CHA P. III. Principles on which the Nations of Europe fettled Colonies in America.-Commercial regulations of Great Britain.-Remarks on the Acts of Navigation.-Admiffion of foreign-built Veffels eventually beneficial.-Exports from Great Britain to the Sugar Ilands, and their Value.-The fame from Ireland, Wines from Madeira and the Azores.-Other Profits.-Summary of the whole. -Imports from the Weft Indies to Great Britain and Ireland, and their Value according to the London Prices.-Amount of British Capital vefted in the Sugar Ilands.-Shipping and Scamen.General Obfervations. Page 349 CHA P. IV. Trade between the British West Indies and North America previous to the late Civil War.-Official Account of American Supplies, and their Value.Ships and Seamen.-Returns.—Advantages refulting from this Trade to Great Britain.-Meafures adopted by Government on the Re-establishment of Peace.-Proclamation of the 2d July, 1783-Petitions from the Weft Indies.-Oppofition of the Settlers in Nova Scotia, &c. and the Ship-builders at Home.-Reference to the Committee of Privy Council.-Evidence taken by the Committee. Their final Opinion thereon.-Proceedings of Government.-Destruction of Negroes in the West Indies in confequence.-Act of the 28 Geo. III. Ch. 6.—Prefent State and Value of the Trade between the British West Indies and the remaining British Provinces in America.-The fame with the United States of America-Inference from the Whole. 376 СНАР. Charges brought against the Planters introductory of Opinions and Doctrines the Defign of which is to prove, that the Settlement of the British Planta- tions was improvident and unwife.-Testimony of the Infpector General on this Subject, and Ani- madverfions thereon.-Erroneous Idea concerning a difiinct Intereft between Great Britain and her Sugar Ilands.-The National Income and the Profits of Individuals arising from those Ilands confidered feparately.-Opinions of Postlethwaite and Child.-Whether the Duties on Weft Indian Commodities imported fall on the Confumer, and in what Cafes?-Drawbacks and Bounties: Ex- planation of thofe Terms, and their Origin and Propriety traced and demonftrated. Of the Mo- nopoly-compact; its Nature and Origin.—Reftric- tions on the Colonists enumerated; and the Benefits refulting therefrom to the Mother Country pointed out and illuftrated.—Advantages which would accrue to the Planter, the Revenue, and the Pub- lic, from permitting the Inhabitants of the West Indies to refine their raw Sugar for the British Confumption.-Unjuft Clamours raised in Great Britain on any temporary Advance of the Weft Indian Staples.-Project of establishing Sugar Plantations in the East Indies under the Protec- tion of Government confidered.-Remonftrance THE HISTORY, CIVIL AND COMMERCIAL, OF THE British Colonies in the Weft Indies. BOOK IV. PRESENT INHABITANTS. CHAP. I. Summary account of the Inhabitants of the feveral Ilands.-Claffes.-Emigrants from Great Britain and Ireland.-Predominant character of the European refidents.-Creoles or Natives.-Effect of climate.-Character of the Creole Women and Children. Of the people of Colour, and their different tribes or cafts.-Limitations and reftrictions on the Mulattoes and native Blacks of free condition.-Their character at length, concluding with an Ode to the Sable Venus. I. THE prefent ftate of the population in the CHAP. British West Indies appears, on a fummary of the feveral accounts given in a former part of this work, to be as follows, viz. A 2 Jamaica There is likewife, in each of the Islands, a confiderable number of perfons, of mixed blood, and Native Blacks, of free condition. In Jamaica they are reckoned, as we have fhewn, at 10,000; and I have reafon to believe they do not fall fhort of the fame number in all the other Iflands collectively taken. The whole inhabitants therefore may properly be divided into four great claffes.1. European Whites; 2. Creole or Native Whites; 3. Creoles of mixed blood, and free Native Blacks; 4. Negroes in a state of flavery. I fhall treat of each clafs feparately; premifing, however, that there are perfons not comprehended in either clafs; fuch as emigrants from North America, and a confiderable body of Jews. In Jamaica, the latter enjoy almost every privilege poffeffed by the Christian Whites, excepting only the right of voting at elections, of being returned to ferve in the affembly, and of holding any office of magiftracy; but they have the liberty of purchafing and holding lands, as freely as any other people; and they are likewife allowed the public exercise of I. of their religion; for which purpose they have CHAP. erected two or more fynagogues; and I have not heard that Jamaica has had any reafon to repent of her liberality towards them. As, however, they differ but little in manners and cuftoms from the reft of their nation which are difperfed in all the countries of Europe, I fhall pafs them by, without further detail. The other White Inhabitants, not comprehended in this enumeration, are too few to merit particular notice *. It may reasonably be fuppofed that most of the natives of Europe who emigrate to the Weft Indies, remove thither in the hopes of receiving greater encouragement to their abilities and induftry than has offered at home. Yet let it not be imagined that the major, or even any confiderable part of them, are desperate and needy adventurers, who feek refuge from a prifon, or expatriate themselves in the fond idea of living luxuriously without labour. Thefe Iflands give but little countenance to idleness, nor offer any afylum to The following account of the White Inhabitants, FreeNegroes, and Slaves, in the French West Indies, may ferve to gratify curiofity. It is taken from the authority of Monf. Neckar; but I have reason to think that the Negro Slaves are nearly doubled in the French Islands fince this account was taken. |