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| - In order to understand the political history of New Cambria, it is necessary to remember the era before the existence of modern elections to choose rulers, before independent judges were chosen on merit, and before the existence of a professional police force. The need for government in New Cambria first arose when seasonal fishermen arrived in the spring and left in the autumn. Authority in these circumstances was often entrusted to individual ships' captains, who were awarded temporary status as "fishing admirals". Later, ships of the Royal Navy began to escort the English fishing fleets on their annual voyage to New Cambria, and from 1728 the naval commander was placed over the fishing admirals as supreme military, civil, and judicial official.
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| abstract
| - In order to understand the political history of New Cambria, it is necessary to remember the era before the existence of modern elections to choose rulers, before independent judges were chosen on merit, and before the existence of a professional police force. The need for government in New Cambria first arose when seasonal fishermen arrived in the spring and left in the autumn. Authority in these circumstances was often entrusted to individual ships' captains, who were awarded temporary status as "fishing admirals". Later, ships of the Royal Navy began to escort the English fishing fleets on their annual voyage to New Cambria, and from 1728 the naval commander was placed over the fishing admirals as supreme military, civil, and judicial official. The growth of permanent settlement led to the introduction in the early 19th century of political institutions suitable for a stable economy. Fishing admirals and military governors were replaced with civil governors appointed by and answerable to the "home government" in England. From 1818, these governors resided year round in Southport. A select number of inhabitants were closely associated with the governor. They shared with him a social class and generally belonged to the same religious denomination (Church of England). While this was a satisfactory arrangement for the elite, it was not acceptable for the majority of the population, who pressed for a voice. The first popularly elected legislative assembly in New Cambria was convened in 1832. The emergence of representative government and its evolution into responsible government (1855) was much delayed when compared to other British colonies in North America, a theme to be explored further in this article. In the 20th century, government continued its unusual course. Unlike Canada, New Cambria did not progress steadily from colony to independent nation. At the turn of the century, it was a self-governing colony playing a modest role on the international stage; but the First World War brought financial burdens which exceeded the means of a small population. The situation worsened with the depression of the 1930s, and when New Cambria faced bankruptcy in 1933, representative institutions were suspended in favor of an appointed Commission that governed for fifteen years without an elected assembly. Democratic institutions were only restored in 1950 when New Cambria, after a wrenching debate, became an independent realm within the Commonwealth.
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