The small new jewel in the British crown shone for the most part brightly. The Minorcan historian Hernandez Sanz wrote in 1903: 
'In July 1713, our beautiful island became a colony of Great Britain.' 

Minorcans drew little comfort from the clause that if Britain should ever relinquish it voluntarily it would pass again to Spain. He relates how the Duke of Argyll 'with skill and sweet words' tried to coax them to settle in the new capital at Mahon; but Sanz felt that the suffering they had undergone for nearly two generations had induced intertia and revived a fatalism that left them ill-prepared for the vigorous rule of Britain.

This rule was paternal but strict, differing from British policy in other island dominions like the West Indies, which was often prompted by greed for gold and traffic in slaves. Minorca was not a direct source of wealth, but the possession of its harbour made the acquisition of wealth possible elsewhere. The home administration decided that the best way to retain Port Mahon was to improve the social conditions of Minorcans, and thus gain their co-operation. Much required to be done, but as so often happens the occasion produced the leader.

Colonel Richard Kane became lieutenant-governor of Minorca in 1712, and held that appointment or that of governor for twenty-five years, with the exception of two years when he held the same post in Gibraltar. He died in office in Mahon in 1736 at the age of seventy-six, and was an example for all that later came to be considered best in colonial governors. He was a professional soldier of proved merit, who had commanded at Malplaquet; he had written works on military history, drill and tactics. Now he turned swords into ploughshares. He devoted himself selflessly to the welfare of the islanders, for whom he had a genuine affection. In their religious processions he took his place with their own leaders and not as head of the occupying power. His writings are impersonal, and reveal nothing of the man. 

In the early days of the British dominion, Minorcans had been granted freedom to practise the Catholic religion, and to retain their own laws and privileges; the island was divided into four terminos (districts) having a council of Jurats (magistrates), presided over by a nobleman, and there was a Council for the whole island, the Universidad, which dealt with taxation and petitions to the ruling power. 

After the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, certain difficulties required resolution and Britain sent a commissioner, Henry Neal, to the island to hear the complaints and proposals of Minorcans, and this was followed by a delegation of two leading Minorcans to England.  Kane, who happened to be on furlough, was called in consultation. In due course, in 1714 (shortly after the death of Queen Anne), the delegates returned to Minorca, laden with royal ordinances and a large measure of local self-government. 

On Kane's return he was distressed to find that tactless behaviour of some of his officers had caused a worsening of relations between Britons and Minorcans, and that violence against British troops had occurred, setting off the new measures to a bad start. Most serious was the murder by Minorcans of three British soldiers near Albufera Lake. The culprits were never found, and Kane levied a punitive fine of 500 gold dubloons on the local authorities, which he later remitted, though he never forgave the crime. Later, when a peasant in the same area was murdered by a soldier, he opened a subscription list for the widow, and himself contributed £90.

Like the Roman proconsuls Kane was a road builder, and between 1713 and 1720 built what is still known as Cami d'en Kane (Kane's Road) from Fort St Philip to Cuidadela. It was soundly constructed, mostly over 30ft wide, and entailed the draining of the marshes at the head of Port Mahon, which subsequently became (as they are today) a large and fertile orchard,. vegetable and market garden. It was here that Minorcans themselves first raised a monument in honour of Kane in 1926, which was replaced by a new one in 1972. It was essentially a military road, for although the capital was to be moved to Mahon, a small garrison was retained in Ciudadela, and detachments were moved by road. It ran to the north of the town of Alayor, instead of the south as the present road does.

His second most important act was consolidation of the removal of the capital from Ciudadela, in view of the importance of Port Mahon. He himself had taken up residence in the Vila a Castell de Mahon (Town and Castle of Mahon), but it was not until 1721 that he issued an order that the Minorcan law court and their officers should take up residence with their families. 
This step led to a partial decline of Ciudadela, and had a profound effect on the expansion and increased importance of Mahon. With the increased prosperity of the new dominion, Mahon soon burst its walls, which Kane partially demolished. He carried out extensive town-planning, building new streets like George Street (now known as Calle de San Jorge) and widening old ones, like Hannover Street, named after George 1. He also increased the facilities of the port, building workshops and warehouses.

As a crowning achievement he rebuilt St Philip's Fort, honeycombing it with underground passages. Since it ultimately cost the British exchequer over £1,000,000, and was constructed on the principles of the master Vauban, it was rightly believed to be one of the finest fortresses in Europe. He also built the smaller Marlborough Fort at Cala Esteban (also known as St Stephen's Cove).
 

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