Waldegrave was appointed the Governor of
Newfoundland,
Saint-Pierre and
Miquelon on 16 May 1797. During Waldegrave's time as governor, he was chiefly concerned with military matters, as a
French squadron had burned
Bay Bulls just a year prior, and Newfoundland was still quite exposed. Another key problem was desertion, as soldiers deserting to Newfoundland were generally sheltered by the island's inhabitants. A naval mutiny occurred shortly after Waldegrave's appointment and had to be stopped; Waldegrave also took steps to ensure that soldiers garrisoned in
St John's did not try anything similar. In military matters, he was often at odds with his commander,
Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Skinner. Waldegrave made several attempts to restrict the power of the
merchants on Newfoundland, and also to bring law and order to the island. Although his efforts against the merchants were largely ineffective, Waldegrave was successful in having a
chief justice appointed who would reside year-round. Waldegrave also undertook various humanitarian projects, especially to help the poor. He established a "Committee for the Relief of the Poor", and contributed generously to the fund. Between 1797 and 1798, nearly 300 people received assistance from this fund. Waldegrave completed his term as governor in 1800. ==Honours==