was passed by the General Assembly, the 27th day of January, 1746-7, and Matthew Allin, Esq., of Barrington, was appointed to call a meeting for town organization on the second Tuesday in February, 1746-7, the date on which the first town meeting of the new town, to be called Warren, was held. By the act of the Commissioners in the change of the eastern boundary lines, Barrington was dismembered, and nearly one- half its original territory was added to Rehoboth on the north. To compensate the town for this great loss, the territory taken from Swansea, on the east side of Palmer's River, was added to Barrington, practically forming a new town, with its boundary lines and area very different from old Barring- ton. This change of territorial limits was a great damage to Barrington. From 1717 to 1747 it was a compact town, ex-