Jonathan Belcher becomes royal governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay.

Belcher had arrived in Boston two days earlier. Like his predecessor, he becomes embroiled in an argument concerning his salary and, during his tenure, manages to lose territory in land disputes with neighboring New Hampshire and Rhode Island. According to Arthur Gilman, “[Belcher accomplishes] nothing in the way of breaking down the spirit of independence in New England by his instrumentality.” He serves in the post until 1741,* then serves as governor of New Jersey from 1747 until his death in 1759.