penalty which fails heaviest on the man who contributes most to aug. ment the wealth, commerce, navigation, and revenues of the mother country. It is confidered by the planters as equal to 10 per cent. on the net produce of their eftates for ever. Under fuch a burthen, which, while it oppreffes the colonies, yields a profit of no great confideration to the crown, they have been unable to ftand a competition with the British planters in the other iflands, and have been depreffed ftill more by the rapid growth and extenfive opulence of the French colonies in their neigh bourhood. Thus a check has been given to the spirit of improvement, and much of that land which, though fomewhat impoverished by long cultivation, would ftill, with the aid of manure, contribute great ly to the general returns, is abandoned, because the produce of the poorest foil is taxed as high as that of the most fertile. To the lofs arifing from decrease of produce, accompanied with an increase of contingent expences, must be added the ruinous effects of capture in the late American clergy, and the relief of the poor. But, under all thefe and the other difcouragements which are felt by the proprietors, the wealth which still flows from thefe little dependencies into the mother country, muft fill every reflecting mind with surprise and admiration. An extent of cultivated territory, not equal to one-tenth part of the county of Effex, adding yearly one million and a half to the national income, is a circumftance that demonftrates, beyond all abftra&t reafoning, the vaft importance to Great Britain of having fugar islands of her own. At the same time it is both amufing and inftructive, to confider how little the prefent returns from thefe iflands are answerable to the hopes and expectations of their first European poffeffors; or rather it affords an animated illustration of the wisdom of Providence, which frequently renders the follies and weakneffes of man productive of good. The firft Englith adventurers were influenced wholly by the hopes of opening a golden fountain, Amilar to that which was flowing from Peru and Mexico, to Spain. The nation was told of countries where the mountains were compofed of diamonds, and the cities built wholly of ingots of gold. Such were the dreams of Abot, Frobinfher, and Gilbert; and it is a lamentable difplay of the power of avarice on the human mind, to behold the fagacious and learned Raleigh bewildered in the fame folly! Experience has at length corrected this frenzy, and Europe is now wife enough to acknowledge that gold and filver have only an artificial and and relative value; that induftry alone is real wealth, and that agriculture and commerce are the great fources of national profperity. The produce of thefe iflands, however, though of fuch value to the mother-country, is raised at an expence to the cultivator, which perhaps is not equalled in any other purfuit, in any country of the globe. It is an expence, too, that is permanent and certain; while the returns are more variable and Auctuating than any other; owing to the calamities to which thefe countries are exposed, both from the hands of God and man; and it is mournful to add, that the selfish or mistaken policy of man is fometimes more deftructive than even the anger of Omnipotence! At the time that I write this (1791) the humanity of the British nation is tremblingly alive to the real or fictitious diftrelles of the African labourers in these, and the other islands of the West Indies: and the holders and employers of those people feem to be marked out to the public indignation for profcription and ruin. So trong and univerfal a fympathy allows no room for the fober exercife of reafon, or it would be remembered, that the condition of that unfortunate race muft depend greatly on the condition and circumstances of their owners. Oppreflion towards the prineipal will be felt with double force by his dependents, and the blow that wounds the mafter, will exterminate the flave. The propriety of these remarks will be feen in fubfequent parts of my work, when I come in courfe to treat of the flave-trade and Lavery; and to confider the commercial fyftem of Great Britain towards the West Indian dependencies, of which I have now completed the catalogue. Here, then, I might close the third book of my hiftory; but it has probably occur. red to the reader, that I have amitted the two governments of Bahama and Bermudas*, to which indeed it was my intention, when I began my work, to appropriate a diftin&t chapter. An examination of my materials has induced me to alter my purpose; finding myself poffeiled of fcarce any memorials concerning the civil history of those iflands, that are not given in the numerous geographical treatifes with which the thelves of the bookfellers are loaded. To repeat, therefore what may be found in books that are always at hand, were to manifeft difrefpect to the reader, and difregard to myfelf. Of the prefent state of the Bahama islands, I need not be ashamed to acknow ledge my ignorance, inafmuch as even the lords of the committee of council for the affairs of trade and plantations, were unable to obtain fatisfactory information concerning it. To their lordships inquiries, in 1789, as to the exent of territory in those islands, the quantity of land in cultivation, the number of white inhabitants, productions, and exports, &c. the only anfwer that could be obtained from the gover • I have also paffed over unnoticed the small islands of Anquilla and Barbuda, as being of too little importance to merit particular defcription. The former belongs to the Leeward Island government, the latter is the private property of the Codrington family. 432 ANNUAL REGISTER 1793. nor was this," that it was at that Concerning Bermudas governor Of the land in cultivation no part was appropriated to any other purpose than that of raifing Indian corn, and efculent roots and vegetables (of which a confiderable fupply is fent to the West Indian iflands) until the year 1785, when the growth of cotton was attempted, but with no great fuccefs, there hundred acres applied in this line not being at present more than two of culture. The number of white people of fand four hundred and fixty-two; all ages in Bermudas is, five thouof blacks, four thousand nine hundred and nineteen *. become lefs fertile as Thus it appears that the lands not, as there certainly is, an unacfrom the tropics; and were there we recede part of mankind to under-rate what countable propenfity in the greater they have in actual poffeffion, it would require but little effort to convince the public of the vast importance of our Weft Indian dependencies; of which the progreffrom the first fettlement. What five growth has now been traced remains is to convey that convic tion to the English reader." This, then, after taking a curfory furvey, for the gratification of curiofity, of the prefent inhabitants and the fyftem of agriculture, is the fecond volume. chief object of Mr. Edwards in his It were an act of great injuftice to the inhabitants of Bermudas, to omit the very honourable teftimony which governor Brown has tranfmitted to government concerning their treatment of their negro flaves, who behaved both as failors and marines irreproachably; and whenever they were captured, always returned, if it was in their power. There were feveral inftances wherein they had been condemned with the veffel and fold, and afterwards found means to escape; and through many difficulties and hardships returned to their matters' fervice. In the fhip Regulator, a privateer, there were feventy flaves; he was taken and carried into Boston; fixty of them returned in a flag of truce directly to Bermudas; nine others returned by the way of New York; one only was miffing, who died in the cruize, or in captivity." Report of the Privy Council on the Slave Trade, Part 3. THE THE CONTENT S. HISTORY OF EUROPE. СНАР. І. Conduct of France. Opening of the Scheldt. The French Decree of Fraternity. CHAP. II. General Remarks. Debate on the Alien Bill in the House of Lords. Marquis of Lanfdown's Motion to fend a Minifter to France. Mr. Pitt's Motion to address bis Majefty to communicate the Orders received by Lord Gower when he quitted Paris. Thofe Orders brought up by Mr. Dundas. Parliamentary Conversation thereon. Debates on the Alien Bill in the House of Commons. Assignat Bill. Bill for probibiting Naval Stores, Arms, &c. The Corn Indemnity Bill. Mes- fages from his Majefty relative to the Correspondence between Lord Grenville and Mr. Chauvelin. The fame taken into Confideration by hoth Houses of Parliament. Addreffes to his Majesty thereon. A Message from bis Majefly to the Commons, announcing a public Declaration of War by the French against his Majesty and the United Provinces. The fame taken into Confideration and an Addrefs. His Majefty's Aufwer. The fame Meffage to the Lords, and an Addrefs. Mr. Fox moves Refolutions against the War. Refolutions moved by Mr. Grey on the fame Subject. Petition from the Town of Nottingham praying a Reform in Parliament. Mr. T. Grenville moves Refolutions relative to contefted Elections. Motion of M. A. Taylor against the Erection of Barracks. Mr. Dundas offers to the Houfe of Commons a Statement of the Situation of Affairs in India. Debates in both Houfes of Parliament on the Slave Trade. Mr. Sheridan's Motion relative to the Existence of Seditious Practices in this Country. General Obfervations. 35 His Majefty's Meffage to the House of Commons refpecting the Hanoverian Troops. Ff posal pofal for an Amicable Negotiation with France, by Monf. Le Brun. Commer- tial Credit Bill. Lord Auckland's Memorial brought forward in both Houses of Parliament. Scotch Peers Eletion. Mr. Haftings's Petition, &c. to the House of Lords Lord Rawdon's Bil for amending the Laws refpecting Debtor and CHAP. IV. Petitions delivered to the House of Commons refpecting a Reform in Parliament. Petition of the Aociation, called the Friends of the People. Mr. Grey's Motion thereon. Petitions of the Cities of London and Wefminfter relative to the Tax upon Coals. The North of Scotland relieved from the Duty upon Coals carried coap wife The Board of Agriculture eftablished. Farnham Hop Bill. ceedings in the Parliament of Ireland. Several Als paffed therein. Profecu tions for Sedition in Scotland. An Affociation established there under the Title of the British Convention. Sir C. Bunbury movės Rėjolutions respecting Convicts for Transportation. Mr Wharton's Motion on the Executive Power. Lord Rodney's Penhon continued to bis Family. Monuments voted to Lords Rodney and Heathfield Petitions of the Royal Burghs. Mr. Sheridan's Motion there- Compenfation granted to Mr. Mudge. Report concerning Salaries and Fees of Office Scotch Militia. Motion of Mr. Fox for procuring Peace. CHAP. V. Affairs of France. Preliminary Obfervations. State of Parties in the Conven- Army Events which followed from the Murder of Louis XVI. Carrefpondence between millioners |