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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. f errata d to It le pelure, pon d n I 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 *ii . iMM THE Affiento Contrad CO N SI DE R'D. AS ALSO, The Advantages and Decay OF TH£ Trade oi Jamaica and the Plantations, WITH THE Causes and Consequences thereof. Infeveral LETTERS to aMembcr of Parliament. ^ French have dealt with m as if they thought the Genius »/ France had got a perfeSl Maftery owv the Genius of England, otbenvife they would not bavefo Impofed upon us in matters of th$s Nature i which tho* our Court would not fee^ the People mufi needs feeU and where the Legi/lature was cer- tain to he jflarm'd, and at laft toJnterpfr. Doft. Davenant. LONDON, Printed : And Sold by Ferd. Bmltigb in Amn- eorner. 1714. ^^"*^* "^ T :■ ..a » pu th( art an av^ foi im till vi< tei foi un A th H Ti th "F P' th Va IK r . ^ n t THE PREFACE THESE Letters were occafionally wrote for the li\forrmtion of a Gentleman in the prtfent Hoafe of Coihmons, and are macfe publick at his Iiiftancc, to fliew the great Concern the Plantations Ccfpccially the I (land of Jamaica) arc to Great-Britain to encourage and prcfcrye, and to undeceive many People, who are carried away with a Notion of great Advantages, never be- fore enioy'd, accruing to this Kingdom, by ereft- ing ihzSoiith Sea Company, and their Trading on the foot of the AlJiento Contraft. If upon Perufal, anv Perfon (hould think the Ser- vice of the Ifland in Jamaica, is the View and In- tent of writing them, he is not much miftaken, for it rauft be confefs'd the difmal Confequcnccs, unavoidably falling upon that Ifland from the Afftento Contraa, and the French heing iHc with the ihare they have thefe late Years poff fs'd of Hifpaniolay with the Liberty they now enjoy of Trading in the Soutb-Seasy were the firft Motive that occafion'd the mention of fome things there- upon in Difcourfc, which afterwards were thoui^hc proper to be fet in a fuller light, and explam'd by the following Letters, not altoi^ethcr for the Ad- vantage and Intercft of Jamaica, but for the ge- neral Advantage and Jntercft of Creat-Bntatn, by ~ A pre- The *P R E F AC E. ' prefcrving a very beneficial Trade we cnjoy'd, ia lieu of attcmptiog one precarious in its Nature, a ««rcnin lofg to its Undertakers, and ruiuous to the mnft gainful Branches of our Trader for ih( uld the Etiglijh be difpoflefs'd of Jamaica, which they may foon be, it that Trade be ruin'd, however feme People may belicye, wc fliall not only lofc an Ifland of very great Confcqucnce tc us in point of Trade, but muft never afterwards cxpcft to be formidable by our Naval Force, in that pait of the World, as we have been for many Years part by means of that Iflmd \ for, as * Dr. Davonant hfls juftly obferv'd, « The lofs of Jamaica mull proba- < biy be follow'd with the Ruin of our Intcreft in * jimerica. In thefc Letters the Dangers arifing to Jamaica, and other our Sugar Colonies, arc fhewn really to proceed from the Encreafe of iht French Power and Seitlemrnts in their Iflands in America, cfpecially on Hifpaniola; and 'twere heartily to be wilh'd, the Conipquenccs thereof, to the Trade and Navi- gation of I his Kingdom, were but more ferioufly attended to, and confider'd. It has been long fince remarkd, that the Bree(l of Seamen, with the Encreafe and Encouragement of the Navigation of this Kingdom, does chiefly depend on our Plantation Trade, and Newfoundland Fiflicry ; therefore their pre(ent State and Conditi- on defcrve the immediate Confideration of our beft Patriots, for preventing the Decay, Lofs, qr De- flruftion of the Trade and Maritinc Strength of Creat'Britsin. i he Merchants and Planters trading to, and re- fiding in Virginia and Maryland, hive laid their Cafe before the Parliament this prcfent Seflions, _ wherein * ^ii Di/courfe m Tr»Je mj fHilick Revitm. C E. ' we cnjoy'd, in in its Nature, a td ruiiious to the adci for »lifuld ica^ vvhich they uin'd, however ill not only lofc e tc us in point ds cxpcft to be I that pait of the )r Years part by •r. Davonant hai fica mud proba- F our Intcrefl in ing to Jamaicify flicwn really to eticb Power and rica, cfpecially J to be wilh'd, rade and Navi- C more ferioufly that the Breed Encouragement a, does chiefly d Newfoundland ite and Conditi- tion of our beft ', Lofs, orDe- .le Strength of ing to, and re> lave laid their refcnt Seflions, wherein T The T R E F A C E. wherein they fet forth, ' That the high Cuftom of ^Sfxpencc and one third of a Penny fer Pound or. Tobacco, for the home Lonfumpu-n, has, by many Years Experience, been found much more Ht can bear i the Planters and Merchant. Xd- ve turers, Laving often loll fifty /erO", and fometimcl more Than their Capital, the Produce • not being lufficient to defray theCuftom, iTc.gbt, . and other Charges, fo that rS<>^\^Tl'Z'll « Relief, this Trade rouft inevitably be loft to Grwr- * As the diftance of ear Brhifi Plfntanons is an « Improvement of our Navigation, fo of Necemty . it becomes a Charge to our Tobacco, and has « given great Encouragement «« j^» P^*3£ J « 5aft Quantities of that Commodity m Holland, * Germi^fy, &c. to the Improvement of the,r Land*, « and Benefit of their Proprietors, who fupply • many parts of Europe, to the Decay of our Pian- « tations. Trade and Navigation. . « And unlcfs fuch Encouragement be g'vcn to « the Exporters of Tobacco, as may enable them c to render it very cheap to foreign Markets and • thereby in great meafure to prevent the Planting « n Europe, Ihis beneficial Trade will in a few * Years be i' rctrieveably loft, and (,ur Nation obligd to pay Specie for Linen, and all other the Ma- nufaaurcs of Holland, Germany, Sn>edeland,^e. - that us'd to be purchas'd in thofc Parts, with the « Proceed of our Plantation Tobacco. . ♦ The Difcoiira-ements of late Years, have al- ready ruin'd fe-veral confidcrable . Merchant,, oblil'd others to decline trading »« Tobacco, and IForc'd many of the Planters m ^'^X^.tt Maryland upon'Manufadures, ^h"«\7^7„^^'^. already Hxh Proficients, that fevcral Count^S make Shoes, Stockins, Hats, Linen and Woollen, A t "°' c c « c ( c i w ■li 1! The T R E FAC E. not only for thtir own, but the u'c of their NeiLihbourR; orhtrs fow Corn, which have been fent Iroin the Plantations in ^reai Qu,\niitips, to ' fever.»l parts of Rurofe^ and Ncctflity will put ' them actually upon many Ex^cujcntS) to become ' It^ ilepemlant on ihi^ Kingdoin. /^nd thev thi^s conclude, * The mclanchc^Iy Stata ' of «'Ur Tob ceo Plantation is fuch, that for fcv- ' ral Ytars part, the Exports of our Woollen ai.d ' other ManuU6lurcs to Virginia and Maryland are * diminifh'd at Iciift one hi»lf the Traders thereto * greatly Impoverilh'd, the Planters by Neceffiiy * lulling into Manuffa£l:u.es the Navigation ot thii * Kingdom confequcntly leflTen'd, and notwithftand- * ing the fevcral high Dutie^ hid on Toharco, the * Rever.uehaih not been thereby augmented. This is the fnelaticholy State of the Tobacco Trade, and as it is prcfum'd the Danper cf our lofing the Sugtir Xradc, is in fome meafure Okwii in thcfe Letters-, and the Danger of its Lofs is fo very apparent, that an Author quote I in thcfe Letters has fet it out in a full Light, altho' (hot Gentleman Tvould infer the Caufe of it to be diOerent from «vhat are here reprelented, but fron) the Dedication of hit Book, and particular Senfe, indillinguiihing the prefent M — — y for their Experience and Knowledge in Trade, it is fully evident, that his Book was rather caiculatisd for % private, than the publick Intcreft. But let Ds obfcrvc what his Ccijntry Man of Bar^ padoes fays, in a Speech to the Council and ceneral Affcmbly of that Ifland, as Printed in thp Pnft-Bcy the Z4rh fnftinr, * Our Neighbour Colonies fo • long kept by Foreign Fears from Ipnprovinp, arc * now encour, ging Trade, encreadng their People, f enlarging their Plantations, and cultivating their f jLands ^ theif Fertile Soil yields them many ■ ? Crops E. u'*e of their ch have been Juintitifj, to flity will put 8, to become lanchcjy State that for Ccv' Woollen ai.d Maryland are radcrs thereto by Neccffiiy igation ot thii notwithftand- Toharco, the ;mcntcd. the Tobacco )anRer cf our neafurc flKwn firs Lofs is io n I hcfc Letters [hat Gentleman flerent from e Dedication iilinguifhini; 7cricnce and cnt) that his latC) than the V Man of Bat'* 1 and rcncral n ihp Pnji-Bcy Colonics fo iprovinf, are their People, liyating their them many ? Crops T The PREFACE, « Crori from one Plantinq*, ours requires the ut- * molt Art, Induftry, and Manure, and that too ' annually. And as to the NewfundlanJ Filhery, the D creafe thther part of thia Pap( r) 10 deliver us up the Poflcffi n oi Placentia, and fome other Place in Nevpfiundland ., but then thev have taken c,\re to have a better Place yick'- ed to 'hem, in lieu thereof, with this extraordi- nary Favour to them, more than to us, that they have the Liberty j ranted them to frequent our Iflands of Nevpfoundland^ and ercft Stages, &c, thereon for drying and curing thtir Fifti, but we have not the Privilege allowed us ofinin^ the fimc on ay of their Iflunds, or on the Ifland of Cape 5rr/o«, which they have cxprefs Permif- fion granted tb^m to fortifie as they pleafc; thus they are our Rivals in the Fifliery by our own Confcnt, which is the more wonderful, in that it is owing to this Filhery that they dared to con- tend for the Madery at Sea with the Maritime Powers of England and Holland unite 1 ) 'tis true,. p the En^lijb and Diftcl^ are moft frequently ciH'd Mhc ^Mii The 'PREFACE, • the Maritime Powers, but if I w< re not afraid • the A/(?rf4ror would ^all upon mc fordilcovcrine • our Wcakuefi, I would beg vou to icll liim I • think it a jcft to appro;: riatc the Name of Ma- • ritime Powers to Qreat Vritain a'>»i fhllanJ cx- • clufive of France^ when wc confider whai a fi- ' gurc that Nation made ar Sei heforc the Battle • of la Hague in i(5pi. C>an we chen think that a • few Years of Peace, v ich fuch a Fiftiery, and fuch • Conditions of CommcrLC as were ernnted .o • Franct by the late Treaty, will not loon enable • her to contend again with our United Fleets ? The prefent St^te of our Tobacco and Sugar Trade, and Newfoundland Fifhery being fuch as re- prefented, muft give us a very fad Profpeft, fince 'tis by our Sugar and Tobacco Colonies we have furh a Ballance in Trade on our fide with Holland^ Hamburgh^ &c. and from our IVevcfoundlandFiihcrY, very great Su'jis have been Annually brought into this Kingdom from Spain, Portugal ADdlfah-, for our other Colonies, 9s New Engl and, NewTorky &c, '.>cing chiefly dependant on our Sugar Settlements to tiike off their Produft, and hnviog nor where- withal to anfwer the Exports to them from Great Britain^ are only valuable as they bear relation to fuch Colonics as are furnifhed by them, which muft ceafe on the decay of the Trade from whence it arifcs. Thus fad and melancholy is our prefent Condi- tion as to thefe Branches of our Trade and Navi- gation; for confirming of which, and fevcral other Matters in the f«)l lowing Letters concerning our Trade in'the fVefl Indies, exclufive of the prefent defigited one, upon the Foot of the Affiento Con- traft, (hall conclude with an Extraft of a Letter from a Pctfon who has lived in Cadiji und Jamaica for above twenty Years paft. Extra^ E. re not afraid )r diicovcring to tell him 1 lame of Ma- 1 I Ml and ex- cr what a fi- )rc the Battle I think that a cry, and luch c granted .o C (oon enable :cd Fleets ? CO and Sugar ng fuch as re- 'rofpeft, fince )nies we have with Holland^ ndland Fi(hcry, 1 brought into and Italy i for NevTork, &c, ;ar Settlements ng not whcrc- sm from Qreat bear relation to them, which e from whence prefent Condi- radc and Navi- nd fevcral other concerning our of the prefent le Affiento Con- •wft of a Letter dix> and Jamaica Extraft The P R E F A C E. Extraft of a Letter from Jamaica dated the ,uh oi Ap>il, 1714. *5*n TmS you fee bow ,b,y fth French) ,f,d,a v.nr to heighten all Ir.^de in fgNt,y ' ,' vn,,fub Tracks\f U»d T"- H.rpSt C/f " Marmres. tbcyil becnnie in fen, uan vtrvllr, they r.,! have fbeUole If.njnf H.fpanioir ' Did Spun hut clear their Eves a, /A-u ; the Spain .rcis are ?^one in ibef. Part, ■ ^^J.' V firft Quarrel xce ever have Ji^l thnl it. T"" 't this Ijland the „ext. For as the Prriu '*"';'' ^ ibem, our .entry are f,r Ldin^ ^li!.^^ ?• """"'hat baXe^ jtl Ze^'''', m body trouble thentfclves abotit i! Z^i \''*"^ MeredtofendSl,ps%.r^Sht:^^^^^^^^ andfupplyingtbe Kingdoms /peru li/Mrv ^'"> fucb quannt,es of Goods tbit V^ X 7r^:TZr^ confume them , by which sv/.,^- *l'' 1 '"'^'^^ '" KhgJom of Old Sr.mf,Jfi^^'„°'tf ""'' '** Oufch The P R E F A C £. Dutch Nation to fend Goods to tbe Kingdoms of Peru or Mexico, for wby Jhould any one think tbnfe /Vo- fle fofonliflj to buy tngetber ten Suits ofCloatbs, tp ben one will ferve tbem f /bus it s voitb tbem^ whatever Goods come mujl lie till tbfe in tbe Country are con- fumed \ its this vafi fufplyf Goods by tbe South Seas to tbe Kingdoms of Peru and Mexico, that has kept all tbe .'silver and Gold front cnming into tbe Nor t by and occafintied tbe lotal A^m/w 0/ OlJ Spain, and more far titular ly their Navigation^ and utterly dejlroyed for tbe prefent tbofe Cities and tbe Stttlements on tbe North fide: Nay, tbey will not let us alone in tbe Ealt- Indies, for lean ajjure you three (f their Ships have took in Mony^ and went to (^hin>, and f) re- turned to Lima and other places with rich India Cargoes. Thus tbey attack our Trade in all its Parts^ and when- have glutted every Branchy and fucked tbe Mar- row (f Trade to procure a Peace ^ feed us with tbe NO' tion of giving us a South Sea Company ^ without let- ting us know tbe advantages offuch a Trade now brought to as low an Ebb as ever any Trade mu brought tOf having near Twenty two Sail of Ships fix Months fince in the South Seas. If this is notfpeedily remedied I fear a wnrfe G«- fequence, therefore it behoves all Europe to engage in it i / have ventured to write tbm to you and to let you fee what little Advantages tbe Sonih^enCompany , and f) re- with rich India I its Parts^ and fucked tbe Mar- US witb tbe NO' iny^ witbout let- :b <»«jr THE / [•1 ■ap— ■■ ■ ■» ■ I I ■■■■ ^ -■■ . , ■■» 11 ■ i.iiMM, *■ "■' THE /^Jftento Contrad Confidered. AS ALSO, The Advantages and Decay of the Trade of Jamaica, and the Plantations, with the Caufes and Confequences thereof. In feveral Letters to a Member of Parliament. SIR, January 20, 1712-15. 1 Shall give yoti the bed Information I can, in the time you allow me for it , of the Advan- tage thelfland oi Jamaica is to Great Britain^ both as to its Situation for Trade vith the Spaniards I or, in cale of a War with them, as well as the Value it produceth, and its being made capable of producing Yearly , and alfo my Ap^/jre- hcnfion, that it will not be long of any Confc- ()ucnce to Great Britain, cither in regard to the Trade with the Spaniards, or its own Produce, and the Danger we are in of lofing it whenever there is another War with France. And firft, Jamaica is fituated in the Latitude of 17 and 18, and hath for its Neighbours, vi%. 3f Leagues to the EaftWard and Windward the Ifland of Hifpaniola', about 25 Leagues to the Northward the Ifland of Cuba; and abou'- ifo Leagues to the Southward is the Main 01 New B ipain. m CO Spain, cr the North fide of the Kingdom of Perti, whereupon are Cartbagene and Portnbelh, the Pert that the Galleons come to i and about jfo Leagues to the Weftward and Leeward is la Vera Crttz, which is the Port or chief Place (or Trade with the Kingdom of Mexico on that fide, as the above Places are for the Kingdom o( Peru. The Trade with the Spaniards from Jamaica f tho' Collufivcj has been very confiderable j and 'tis certain for fcven Years pad ('a'lout which time it commenced de Novo) the Spaniards have been fupplicd trom thence, one Year with another, with three or f urthoufand Negroes, in return for which, and lor Flower, Woollen and other Goods, there has been received of them in Gold and Silver, and the Produce of Nevt Spain, looooo /. or 25COO0 /* Yearly ; and as the Produce of the Ifland it fclf for fome Years paft has not been lefs in Value than 5-00000 /- a Year j fo'tis capable of producing three times what it does at prefent, were but fome Laws made to prevent fuch Quantities of Land being Monopolized by particular Perfons, and obliging fuch Perfons, as have very great Runns of Land, and will neither fettle nor fell the fame, that they do the one cr the other, and to give Encourage- ment for white People to come and refide in the Ifland. As to the Trade from Jamaica with the Spa* ftiards, 1 fear from the Power the French King has over King Philip, and the growing as well as the prefent Strength of the French; as alfo the Encouragement they have given them by King Philip in tl.ofe Parts, it muft be foon at an end. 'Tis probable Great Britain may have the AJJiento^ or the fupplying the Spaniards with Negroes, if there can be found any Perfons, incorporated or QOt, jdom of Perti, )elhy the Pert about jfo ard is la Vera lace (or Trade It fide, as the Veru. Vom Jamaica liderablci and ut which time rds have been another, with urnforwhichj Goods, there pid Silver, and , or 2 5c GOO /, Qand it fcU' for in Value than reducing three )ui fome Laws f Land being and obliging inns of Land, me, that they e Encouragc- \ refide in the jvith the Sfa' Trench King ring as well as [>^ as alfo the liem by King ion at an end. : the Affiento^ 1 Negroes, if corporatcd or QOt, [3] hot, fo inconfiderate, as to accept it on the Tertns her Majcfty has acquainted her Parliament. 'Til not much more than Thirty Year', that the only Settlement the French wcrcpoflcfled o^ in the Weft Indies was Martineco^ fince this they have fettled GuarJalupet and increafed their Settle- ments on Hifpaniola ten to one ; and as they have fo increafed them during two Wars, what may it not be prefum'd they will do on a Peace, and the Encouragement they have given them for it, by the Duty laid upon all clay'd or refin'd Sugar im- ported into France^ which Duty cfFedually pro- hibits, or prevents either us or the Dutch fwbci have vaft Quantities from England Yearly) from fending any thither, and muft coniequently caufe a prefenc Encouragement to, and Increafc of the French Plantations ^ and as they have within thcfe four or five Years beat us almoft out of our Indigiof Trade, fo it can't be a much longer time before our Condition will be the fame with our Sugar Trade. In 170P and 1710, the then Miniftry had it: taotion'd to, and it was intended by them^ that at the General Treaty of Peace it fliould be demanded for the French to reftore to the Spani- ards fuch part as they poflefled of the Ifland of Hi- fpaniola \ but inilead of that there are good Rea- fons to believe, that the French are confirmed in their Pof&flion by the Ccflion of the whole Ifland granted by King Philip to his Grandfather. As it is very much to be feared, from what I have faid, that the Plantations in general will fuffer, and be of little Confeqaence to Great Britain in a few Years, fo the Ifland of Jamaica, of fuch Concern to it in regard to its Situation or Nearnefs to iWn^ fi&tf/n, cannot whenever we have a Rupture with JFrKTwcff, without a vafl Charge, as well as great Fore- B a fightj M [4] jfighr, remain long in the Hands or PoffefTion of the Subjifts of it, fincc in twenty four Hours Sail the French trom any parte Htfpaniola can be upon it^ 'tis ncedlefs to fay more, as to the Danger Jamaica is in^ then obferve, that in the Year i6p} the Irt- habitants of Hiffaniola form'd an Expcuiti n at their own Charge againft it, ami over-run and dc- flroycd the greateft part of :r, though it muft be own*d that the Year before the Ifland had fuffered a very great Lofs by the Eanhauake in its Inhabi- tants, and the Sicknefs that followed} yet not- >vith(landing on enquiring into the State and Con- dition of the Ifland at that time, 'twill be found to have had a much greater Number of White Men, or Inhabitants upon it, than fince; and it is certain, and mull be lamented, that at this pre- fent the Number of them is Icfs than they have been for 40 Years paft. The Colk £tors Demand of Duties on Prize Goods broujL'ht into the Ifland occafioned feveral thoufand Sea- taring Men to leave it about three Years ago; and ihc Proceedings of the Admiral or Commander in Chief in thofe Parts has a!fo induc'd confidcra- ble Numbers to do the fame, and have in many Refpefts been of very great Prejudice to the Trade anc^ 'ntereft of the Ifland. Now as the other Iflands belonging to Great Bri- tain in the Wejl Indies have little or no Trade, fo 'tis their Produce only makes them valuable ^ but the Ifland of Jamaica is not only valuable for its Produce but alfo for its Situation for Trade with the Spaniards ; and in Cafe of a War to obftruft or annoy with the Queens Ships or Privateers from thrnce, not only the French Trade to and from Hiffaniola, but theirs, thr Spaniards, or any otjier iMations Trade with New Spain on the North iide. _ •lis [^ffeflion of the ioufs Sail Che an be upon it ; anger Jamaica r i6p} the lil- Expcuiti n ac er-run and dc- gh it muft be tid had fufFered e in its Inhabi- -ed} yet not- State and Con- will be found ber of White flnce; and it >at iit this pre- han they have on Prize Goods ;veral thoufand rce Years ago ; or Commander uc'd confidcra- have in many :c to the Trade ig to Great Bri- r no Trade, fo 1 valuable^ but valuable for its for Trade with /ar to obftruft Privateers from c to and from , or any other >n the North isl *Tis ncceffiiry to cbferve, to make good more fully what 1 premifcd ir the beginning, that all Ships or Veflels bound to Jamaica from any pare of Europe Africa or America f make the I (land of Hifpaniolat and come down on the South fide of it, and that all Ships or Vcffels in their return from Jamaica to Great Britain, or any other part, either turn up C after clear ot rhe Eaft end of it) on the North fide of Hifpaniula, and South fide ot Cuba or take their Pafl'dge through the Golph of iloriJa, and pafs bv, and generally go in fi^^hc of the Havana on Cuba, which is jufl at the o- pening of the faid Goiph ) and as M ^nfieur Oo- Jat has by his late Grant from the French King, plainly Florida included and compiehmt^ed, fo'tis moft certain, that whoever are in PoflVflion of fuch an Extent of Land as fccm'; granted him, will be Mailer of the Canal of Bahama^ and fo Neighbour- ing to the Ifland of Cuba^ that it will not be diffi- cult to hindr; the Paflage of any Ship or Veflels that way, as well as it will not from Hifpaniola^ to hinder them either coming or going to Ja- maica, or returning from thence the other Pafiage above-mentioned. I fiiould proceed, but that I fear I have already tired you, and that you will repent you gave me the Invitation: However, I hope what I have faid is enough for you to infer Confcquences, and that it will occafion you and other Gentlemen to pre- vent them whatever you can. I atttf SIR, &c. Tis »5 Sn* mm r«] ■^ ' ^5 jipril 10, 171 3; HAving in a former Letter given you my Thoughts both of the Advantage and Con- fequencc of the IQand Jamaica 10 Great-Britain^ as well as the Danger we are in of lofing it when- ever we have another War with France, and now taking the AJjiento^ or Contraft, of allowing the Subjefts of Great-Britain the liberty of importing Negroes into the Spanijh Weft-Indies on ihe Foot thereof, to be very Difadvantageous to the faid I{la,nd, I fliall give you my Thoughts thereupon, and Ihow, that the faid Contrad will prove a Lofs even to them who fhall accept it. As I have before ac ;uainted you, that the pri- vate Trade from Jamaica to the Coaft of New ?patH, has been very confiderable, and brought more Mony into her Majerty's Dominions in a Year, than the Contraft can, admitting the 4800 Negroes, or more, (hould be taken off yearly by the Spaniards, Co 'tis to be feared, that this Con- trad will foon put an end to the faid Trade j and th^t by It numbers of Merchants, or Fadors, and Sca-farmg Men, will be j reventcd going to Ja- maica, as well as many now Inhabitants of and belongmg to the I Hand, will be obliged to leave It; and that as much Icfs of the Manufadures of Great-Brttam, crc. and Provifions from Ireland will be fent to the Ifland ; fo the quantity of Shipping that went yearly to it, will confequently Icflbn and fall (hort ; whereby the Tlanter that can'c bhip the Produce of his Plantation to Great-Bri- fain, will be under a Nccefllty to fell it at a much lower Price, and he that can Ship it, muft give a miich higher Freight. That thcfe and many more Will be the C'onfcqacnccs to Janjaica from this Con- 'Ipril 2 0, 171 Jr ;ivcn you my tage and Con- reat'BritaiHy as ofing it when- aMcCf and now f allowing the / of importing ; on ihc Foot js to the faid hts thereupon, 11 prove a Lofs , that the pri- Coaft of Ntw and brought ominions in a ting the 4800 I off yearly by that this Con- id Trade J and »r Fadors, and going to Ja- bitants of and >ligcd to leave anufaftures of im Ireland will y of Shipping quently Icflen :er that can'c to Great-Bri' II it at a much :, muft give a id many more ica from this Con- L [7] Contraa is undeniable, unlcfs thofe, who 'tis faid arc to have ir, will not make ufe of the Power wiih ihc Government, drc (llipulatcd in the faid Coniraft, to prevent the Subjcas of Great- Bntatn, and the Pl;\ntaiions, from importing Negroes, un- der Ptaaky (.f Forfeiture; or by their Agents, (a^ •tis to be teurcd 'twill be in their Powerj obftruft or binder th.- Trade ihey mviy or can otherwifc have f )r Merchandize with the Spaniards That .he Contrad for fupplying the SfaMa>^ds with Ntgr >es, has prov'd a lofs to former .Afhcn- tifts, has been acknowlcdg'd by the Contraftors themfelvesj but to make that good, we have this Conir .a in the 4id Article, wherein 'tis ftipula- ted ^ I hit confiJtnng the Lofles which former « AJfientifis have fuftaincd. the King has been ' plcas'd t.. allow to ihe Company of this AJietf ' tifts a bhip of foo Tuns to Trade withal yearly « to the We j}' Indies, during the 30 Years of this * Contraa, on condition they fliall not attempt « any unlawful Trade. But furely this Permiffion is not lo. k'd upon, or eftecm'd by any Perlon that has confidci'd tl e Country, &c. where the Goods are to be fent, and the uncertainty of there being fold, to be any Advantage to the ^^ 7»////j. Bur on the contrary, a certain Lofs to them, for by the faid Article 'tis ftipulated, ' That the Goods ' (hall lye in Warehoufcs 'till the Arrival of the * Flota's and Galleons, and be fold only at the » time ot the Fair,' which is generally but once la three Years, and fometimes longer. We are told in the Preamble to this Contract, that it was given to her Majefty, in CondcrcenU- on and Complacency to her, as the Draught was put into King VhHip\ Hands by Don Manml Me^ nafesGilligan, at which I am not a little furpriz.d, fince by the faid Contraa I will take upon me to ' B 4 fay w m [8] (iiy (tho' by the Rcfcrvntion to King Philip in thp 41 d Article, as well as in the Hints, as to the Repay- ment ot the zooooo pieces of blight to be advanced him in other Articles it be taken for granted, it viU be a very profitable thing for ihc j4JJientfJis, and has been given out and aflerted in fevcral /\ddrefles to her Majcily, to be of very great Benefit and Con- iideration to GreAt-Brittim) that not any Body of her Majelly's Subje^s will be Gainer.*, or the King- dom have any new Advantage, or Supply of Mony Accrue to Her thereby. 1 mult confefs, I think all that the Perfons to whom the fettling of a Contra£t was left to, had to have advifcd, was for us to require and (lemand of King Thilipy (which furely he would have agreed to in Condefcenfion and Complacency to our giving him tpain and the Indies.) That the Britifl} Nation fhould have been the only Nation or People that fliould have fupplic^ the Spantjh Weji-hulies with Negroes, and have li- berty of doing it at what Ports and Places, and iq fuch number as they fhould think fit, faying the Duties required \ hereby many Inconveniences, as to Rules, Rc(lri£tion$, and being liable on every occafion to an Arbitrary Power in fo diftant a Country^ as well as aPartnerfliip with a King, &c. would have been avoided, and no Subjed of Grea^' Britain, or the Plantations, excluded this Trade, iand confcquently the fsid Trade enlarged, and more diffufive among her Majefty's Subjcfts, as well a; of more Advantage to Grcat-Britmn. Now on the Foot of this Cont:vft, as iheAJJun' tifli are to have Princes foi* their Partie?, they ar9 to advance in confideration ( f having half of the Profits (if any be made/ of the faid Trade, to King l^hilip about f ooco /. to be repaid at the Expirati- on of the Conuaft, but no Provifion is made how or a4 3 ig Philip in thp s CO the Repay, to be advanced granted, it will Tmtijis, and has al /\ddrefles to :ncfic and Con- )t any Body of *, or the King. Jpply of Mony at the PcrfoDS £t was left to, require and ircly he would 1 Complacency ies.) Nave been the have fupplic^ S| and have li- Placcs, and in it, paying the mvenicnccs, as able on every 1 fo diftant a h a King, &c. bjecft of Grea^. :d this Trade, ged, and more ^s, as well a? , as the JJun' rtief, thcyar9 g half of the rjde, to King the Expirati- is made how or [9] m in what manner, as aifo his Share for the carry- ing on of the fixid Trade. Befidc-, the jijfientijh are, from March 1711, to pay yearly the Duties of 55 pieces of liiglit, und one third on 4OCO Ne- froes at Madrid. The whole on ihcfe feveral leads will amuunt to a confiderable Sum of Mo- ny, and may it not juftly be feared that the Sfa- tmrdtf fince 'tis no fettled "^ricc they are to give by the Contraft, will often deity buying, in oi<'er to fall the Price t and that in the Icvcral hundred of Negroes that may be brought at one Shipping, or in one lliort time, they will lake only luch as arc upon Eximination the Choice of the Number ^ and further, 'tis a hardfliip upon the jiffientifts to pay Cuftom annually for fuch a number of Negroes, tho' they do not find it for their Intereft to fend or ifijport them', or they arc not able in the Courfc ofthe Trade to do if, as a much greater hunllhin to pay the Duties in jj Days afrcr the Arrival of the Negroes on the Coaft of New Spain, when ma- ny may dye before they are or can be fold, efpc- ciaily confidering what Numbers mull be fickly if the Voyage ' j long. In my Opinion, as this Contraft bears hard up- on the Afientifts, fo it fcems calculated to prohibit all < ur other Trade with the Spaniards in the We/l- hidies, but on the footing thereof, or in the man- ner therein prefcribed, and to hinder many ufcful Difcoveries in point of enlarging our Trade, as aifo to be an eff.fliual Bar to the Settlements and Commerce of the S.utb-Sea Company into the South-Seas % from which, ever fince the prefent Lord Treafurcr's opening the Projedl in Parliament for paying the publick Debts, we have been tola find made to believe ^as by feveral Addreflcs to the Queen may be feenj fuch wonderful Advantages, as to Trade, would accrue to the Kingdom. ■ ' That [10] That we arc thus fruftrated of the Settlements we were encouraged to expeft from the S'^anilJj Dominions in the Indies^ as well as in our Trade thither, I take to be very hard, and an ndiffcicnt Compcnfation for the Favour we have done the H< ufc of bourboti, in not continuing the War with our Allies, when 'twas certainly in our Fowcr, with thtm, to have rccoveicd the whok Spant/h Monarchy out of their Hands, and to have h^d the Trade of the Spanipj Wefi'lndies to our fclvcs, by ohligit^g the French to have Hi; u'.itcd, as in the Prthminary in •700. that to wi, particular h and efiecially France Jhall never become p JrJJ'ed if the Sf^aniOi We(l Indies, mrfend&bips tbtiber to txer- cife Lonmerce under any Pretext whatfoever, I am, Sir, yours, &c. SIR, Nov. 10, 171 3. IN Anfwcr to youri of the id Inftant, I aflure you my Apprehenfions and Thoughts continue the fiime, and I am the more confirm d in them by what has cccurcd to mc fince ; I am truly concern'd to hear that fomc Managers of the South- Sea Company advife and dccl.irc thcmftlvcs fo warmly for the Prevention and Ruin of the private Trnde carried on from the Ifland of Jamaica in the ffiji./ndies, with the Spaniards on the North Coaft of New Spain j I heartily wifli thcfc Gentlemen, or the yJjfientifls. (which is a thin^ to be feared) do not by thciv powerful Intereft find means of doing it, fincc 'tis fo neccffary for the Intercft of themj however fa- tal to the Intcrea of Jamaica, as well as of Great-Br,taiu, Ireland, and the Northern Colonies ot jiviertca. It the Settlements rom the SyniJIj IS in our Trade id an ndiffcicnt have done the ; the War with in our Fower, c ^ho\c Spanijfh to have hiid the » our fclvcs, by ^trd, as in the farticnlarly and ppJfeJ ff the tbtiber to exer- rfoever. )ir, yours, &c. 'ov. 10, 1713. iftant, laflure ights continue n'd in them by !y conccrn'd to <-Sea Company irmly for the rnde carried on fi-/nJjes, with f New Spain i the yJjfientifls^ not by thcii g it, fincc 'tis i however fa- s well as of hern Colonies It [11] It highly dcfcrvcs the ConfiJcration of all her Majefty s Sf*^ Wftj, and dpccially the Lords of Trade and PJuntations, (whofc Placci (hould give them the occufion of acquainting thcmfclvcs with Its true Intcrcd,) rf what Conlcqucnce the En- couragement and P;cfrrvati')n the Iflmd of Ja- ntaica is to Great- Uri/ain, &c. and the Danger there will be of its falling into the Hands ot the fre»cb upon a Rupture with that Nation, (more efpecially if the Trade above njcntioned be ruined, w^i h will greatly dimini{h its Strength of Peo- ple j or from the Force of its Neighbours on Hi- fpaniola\ an Ifland, befidrs its largenefs to any of the French or Eng'ijb ones in thofc Pans, already formidable, and daily increafing in People and in new Settlements. Befidcs what I have already taken notice to you, of what Concern this Ifland is to Gruat Britain^ in refpcft to its Situation, yearly Produce in Sugar, Inrligo, ^c. and the Mony brought into her Ma- jefty's Dominions annually by their Trade from thence ('tho' Collufivc; with the Spaniards'. 'Tis ftlfj of Concern to ir, not only as it gives Encou* ragement by is Trade to New Spawy to the Na- vigation and Produce of our Northern Colonies^ particularly New ;' .-k and Penjihantay but as that Trade finds Employment for a great number of Vcflcls and Sea-faring Men at and from thatJfland, wherein confifts the bcft Strength of it. Shall then the Intercft and Profperity of fo valu- able, beneficial, and even neceffiry an Ifland to Creat-Britahiy and other her Majefty's Dominions, have no regard fliewn to it? And rtiall a certaio advantageous Trade to the Subjefts of Great- Britain hare an End put to it, to make room for an uncertain one, and one Difadvantageous to the Undertakers j for 'tis not to be denied, but the private i rrivatc Trade above-mcntinncif, has brought more 1'radc into her Majcdy's Dominions f(»r nvi ny Vcari part, thin can be br night into them on the foot of the Affitnto Contrift: And thit alfo luch Trade has been niorc profitable to the private Tra- ders or 'erchants, than t^e faid Ci ntr.tft New Spain and by crc£ling the South-Sea Company? Or how have the Nati- on's Debts been paid without one p? nny Charge to the People, when nothing is more notorious than that fincc the ereftino; the South-Sea Compa- ny, there has been raifcd by Parliament, the Sum of fooooo/. yearly for the Intereft of their Dsbtj and that there are Funds charged fwhich'till i7i(>. are appropriated to other ufes) to raife and pay the ?ntercft of their Debt to Perpetuity, or 'till the Nation finds means of paying it off. Surely had any fuch Advantages accrued to the Nation, either from the erefting of the South-Sea Company, or the ^fflento Contrad, or the late Peace, every body wou!d have felt and readily ac- knowledged the Benefit of them, and been able to hive I ointed out to any Objeftors, the Parti- culars gained in Trade, uncnjoycd before by thp Sub\cdiS o( Great-Britain. A8 r r V I if L las brought more inions for m.iny iito them on the d thit alio luch the private Tra- Crntr.ift X('i\l be Wf/Zj. But this ifiiw will be ad- boc of the Con- fide, which pcr- I'grmth of feme t by the 4ffient0 )r AJJletitip, arc or in any other le faid Contraft rcat things ^we at'Britain in rc- ind by crcfting have the Nati- ; penny Charge mnre notorious 'itb-Sea Compa- mcnt, the Sum of their Dcbti 'hich'tjll i7i(j. aife and pay the i'yj or 'till the F. accrued to the 3f the Softtb'Sea t, or the late and readily ac- and been able tors, the Parti- l before by tfip As C 13 J As \ have formerly hinted to you, 1 wiHi due n fl it on was made by every Subjcft of Great- dritawt on the fending Goods in the manner ptccnb'd in the 41a Article of the jljffiemo Con- n.ft: Ihs I mull confcfs will be a new Me- thod of Trading, to New Spain^ but I dcnv its bc- iPK any new Advantage m point of Trade to the Siibicfts o{ Great- Brham ; 'tis only taking from the 'I ladc we hiul before the laft War, and mighc /"as 'tis fuid wc have. Peace with Spain, and the Trade on th footing wc had it in the Reign of King Cb,vles the lid.; cxpcft again to and from Cadiz, V rt St. .Wtf^, 8cc. 'Tis well if this man- ner ot 1 riit^ing, as by the faid 4zd Article prc- fcribcd, do not Cwhich 'tis my fettled Opir.ion it will; ff'^vc a Difcourageinent to, and Icflcning ot the I'lxporiation of the Manufafturcs, atd con- fcquently the Trade of this Kingdom, on the ge- neral Ballance with the Spanipj Nation. For as thii manner ot Prade will ccrtamly Icflen the number of Britijh Gentlemen from going or living as formerly, or otherwife asFaftors inCadiz, Port St. Maries, &c. Cwhofe Friends or Acquain- tances when there wou'd keep them more or left cmploy'd; fo thofe Places were the Mart of our Manufafturcs for the Indies, and there the Traders or Merchants who embarked on the Galleons and Flota's, informed ihemfclves what Species and Quantities were bought up and Ship'd from time to time •, or 'twere generally encouraging for them, fcvtrally to buy or take with them upon each Fleet •, which they muft be at a lofs in, i( the SoMfb Sea Company or Affientifts do Trade according to the manner prtfcribed in the 4id Article of the Aj]iento Conir .a atoie-mentioned; and as the Dealine up- on fuch Uncertainties will prevent our Merchant* from fending the quantities of our Manufaftures ("as formerly, and fome People have the afluranec to ex- pcct I tt [i4] fcft now) to Cadiz, Port St.Manes^ Gfc. fo 'twill prevent the Trader or Merchants that Embark on the Ga cons and Floci's (as may be probably con- '77' i [?"" buying any oF the Imall Qijantities of Brttffi Manutaduies feiit to thofc Places by our Merchant?, or from their taking any of our Ma- nufadures with them to fell on our Merchants Accounts, as has been formerly pradiy/d, and be the means of turning the former manner of Trade, and occafion rhole Traders and Merchants to iVW g^m to buy the Goods of, and be concerned in this 1 rade with other Nations ; confider, 1 pray, the Confequences of this to Grdr*7/.5r/V^/». I muft freely confefs to you, that to me it will leem to be very impolitick (were it no Difad- J*""F. 'lg«""a'» «' videnciy it muft be to her Majefty s Dominions) {or Greai-Brita:n, either by a Law, to put a ftop to, or otherwifc Difcountenance or Difcourage the Subjcfts of it from Trading in what manner they can with any Nation or People, where 'tis their Intcreft, and an Advantage to this Kingdom theyfliouidj as plainly in this Cafe. It may be iliown, fif any arc fo weak as to qucftion It; that every Kingdom, or State, that have Co- lonies and Plantations abroad, and under their fc- veral immediate Governments, ad in the fame man- ner as the Kingdom of Old Spain doth in refpcfl: to any other Kingdoms or States Subje^s trading to New Spain-, and do not permit any of the Sub- jeCts of fuch other Kingdom or State to trade to fuch their Colonies and Plantations ; And whoe- ver does Trade to them, and not Subjcfts of, and come not from the Dominions of the Government they are feverally under, the Ship and Goods are liible to a Forfeiture by the Laws, Cuftoms, &c. of each Country, fhould they be feizcd. And ies^ &c. fo 'twill I that Embark on be probably con- Imall Quantities Dfc Places by our any of our Ma- I our Merchants pradis'd, and be nanner of Trade, Icrchants to New concerned in this ider, 1 pray, the lat to me it will ere it no Difad- : nauft be to her tain^ either by a ^Difcountenance rom Trading in ation or People, dvantage to this in this Cafe. ;ak as to qucftion that have Co- undcr their fc- n the fame man- doth in refpcfl: ubjeils trading iny of the Sub- ate to trade to IS ; And whoe- Jubjcfts of, and he Government and Goods artf Cuftoms, &c. &ed. And therefore thofc Perfons that Trade, do ic collufively, and are conrtantly upon their Guard; but iho' each particular Kingdom and State have Laws, Cuftoms, &c. to prevent the Subjeds of others from Trading to their Colonies and Planta- tions, yet no one Kingdom or State have any Law;, Cuftoms, &c. to prevent or reftram its own Sub- jects I rom Trading to the Colonies or Plantations of any other Kmijdom or State; furely then we {hall confiJer well before we do a thing fo much againft the Intcreft of the Trading Subjeds of her Majefty s Dominions, and the general Advantage of the Kingdom, and not exclude our fclves, and leave this Beneficial method and way of Trade to be carried on and enjoyed by the French^ Dutch^ and other Nations, of every one of whom, by our Situation, we have certainly a very great Advan- tage in carrying on the faid Trade. 1 heartily wifli my Apprehenfions, which arifc from the certain Declaration of fome Men who are looked upon as great Managers in the Article oi the Trade of the Nation, may have no Foundation, and that no Law be Enaded, or Orders given, or Power interfere, to prevent or difcourage the Sub- jcfts of Great'Britain or the Plantations, from Trading as ufual with the Spaniards. And alfo, that not any Affiftance (with our Men of War or otherwife^ be given by the Government to the Smth-Sea Company, or j40tentifis, for the (eizing of any Ship or Veflcl belonging to the Subjeds of Great-Britain Trading with the Spaniards^ exclu- five of, and not within the Limits of the Charter of the South-Sea Company. As our Colonies and Plantations are certainly all in fome rncafuie very valuable to Great Britain^ and its Intercft to Prefervc and Encourage, fo I muft repeat to you again the Ifland o( Jamaica in • more particular manner, which pjves me hopej^ J'hatcycr may be the defign ot fonie Men who ai- tor ruining the Trade wich the Spaniards, that the neceflary regard will be had to its Prelcrvation and U-ncouragcmcnt by the Government. I am, S I R, Tours, Sec ^^^' May 5. 17,4. '•^IS no fmall Satisfadion to me, that my Let- V ^""i? ^^^*^ 8'^*=" yo« and others an Idea of U>e Confequencc, and the Advantage the IQand of Jamaica xs 10 Great Britain, not only for its Situa- tion, and the Trade carried on from it with the .2^«;Wj; but for its Produce in Sugar, Indigo. &c. and Confumption f the Goods and Merchan- dizes of and from Great Britain, whereby confidc- rable Employment is given to the Navigation of ine K-ingdom. And I can't but tell youf that I am plcafed to find ynu are of Opinion with me, that the Jiffiema Contraft will never Anfwer ; and that carrying on • Trade on the foot of ir, as in 41 Articles, will be rujnous to our Trade to the Indie., formerly from ^^dtz,&c. as well as to that from Jamaica, and other the Brttijh Plantations ; and I wilh with you, that fome meaws could be found out, and en- tredupon. (o ih^mhc French Encreafe in their Set- tlements, efpecially on Hifpaniola, might not, as you juftly infer from my Letters, endanger Ja^ nmca.^nd occafion its falling (upon a Rupture ypth France) into their Hands, and our Sugar Trade bemg loft to the Kingdom. -Tis above eighteen Months that the Afflento Contraft has been agreed, and Goods have been (hipc Rives me fiop«; le Men who ai 2 niards, tliac the Prelci vation and f?i Tours, Sec ^ay^. 1714. r» that my Let- hcis an Idea of 5c the mand of aly foritsSitua- jm it with the Sugar, Indigo, s and Merchan- hcrcby confidc- : Navigation of I am pleafed to that the Jjjienta hat carrying on } Articles, will ndies, formerly : from Jamaica^ md I wifli with nd out, and en- :afe in their Set- «, might not, >, endanger Ja^ pon a Rupture and our Sugar lat the Afjienta )ods have been (hipt t i7 ] ftiiptby the Sovtth S^* Company ; and 'tis from the Motions of the Company not unlikely, that the Ships may (lay here, before they Sail, as much longer as the Goods have been (hipt. Such Delays, in Profc- cution of a Trade which has been declared on fo many Occfims, and the People made to believe, fo very advantageous an one, fccms very extraordi- nary J furc fuch Delays ihould not be made, fince the former Trade (rem CadiAy &c. is C as 'tis pre- tended j to be made good, and much improved and enlarged to Oreat Britain, by one on the foot o^ jijftento Contraft, the* no Ship has been fent, and it may be an Uncertainty when any may \ yet that great Quantities of Goods have been bought up by the South 5^* tion of the great Minifter Colbert to Trade and * Navigition, that adv^nc'd the Grandeur of the * French Nation, tngerhtr with his excellent Re- f gulation cf the Finances, more than ail the Un« * dertakings of the pn ceding Minifters of that * Prince i and yet the French were a People very * little difpofed to Trade, iherefore the Britijl.^ Sub- * jefts, who have exceeded all other Nations in * their Capacity towards Settlements Abroad, can- * not fail of making greater Progrefs in Trade and I Navigation, and more efpccially feeing her Ma- jelly [ 1< ] « jefty has at prefcnt & Minillry who are rcmarka- * bic for their Learning, Experience and great Sa- « gacity in PuMick Aftatrs and that fuch a Foun- « dation has been already laid for enlarging the * Trade and Navigation of this Kingdom, as wili| * in (pite of all Malice, (hew the Superior Genius « of the Principal Founder thereof. As I am in- formed what are this Gentleman's Principles as to Government, and his Dcwliirations of theMannge- mcnt of the prefcnt M y, 1 am to look upon him 28 ferious in what I have juft mentioned, and thcrcroie (hould be very glad he would but particu- larize wherein the prefcnt M y, fo remarka- ble, as he fays, /or tbtir Learnings Experience t and great Sagacity in Publick jiffdirsj have laid fuch a Foundation for enlarging the Trade and Naviga- tion of this Kingdom. 'Tis plain it can't be by crcding a Scutb Sea Company for Trading to the South Seasy that being at an end by ^^ptino of the Jffiemo^ Con- trad, or a Forkiture oP whatever they may have in Spain, fhould they fo Trader and, a', wiihout the Acceptance of the faid Contra^-, they could not have lieen precluded by the Treaty ci i^pain, except confirmed by Aft of Parliament, frrm Trading ii . the South Seat : So by the A61 whereby the Smth Sea Company is ert&cd, other her Majcfly's Subjtfts are precluded, which dc- ferves to be duly conlidered, fincc the French fo freely and amply enjoy and carry on aTradc thither. It can't be by obtaining the JJ/iento Conira6t for the fupplying the Sfaniardt with Negroes, or fending yearly a Ship of ^oo Tuns to Por/o^^Z/o with Goods to be Sold only at the time of the Fair ; fince, not to repeat that the South Sea Company as Jffientijls will be Lofcrs by the faid Contraft, and Trading 6d the foot thereof, there vill not thereby be any >re remarkt' and great S«- uch a Foun- nlarging the loin, as wili| )erior Geniui As I am in- inciples as to the Manage- to look Uf on ntioncd, and I but pnrcicu- fo remarka- :ferieiice, and ; laid fuch a and Naviga- a Scutb Sta 7 Seasj that ^ffiento'i Con- r they may ide^ and, a', id ContrafV, »y the Treaty f Parliament, Jo by the Aft Tt&ed, other I, which de- hc French lb rrade thither. ') Coniraft for >es, or fending /o with Goods r^ flnce, not y as jiffient'tjii and Trading icreby be any { '^7 ] w»w, Of greater fupply d" Mony brought into thii Kingdom, than before f>om the Tra.c carried on trom Jamaica, which. this Cjiuraft, or TriJing on the foot of ir, not only [uts an end to, but alfo to that from CW/«, Port St. Mary's^ &c. to the Indies \ and bcfidcs, not only greatly depopulates, and takes frorn Jamaica the belt Strength and Se- curity ci it, its Seafaring Men, but picvcntsthe further Encrealc in the Settlement of the IdAnd, which is cap.ibjc of producing three times what it docs at prefcnt, as I prcVumc is fully made appear in my former Letters, j It cin't be by leaving out in the Articlcsof Peace concluded at Utrecht, the fcventh Article of the Preliminary Treaty of G Twve procur'd a Celfion to be made them of the Ifland of Cape Breton, and feveral Iflands in the Gulph of St. Florence, and have further obtained Liberty cf curing and drying their Filh, fertin« up Stages, and reforiing to our 111 md of A>»/6(«Mt//^«i/durin>;aIl the time it isofanyufc to rcfort thither, that ij, during the Filhing Sea- Ion, whereby they do not only now fupply them- fclves with the Filh they formerly had from us, but furnilh many parts of Sptiin and Ital^ therewith, and Rival us th.rc to our prodigious Lofs. It can't be by making a Treaty of Commerce With France, that h.iving been rejcn, and the Contraft, n the Foot now, vi%. i fhown the h France^ of ;•, now beg e others fay nor of Ja' :c the Peace, tells [ 3' ] tells them, The hrviting and encouraging Artificert and Trades-went in which the Strength of a Colony fo much conjijls, to come and fettle amongft them, did deferve their particular Cotifideration, effecially at this time when the Power of their Neighbours on Hifpa- niola was already formidable, and like to encreafe. And the Lords of Trade, in a Letter to my Lord Bolinbroke, fay, That as to the Confequence of recal- Ung the Regiment, we take leave to reprefent, in Con- currence with the Opinion of the 3overnor, and of the Merchants and Planters here, that Jamaica being in a manner furrounded by Spanifh and French Settle- mentp tf no regular Forces there, it may be in Dan- ger from the Attempt of an Enemy ^ in cafe of am Rupture hereafter. j j j And Col. Cleland in his Book Entiruled, Some Objervattons jbewing the Danger of lofing the Trade of the Sugar Colonies, tells us, vw. * The French in * their Iflands, cfpecially in that great Mand of Hifpaniola, in whiLh they have got a footing, * are poflefs'd of large Countries, and great Tratts « of fertile Land, which produce Provifions and « moft other Neceflaries and Conveniences for Life, * and likewife Materials and Requifites for Manu- * faduring Sugar and other the Produft of the t Ifland, Juch as Timber, Cattle, Horfes, &c. ' And on the other hand the Englijh Sugar Plan- * latiwis arc upon fmall Iflands, Barbadoes^ which » IS but twenty Miles in length, and about twelve « Miles over in the broadeft part, being the largcft * of them all excepting Jamaica ; and even that « ifland is not well Inhabited, has a great deal of * Savanna Land, is very Mountainous, and in a * War is very much expos'd ; fo that if the Wind- * ward Iflands fliould come to be deferted or loft « Jamaica could never be kept and improv'd fo at ? to fupport the Sugar Trade of this Kingdom. Thus I mm en] Thm yott (eel am not fin;^ular in my Apprchen- fions of the Danger the IC md yam^ica is in, from JiithAnhh, o( (^'ling (upon aRupturc with i^r^Kt^; bto the Hands of the French y nor Cani be io, a. to our Sui^ar Colonics being lumd, or of little Ad- vantage to Greai-Britain, (hould a Peace with FraKce be lafting. and that from the Encrearc of the French Settlements on Wfpaniola. This lecms moft evidently to determine the Pate of our Sugar Trade, and not the Colonics want of being fupply'd on moderate Terms with Negroes, being nothing is more Notorious, than that the Plantations, %ce the Trade "> Africa W latd tfen in idpjy have been better fupply d with Nc- crocs than before. . The Confcquences of the Fr^Mcfc growing Powpr in America, and the cncieafe of their Settlements on Hifpaniola, efpccially the Danger thereof to 'Jamaica, and the Sugar Trade, was timely fore- fcen and taken notice of; and as the King of fr^wtf did become a Suitor to Great- Britam tor Peace, and acknowUdg'd he owM his .^'"^^0™/° «•?! Sufpenfions of the Britif^ Arms, 'tis prcfum d might have been prevented, had it been demanded and Siflftcd on at a prefer time for the Fr^«cl, to have reftor'd to the Spaniards the iharc they poffcfsd of the Ifland of Bfpamo!a. „^„r, < Thus, Sir, 1 have given you, according to ywlc- ^etal Commands,myThouglits,in this andmy former Letters, of the Confcquence and Advantage of the IQaod of Jamaica to Great-Britaw. as refpefting ts Situation, its Produce, and the Trade from thence with the Sfar,iards: I have alfo told you what Sums of Mony have been formerly brought ^to this Kingdom thereby; and have likcwife confidei'd how fenfibly the Improvements or De- «y of the Ifland oi Jamaica, »nd its advantage- I r Apprchen*- is in, from ixth FraKce) 1 1 be lb, as 3f little Ad- l^cace with Encreafe of This fecms >f our Sugar : of being I Negroes, in that the 1 being laid 'd with Nc-i (WingPowpr • Scttlcmems r thereof to timely fore- ing of FrMce 1 for Peace, idom to thi ;fum'd might tmanded and r^ncb to have :y poffcfs^d of ngtoywirfe- ind my former antage of the as refpefting Trade from alfo told you atrly brought have likcwife ;nients or De- its advantage- ous bus Trade would aflca Qreat-Brifahi, and fliowft the mani^cft Difadvantages both lie at prefent un- der Cwhich are (till likely to encreafe^ from fcve* ral Confiderations ^ Firji, from the finall Number of its Inhabitants, whereby it's liable to an Intur* reftion from within, and Invafions from without:. Secondlyt From the Aj[tento\ Contraft, which en- tirely prohibits and dwftroys th;\t Advanta^eou$ Trade from Jamaica to the Spanifl} Wejl InJiest Altho', as I prefumc I have fully prov'd, fuch Trade on the foot of the /Ifjiento Contrad will be detrimental and a kfs to the South-Sea Company \ and altho' did not the Treaty of Commerce entire- ly /uin it, it would be cxtrcamly prejudicial to the Advantageous Trade of this Kingdom, formerly to OldSpain^ efpecially CadtTi^ Port St. Maries, 6Cc. Thirdly, From the liberty now enjoy'd by the French of Trading tothc Spanifl) Wefl-tndies, which they never did before one of the Houfe of Bourbon came into the Pofleffion of the Throne of Spain, which they are engroffing to thcrafclves, taking and^eizing our Veflels, that they prcfume are TrtBingi this is dill confirm'd every Day by very melancholy Letters from Jamaica, as particularly in the Daily Qottrant of the 7th Inftant, in which you will find this following Paragraph. * Jamaica, March \o. We have in a manner loft * all our Traie with the Spaniards •, hardly a good * Voyage has been made hence to the Coafl: Unce * you left us, and the Spanijb Ports are too well * guarded at prefent, they having now four Ships * of War, one whereof is the Hampton-Court, ' which are ftationcd at Cartagena^ Fortolello, the « Havana, and la Vera Cruz : Thornton fwho Com- < manded a Jamaica Sloop whofe Cargo coft * above loooo/. and had neither Traded nor broke D * Bulk "1 I ' [34] * Bulk when taken) was lately made Prize by the * Hantpton-CoHTty and his Vcfl'cl condemn'd ac Car^ * tagena \ and 1 was inform'd by him fince his "e- * turn hither, that the French have now in che * South'Seas near upon 30 Sail of Ships ; To that < you may guefs what a condition we are like to be * in here as to our Trade.' Lafily^ From the growing Power of the French in America^ pa;-ticularly on Hifftmiolay which by its Extent and Fertility, the Number and Induftry of its Inhabitants, I have fhewn to be a dangerous Neighbour to Jamaica^ and confequently fo to our Sugar Colonies, and the Trade and Navigation of Great-Britain, Upon thcfc two Accounts, Firfi^ That it is fo to the Illand of Jamaica in cafe of a Rupture with France, by reafon of its great Superiority in People, whereby Jamaica, being but thinly Inhabited, will be very liable to, and in great danger of an Invafion from thence, and of falling into tne Hands of the French. Secondly, That as by the French King's Order (which 1 omitted before) for the better fettling and peopling his Colonies in America, Every Ship or Veffel is obli^d, when required, to carry a certain number of People thither Freight'frie. So even in time of Peace by the number of their Inhabitants always encreafing, by the faid Order, and the Fer- tility of the Country in producing all Materials and Requifites for the enlarging and improving of their Sugar Works, and the vaft extent of Hifpaniola, they will not only make much greater quantities of Sugar, than we can in our Plantations, but at a cheaper Price, by being better furniih'd with mod Materials for the doing thereof within them- felves j whereas our Iflands, at leaft (bmc of them, are Prize by the smn'd at Car- fince his -c- now in the lips ; To that are like to be af the French a^ which by and Indudry )e a dangerous ^uently fo to kd Navigation That it is fo Rupture with rity in People, ily Inhabited, danger of an into tne Hands King's Order er fettling and Every Ship or :arry a certain f. So even in eir Inhabitants r, and the Fcr- 1 Materials and roving of their of Hifpaniola^ eater quantities ttations, but at furniih'd with f within them- fomc of them, aie [3n • are oblig'd to be fupply'd from other her Mijcfty's Dominions with ihofe Materials and Rcq«J«fij"» « a creater Expence, and therefore our Produft mult ncccfnrily be made up at a much dearer Rate than theirs, whereby the Confcquence will be, that the French will in a little time beat us out ot that mod valuable Article to the Kingdom, the Sugar Trade. And all this is fo evident, that other Pcrfons, with different yiews to my fclf, induced by the apparent Tendency of thcfc things, could not help making the like Remarks, aUho' they would infinuate them to proceed from other Caufes mccr- ly chimerical. , ^ , ^ If in the courfe of my fcvcral Letters 1 may leem in fome parts of them, to have digrefs'd from my firft Subieft, or exprefs'd my felf in too warm or free a manner, I hope, Sir, my good Intentions therein are fo vifibly defign'd, either to point out our real Advantages, or cxpofc thofe artful Me- thods, made ufe of to darken our true Intcrelt, and thereby advance the Trade and Power of other Nations, that your Candor and fincerc Love of, and Knowledge in the Intereft of your Country, will pardon any fuch Expreffions from one not Itu- diotts of fpeaking or writing agreeably, but with Sincerity, which engages mc on all occafiops to profefs my felf, S/R, June iz, 1714. Toufs, 8cc. D * SIR, * ea Tin SIR, IH,«;W, iTced bv X ST' ^'^'■°"' y" ^'^^y «rc notcb- S^tb L r "^'"'° ^°"'"^ '" f«^c from the bZthfr ^°'"P''"y' o-- ^^^«'(/?'. 4«oo yearly tti^'u^^^?o?r3%re;cl».r vMrI« «► »y J 'j °* '^'ght tor 4000 Nceroes ■no nno TV J T T'; ""'' h" *''«'« I'" Carrv- .hcrcb " ""^ """'• """ °"' -f "-= ProfeTrrg o7n,„„ *", 'Company may carrv l"Ooo Neero" or more, yearly to the Spmifi mil l,,Jie, l£Sl lies yearly for at Majrij ^o"'"". "> pay Du- \ ^^ m [3«] „ I will ftOmt t, fay, tint (hould the Comp"T noi come out more than no Pieces oi ivig , To miny, and fo "*"J ""'L;" .i,, pteislit from .hence 6 I, .0 •■f^7';.^J^th«Tu no occ.fion after mention of thefc *«'*;'■ '"\ obfervingthe to (hew it niuft be »lofi°B V ii«»rH to die from Number of Negro« m.y ''%;>l»?'X,%?r, the time are tak.n •'»»J^ «» '*= '^"^ftom afttt tothe time .rr..e at J'^, f"^'*^. Company 2r^ig:^t'';V;'Dre?'?o'r« -tiU they^re " rdu llm Gentlemen «ho are carried away with a No ioc of Advantage. «cra,ng «o J^, SWmby..he^^«^Con^„.a./^^^^^^^^^^ omptn? hey will fted re* le Num- traordi- hargc of to pay, 8 among f Eight, Women, Cargo fo lem, have Eight, or \y have a- many Men in I'uch a ei;ght from J above 8 /. no cccafion )ferving the to die from I of j^fi-ica, i from after le Company till they are carried away [ling to this ind the South foot thereof, [fclf, andac- f this Trade, iding on the ing Trade to th-c the Company, and an uncertain and precaricu) one to thii Kingdom ; and moreover, that the Trade carried on from Jamaica^ not to mention that for- merly from CattiZf &c. to the Spantjfb Wejl Indies, hai been more for the Advantage of Qreat Britain than this Trade ca.i be, which is pretended to be carried on by the Sotttb Sea Company. I am much obliged to you for acquainting me what the Amount of the Somb Sea Stock appeared to the Houfe, and am pleafcd not only thit ii is not fo much by fnmc hundred Thoufands as In- tereft has been hitherto provided for by Parlia- ment, but that by means thereof, and of the In- tercft of the Nations Stock in the South Sea Com- pany (which the Company have till lately retained in their Handsj you have fo much Icfs Mony to provide this Seflion for Interell of a Debt has been given our, and greedily fwallowed by fome Pco- £le, to have been paid without any Charge to the LJngdom. I am not furprifed that fuch a Sum of Mony of the Government's (hould be permitted to lie in the Hands of the Sotttb Sea Company, when I re- fled without it they could not have bought Goods, and pray what would then fome Men have had to fay at their late EleAions^ but the having fuch Mony permitted to remain in their Hands, has * rought the Company into a Secrett the Goods, &c. being in great part damaged and fpoilcd by lying fo long already aboard, and the Nation has been put thereby lo the Expencc of upwards 1 00000 /. in providing and keeping in pay the Men of War appointed for their Service. 1 hope what I have faid will fatisfie thofc Gentlemen, for whofe ufe you require me to write this Letter, that there is no poffibility of a Million of Mor 7 D 4 being ASSI ENTO. Tho ARHionto Contract Considov'f]. As also, the Advnntapes and Decay of tho Trade of Jiimnica and tho Plantationp, with tho causes and conscquonces thereof. In fcjveral letters to a Memhor of Parliament. 8vo., four jnujination numbers cut a'lay, end several comers ink- stained ; rewed 1714 Uy tlio Assiento Contract, concluded with Hpnin in 1713, Qront Hiilnin obliiined amont? otlicr jirivileKcs tho riyht of iiniiually sending a ship of 500 ton«, with nicichiindiso of all kindn, to tlio Spanish Colonies. TliiH seriouHly alTcotod tho trade of tho liritiHli merchants in Jamaica, and rngultvd in tho appearance of a number of pamphlets. J. tilO • of Iters 714 lined with tho lot a itatt being brought into the Kingdom by the South Sea Company in nine Months, or that the nuniber of Negroes will be taken ofF '^y the Spaniards, as has been fuggellcd by the honourable Gentlemen you mention. / aM» Sec. TOSTSCRITT. SOME Mention being made in the foregoing Letters, that the Danger of lofmg our Sugar Trade cannot proccc*! from the want of the Plan- tations being fupplicd with a number of Negroes at moderate Prices, 'tis necfc5ary to obferve,for the Confirmation thereof: Th^t the Difputc between the Royal African Company ?.nd Separate Traders to Africa^ having been referred fomc time fince to theConfideration of the Lord's Commiffioners of Trade, &c. their LordHiipi after long and mature Examination^ de- tcrir-incd the Iflue of their Report on the Encreafe of the Trade, fince its being laid open, compared with the Company's Account thereof when they were exclufive j whereby it appeared, That the African Company under an Exclufive Trade in time of Peace between i(S8o and 1688, cmploy'd ;fp Ships, being z8 Ships /(^r Ann. And delivered into the Plantations 4<55p5 Ne- groes, being 1^1^ f per Ann. Which being compared with the Accounts fent to the Lords Commiffioners of Trade froii the re- (jpeftive Governors of y<»rar five times more encreafcd than when 'twas exclufive in time of Peace. Since the laying open the African Trade, the Export of the Manufafture of courfe Pcrpeds to that Coaft hath been increafed from 3900 per Ann, f) 7oooe Pieces per Ann. The >if/"-»c<»M Company who have been feven Years foUiciting the Parliament for an Exclufive Trade, own very ingenioufly they would Export but a fmall Quantity in comrarifon of what is Exported now, becaufe (fay thev^ we will make the Natives give as much for half the Quantity as the whole. But then v/hat muft become of half the Gentle- men's Wool, and the Poor Manufadurers of aU forts, Th« The Queftion ia this particular (1>efides the Na- tives going to buy of other Nations^ is only whe- ther 'tis beft for the Woollen Manufadure, that 3900 Perpeds be Sold at two Ackys or Crowns each Piece, as was by the Exclufive Company in 168^, Of vhat 70000 Pieces of Perpcfts a Year be Sold in an open Trade, as 'tis now, at 6 Ackyi or Crowns each Pi^-ce-, the one amounting top750 per Ann. the other to i05oor/«' Am. by the diffe- rence whereof the Nation gains 95000 ^tr ^m. And whereas it has been faid in Print, and o- therwife, that the Separate Traders have not paid the African Company above one per Cent, on the Goods they have Exported to Africa 1 'tis alfo ne- ccflary to obfcrve, That the Duties of lo^rCfw/. received by the African Company of the Separate Traders has a- mounted to 90000 /. and therefore if the Separate Traders have paid but i per Cent, on their Exports to Africa, they rouft have Exported thither during the time (or 1 J Years; thft Duty of 10 per Cent. was payable, to the Value of nine Millions of Mony Sterling. This deferves Confideration, as thiit there are now more Ships in the Tnde from London and the Out- ports than ever j and rhat when the choice Ne- groes fold for 14/. to 18/. a head. Sugar did not fell in the Plantations for half the Price it has done for many Years paft, or fince the Trade to Africahz% been laid open to all her Majefty's Subjcds. The African Company's Settlements, as others, arc on a fmall part of the Coaft, and the Trade in general no ways dependant upon them ; fo that the Turkey Company have the fame reafon to claim the Property of all the Lands of the Grand Signior, becaute they have Faftory Hcufes in Turkey^ as the African the Na« Inly whe- lure, that Crowni ipany in Year be ckyi or top75o thediflFe- ■} and o> not ptid f' on the is alfo ne- I by the ;rs has a- Separatc Exports er during fer Cent, of Mony care now the Out- oice Nc- r did not has done s others, rrade in that the laim the Signior, Vi as the jifrican jifrican Company have to thofc of the Princes in jifrica^ to whom they pay Rent for the Ground where their Faftories fund : If the Company had a Property to the fole Trade to Africa^ why do all otiier Nations Trade to the fame Places, as well where their Faftories are, at where they are not. It being faid that Negroes coft upon the Coafl of Africa i o /. to x\l. a Head, *tis not be omitted, that the African Company have contrafked to de- liver the South Sea Company at lo/. as that the Se« parate Trade buy them much under lo/. on the GoFd Coall and Widab^ and at other Parts of the Coaft from 50 j. to 4/. a head, which they are ready to ihew Vouchers for at all Times in a pro- per Place. 'Tis prcfumM the foregoing Obfervations make it demonftrable, that the Lofs of our Sugar Trade cannot proceed from the want of the Plantations being duly fupplied with Negroes; but entirely the Caufes already afHgn'd, vie. the Encreafe of the French Settlements, and Power in the liland in A- mericaf efpecially on Hiffaniola, JUS.T as the Proofs of the laft Letters were brought me, I had put into my Hands xhcMer' cams for fome Days paft, which I but curfo- rily looked over, and (hould have been extremely furprifed to find the Author in fo Publick a man- ner Hiewing himfelf an Advocate for Spainf had not he been fo for France : None but an Hireling for France would fo fcandaloufly have abufed, not only her Majefty's diilant SubjeAs> but the Inha- bitants of a Country from whofe Labour and Indu- ftry itmOf ■TTT firyfuch Riches have accrued, and been brought of late Years to this Kingdom. None but this Wretch would have fct Pen to Paper in the Service of his Mailers for the Deft'.u- €tion offuch an Ifland, and of aTrade from thence vith the Spaniards^ that has been of in;initely more Advaiittge to this Nation, than any Proje^s of ereding a Sinutb Sea Connpany, and an yfffiento Contrad. I do not trouble my felf v/hether the Letter reprinted from the Flying Poji in Mercator 169, which he is fo Angry with, be Genuine or not, I afllire him thofe herein before incerted from Ja- tuaica are fo, and ready to be produced in a pro* per place, with many more to confirm them. But becaufe the Writer of that Letter hath faid, viz * to what a low Ebb mud 3^tfmtf/V<9 be brought * if her M ^jefty don't fpeedily give us leave to ufe * Reprifals; Indead of denying any of the Fads in the Letter, how arrogantly does the Mercator infult, although from the wording' of the Letters, this may fcem upon firft view to be faid of the Spani- ards^ yet 1 believe *tis evident the Writer. of the faid Letter's meaning was, that her Majcfty would give them leave to make Reprifals on the French^ who (Iczed Thornton mentioned in that Letter, as all Letters from Jamaica confirm, and particularly as by part of a Letter from thence, inferred in the Daily Courant the 7th Inftant appears, for therein 'lis cxprcily faid, • That Thornton was lately made * Prize by the Hampton-Court, one of the four * French Men of War Rationed to interrupt our * Trade from Jamaica. 1 he Mercator in No. 170. would have had his Readers believe the French have left off Trading with New Spain, or into the South Seas dircdiy, for for faV^ ' lugg«, ' TradI * exclul « Wirr * us an I « fince| * was I t i Q brought of fet Pen to the Deft: u- from thence >f iminitely iny Projcars an yijjiento the Letter creator 169, ne cr not, 1 from Ja' ■d in a pro. chem. T hath faid, be brought cave to u(e he Fads in r^/orinfult, tcrs, this the Spafii- iter oF the efty Would he French^ Letter, as articularly fed in the or therein tcly made the four trupt our 5 had his ■ Trading r dircdly, for C45] for fays he, * I am not ignorant what thefe Men « fuggelt, that the Spaniards admit the frencb to » Trade with ihcm now, at the fame time we arc ' excluded; but ihcy beg this Quellion with a « Wirnefs till they prove it, and till they can give * us an Account of one Frencb Ship arrived there « fince the Peace j what might be before the War « was quite another Cafe, and not at all to the * purpole. ' But that to fay the frencb now fend Ships and Trade to New Sfain^ is not begging the Qucftion, appears by the following Paragraph of a Letter (romCadiz dated the lOth oijme \ji^% in the Daily Courant of this Day. * Here is a Frencb Ship loading for the Sfanipr * Wefl Indies, 'tis kept a Secret where flie is bound, « but fuppofed by her Cargo, which will be rich, * for the f^era Cru% : Another failed from hence a- * bout three Weeks ago » thefe do not go rs Spm^ * niards but as what they are, fo they are not fa- * tisfied with driving the Trade from France^ but * do it likewife from hence, whilft,the5/)<»wy&Mer- * chants are jn a manner excluded by the feldom * going of any of their Fleets : And befides from the Extraft of Letters from Jamaica already men- tioned, which Letcrs, and many others from thence, together with feme late ones from France^ of feveral Shirs bcin^ now fitting out at St.iMii/o's, ^c. for the Smtb Seas^ are ready' to be produced at all times in a proper Place. I will fo fur agree with the Mercator^ that our Trade from 3^<»>Mtf/f<» with the Spaniards is aCollufive one, or contrary to the Laws, Cuftoms. &c. oiSpain^ as well as that with us. All other Nations trading to our Colonies and Planuiions, are feizable and liable to a Forfeiture: But 1 would defire him; as he has allowed this Trade to be a valuable one to the I [4^] the Kingdom, to make a diftinftion between our Traders being taken or feized by the Spaniards ^ ac- cording to their Laws, Cuftoms, &c. and by the Trench with their Ships of War as Prize, or by our Governments depriving the Subjefts of Creat- Bri- tain of that beneficial Trade, which from ihe Sfa- niardsy whom it chiefly concerns, we (hould be in no Danger of I have in part touched upon this in my third Letter, and refer my Reader thither, with putting thefe Queflions, Whether any Stipulation in a Treaty, the Arti- cle whereof not particularly confirmed by A€t of Parliament^ can reftrain the Subjeft from any Right or Liberty, which otherwifc he might law- fully claim or enjoy, or put him under any Penal- ties or Incapacities which the Laws of his Country have not done? "Whether 'tis the Intereil of Qreat-Britain, to deprive its Subjeds of thofc Advantages they have or might enjoy, in Complacence to the Interell of any foreign Nation, by adding Force and Executi- on to their Laws, Culloms, (^c. againft our own People, which would probably otnerwife be di- fpens'd with by, or prove inefFedual from that Nation whom it wholly concerns ? The foregoing Refie&ions, upon the firfl read- ing thefe Papers, immediately occutred to me, and I can truly fay, 1 heartily forgive the Mercator thofe familiar Names he beflows upon the Inha- bitants of Jamaica, for the following Paragraphs in them. * All Men know, that the Trade to Jamaica, < would be of very fmall Moment to England, in * comparifon to what it now is, if their dandefline * Trade with New Spain were taken away. « They ^mm 1 between our : Spaniards f ac- ^c. and by the ize, or by our s of Crear-Bri- from ihc Sfa- we (hould be s in my third , with putting eaty, the Arti- ned by Ad of e6t from any he might la.Vr- ider any Penal- of his Country reat'Britain, to ages they have the Intereft of ce and Executi- gainft our own herwife be di- itual from that I the firfl; read- tred to me, and e the Mercator upon the Inha- ling Paragraphs de to Jamaica^ ; to Englandt in :heir dandeftine 1 away* « They [ 47 ] * They own what is noted above, that take away ( their Clandeftine and Pyratical Trade, and the ' Ifland of Jamaica will be reduced to a very low t Ebb, which is indeed very true, compared to ( that flourilhing Trade which they carry on now; « for Jamaica^ as a Plantation, altho* it be a very < good Colony* yet is not able to carry on one < twentieth part of the Trade which is now driven « there. We know very well what are the Pro- ( duftions of that liland, fuch as Cotton, Indico, « Cocoa, Pimento, &c. and the Quantity and Va- ( lue we bring from thence is eafily known. But ' what is all this to the Gold and Silver which is * return'd from thence to Britain^ and particu- « larly to the other of our Weft India or American < Colonies, who are all fupplied with their Cur- * rent Coin and Plate from this one Ifland ? And < what numbers of People are maintain'd at jFtf- ( maica, more than as a meer Plantation, would * ever find Budnefs there, who are all employ'd in ( the Trading with or Plundering and Robbing the * Spaniardtj even in the time of the profoundeft < Peace? Have not fome Hundred thoufand Pounds < in Value in our Woollen ManuiaAiires, and other * Goods, been fenc yearly from England to fa- < maica, more than they could any way difpofe of, * but for this Pyratical Peace>breaKing Trade. « It may be well faid by the Writers of the « Letter from Jamaica^ that if their liberty of < trading Clandeftinely is taken from them, their « Trade will be reduced to a very low Ebbj for « indeed fifteen Parts of twenty, nay fome fay, nine- * teen Partu of twenty, of all the Trade oi Jamaica, « is their clandeftine Trade with ^M», and fuch < other Trades ai depend thereon. «Firft C4»] * Firftit is certtin, that this fccret Trade to ^ain is the real and only Occafion of the great Con- courfe of People, that is, of Enroptans, to the Ifland of Jamaica: This by confcquence, is the Occafion of luch an unufual Trade thith.T for Provifions, as well from England as Inland, and all the Britijh Colonics on the Continent of j^mg- rica * Were the Conimcrce of Jamaica only fuch as would depend upon thcPIantarion of the Colony only, the Number of Inhabitants cfpecially at the Sea- Ports of that Ifland woull be very few, com- pared to what now are to be found there : Ic need not be enlarged upon, that a great part of the Commerce from Ireland, Maderas^ Nsv? En- giand, •Vfc'w Tcr/t, Jerjey, Penfyhania^ f^irginiay and Cifolini^ to Jamaica^ is for Provifionr, bc- fides the large quantity which is carried from London and Brijiol. Were the Colony of Ja- maica to maintain no People but its own Plan- ters, and a Proportion of Tradefmen to them, as other Iflands do, the demand of Provifions, efpecially of Wine and Beer, Corn and Salted Filli, would be trifling, compared to what it now is. ^ But the fitting out fuch Numbers of Ships, Sloops, &c. upon the private Trade, 6ff. and the concourfe of Inhabitants, Merchants, Sea- men, &c. to that Hell upon Earth, chat worfe than 5o^;«, the City or Pore near the Point at Jamaica^ draws fuch a Multitude of People thi- ther, and demands fuch ptodigious Quantities of Provifioas of all forts, but clpeciilly a- above, that this Trade alone co Jamaica ep''?.',- if r»o£ exceeds that of all our other Iflands put together even m their mufc flourifhing State, * Froai U//Jf/ ^fl4 yi • 1 of] tint .%*' are ri * Pe( >.« pl« ?« fur ik9Mi«i«* BSi^ MM m iraai \de to ^ain ?reat Con- ^h to the "ice, is the fhith.T for fland, and h of ^mt. ily filch as ■he Colony [ally at the ew, com- thcre ! Ic •iit part of iV?M» Eft- ifionr, bc- ricd from \y of Ja. >wn P]an- > them, as 'rovifions, »nd Salted o what it of Ships, ^^c. and ints, Sea- h.;|t worle Point at :ople thi- ntities of »' above, ti- if «o£ together ! Froai ktjvrt.<"t. CiT ,A.^ . «i^(L'V_ rl„ •^•PrSiii flris paft^'ifehiB we lo the ^eat Quantity of itiglijh Woollen Manufa£bures woich arc con- tinually cxrried toykwaua^ iho^c fiorhftpi than are icnt of that Kind to all the Colonics the Sri* tijh Nation poflcflei in ^mgrica. Whore