Colonial Office 217 is for Nova Scotia the first of the six classes normally assigned to a geographically defined collection, and follows the usual system of arrangement for "colony" classes. The National Archives has acquired correspondence, despatches and enclosures from the governors, lieutenant-governors, administrators and other public officials of Nova Scotia and Cape Breton. The entire class is available on microfilm, reels B-1021 to B-1065, B-1071 to B-1113, and B-2367 to B-2389. Some portions exist in the form of transcripts: Nova Scota "A" and Cape Breton "A". Transcripts are available on microfilm reels C-9119 to C-9143, C-11530 to C-11536.
Volumes 1-30 (1711 to 1782) include the correspondence of the old Board of Trade. The contents of the correspondence reflect the breadth of the Board's colonial functions, particularly in gathering information relating to trade and commerce and the administration of colonies. Apart from general correspondence, a great variety of other types of material may be located, such as reports on Board meetings, maps, petitions, patents, acts, Privy Council decisions, appeals and some records of the proceedings of colonial legislatures. Further information about this material may be found in the General Inventory of Manuscript Group 11.
Volumes 31-242 (1710-1867) provide the documents of the Secretary of State responsible for colonies. The overall arrangement of these records largely reflects the geo-political development of Nova Scotia: volumes 103-138 (1744-1820) include documents relating to Cape Breton Island especially during the period when it was a colony separate from Nova Scotia (1784 to 1820); the remaining volumes include documents relating to both Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island. Material concerning both colonies, however, may be found in either location even during Cape Breton's brief existence as a separate colony, reflecting the interrelationship of the island and mainland.
In addition to the usual categories of material in CO 217, there are a number of noteworthy special subject volumes, for example: volumes 41 and 42 (1782 to 1786) are entitled "Military Despatches", and include a considerable amount of material relating to Loyalists. Volume 94 (1814) provides the enclosures from despatch number 153 in the preceding volume primarily dealing with land matters in Nova Scotia. Volume 160 (1831 to 1835) houses documents concerning aspirants to the title Earl of Stirling and claims to land in Nova Scotia in right of this title. Volume 169 (1836-1838) includes drafts of correspondence; volume 173 (1830) relates exclusively to reform and responsible government in Nova Scotia, and the representations made to London by Assembly delegates William Young (1799-1887) and Herbert Huntington (1799-1851), and Council delegates Alexander Stewart (1794-1865) and Lewis Morris (1801-1887); volume 195 (1843 to 1846) pertains to an appeal to the Privy Council against the annexation of Cape Breton Island.
In addition to the complete CO 217 class on microfilm, the Archives also houses the composite series Nova Scotia "A" and Cape Breton "A" which are similar in nature to the "Q" Series. Nova Scotia "A", is composed of transcripts and photostatic copies, the latter being concentrated in the volumes following Nova Scotia "A" 174 (which is the transcript equivalent of CO 217, volume 152 for 1831). While the largest part of the series derives from the manuscripts which became CO 217 at the time of the 1908-1910 PRO reorganization, material was also copied from the British Museum, from Lambeth Palace, and from what was, in the 1890s, the personal collection of the Earl of Dartmouth. By the time the Public Archives of Canada's copyists had reached documents dated 1801, however, the PRO had completed its reorganization, and the Archives abandoned the idea of a composite series. Consequently, after 1801, the transcripts were prepared directly from the new class, CO 217 only, and the transcripts and photostats from 1802 onward bear both the PRO's designation and the Nova Scotia "A" title.
The Cape Breton "A" transcripts have precisely the same characteristics as the Nova Scotia "A" series. Prior to 1802, the series is composite. Following this date, it is the equivalent of CO 217, volumes 120-133 and the transcripts or photostats bear both the Public Archives of Canada's and the Public Record Office's designations.
In addition to the transcripts known as "A" series, there are some selections, either transcript or photostat, from CO 217 including: from volume 27, accounts for the period 1758-1776; from volume 50, quit rents, 1773; from volume 193, responsible government, 1846; from volumes 224 and 225, disqualifications from public offices, 1859; from volumes 226, 230 and 237, relating to Confederation, 1860, 1862 and 1867.
Periodically, the governors enclosed statistical returns of population with their despatches, such as the "census" to 1 January 1767 forwarded on 16 December 1767 (see Nova Scotia "A", volume 80 and CO 217/45).