The negro flaves have alfo decreased. By the laft returns prece ding the capture of the island in 1779, they were stated at thirty-five thousand, of which five thousand were in Cariacou, and the smaller iflands. In 1785 they amounted to no more than twenty-three thoufand nine hundred and twenty-fix in the whole. The decrease was owing partly to the want of any regular fupply during the French government, and partly to the numbers carried from the island by the French inhabitants, both before and after the peace.

The free people of colour amounted in 1787, to one thoufand one hundred and fifteen. To prevent the too great increase of this mixed race, every manumiffion is, by an act of this ifland, charged with a fine of one hundred pounds currency, payable into the public treafury. But this law has neither operated as a productive fund, nor as a prohibition; for it is ufually evaded by execu ting and recording acts of manumiffion in fome other island or government where there is no fuch law. The evidence of all free coloured people, whether born free or manumitted, is received in the courts of this island, on their producing fufficient proof of their free dom; and fuch free people are tried on criminal charges in the fame manner as whites, without diftinction of colour. They are alfo allowed to poffefs and enjoy lands and tenements to any amount, provided they are native-born fubjects or capitulants, and not aliens.

The governor, by virtue of his office, is chancellor, ordinary, and vice-admiral, and prefides folely in the courts of chancery and ordi nary, as in Jamaica. His falary is three thoufand two hundred pounds currency per annum,* which is raised by a poll tax on all flaves; and it is the practice in Grenada to pafs a falary bill on the arrival of every new governor, to continue during his government. In all cafes of abfence beyond twelve months, the falary ceases and determines.

The council of Grenada confifts of twelve members, and the af fembly of twenty-fix. The powers, privileges and functions of both thefe branches of the legislature are the fane, and exercised precifely in the fame manner as thofe of the council and affembly in Jamaica. A freehold or life cftate, of fifty acres, is a qualification to fit as reprefentatives for the parishes, and a freehold, or life eftate in fifty pounds houfe rent in St. George, qualifies a reprefentative for the

*The currency of Grenada, or rate of exchange, is commonly, fixty-five per centy worfe than ferling.

town. An eftate of ten acres in fee, or for life, or a rent of ten pounds in any of the out towns, gives a vote for the representatives of each parish refpectively; and a rent of twenty pounds per ann. iffuing out of any freehold or life eftate in the town of St. George, gives a vote for the reprefentative for the town.

The law courts in Grenada, befides thofe of chancery and ordinary, are the court of grand feffions of the peace, held twice a year, viz. in March and September. In this court the first perfon named in the commiffion of the peace prefides, who is ufually the prefident or fenior in council.-The court of common pleas: this court confifts of one chief and four affiftant juftices, whofe commiffions are during pleasure. The chief justice is ufually appointed in England, a profeffional man, and receives a falary of fix hundred pounds per annum. The four affiftant juftices are ufually appointed by the go. vernor from among the gentlemen of the island, and act without a falary. The court of exchequer the barons of this court are commiffioned in like manner as in the court of common pleas; but this court is lately grown into difufe.-The court of admiralty for trial of all prize caufes of capture from enemies in war, and of revenue iti, zure in peace or war. There is one judge of admiralty and one furrogate. The governor and council compofe a court of error, as in Jamaica, for trying all appeals of error from the court of common pleas.

We have already noticed that there are several small islands subject to the laws enacted in Grenada; they each elect a person to reprefent them in the general affembly, which is always held in St. George's. As none of the Grenadines have a harbor fit for large veffels, the produce of them is conveyed in fmall veffels to St. George's, from whence it is exported to the different places of Eu、 rope, Africa, America, &c. From the number of veffels that arrive there yearly from different places, and from its being the feat of the legiflature, it has become fo populous, that two newspapers are publifhed in it. On occafion of the late prospect of a war with Spain, an act was paffed here in February 1790, obliging every gentleman to give in upon oath the value of his eftate, and the number of blacks upon it, in order that the general affembly might afcertain the number of flaves each fhould fend to work upon the fortifications on Richmond hill, near St. George's.

We fhail close our account of this ifland with a view of its in 1787, with an account of its value in the British market.

exports

VOL. IV.

An Account of the Number of Veffels, their Tonnage, and Men (including their repeated Voyages) that cleared outwards from the Ifland of GRENADA, &c. to all Parts of the World, between the 5th of January, 1787, and the 5th of January, 1788, with the Species, Quantities, and Value of their Cargoes, according to the actual Price in London. By the Inspector-General of Great-Britain.

DOMINICA.

THIS

HIS ifland is fituated between 61° and 62° weft longitude, and 15° and 16° north latitude, is about twenty-nine miles long, and fixteen broad; it was fo named by Columbus, on account of its being discovered on a Sunday. Prior to the year 1759, its history is a mere blank; at the above period it was taken by Great-Britain from France, and afterwards confirmed to her at the peace in 1763.

When Great-Britain took poffeffion of this ifland, many Frenchmen had established plantations of coffee in various parts thereof, and these were secured in their poffeffions by the British government, on condition of taking the oaths of allegiance, and paying a quit rent of two fhillings per acre per ann. provided each plantation did not confift of more than three hundred acres. The rest of the cultivable lands were fold by auction under the infpection of commiffioners appointed for that purpose: ninety-fix thousand three hundred and forty-four acres were thus difpofed of, which yielded to the British government three hundred and twelve thousand and ninety-two pounds eleven fhillings and one penny sterling. These purchases made by British fubjects do not appear to have answered the expectation of the buyers, for the French inhabitants are ftill the most numerous, and poffefs the most valuable coffee plantations in the island, the produce of which has hitherto been found its most important staple.

At the commencement of the unjust and destructive war against the American colonies by Great-Britain, the ifland of Dominica was in a very flourishing state. Rofeau, its capital, had been declared a free. port by act of parliament, and was reforted to by trading veffels from moft part of the foreign Weft-Indies, as well as from America. The French and Spaniards purchased great numbers of negroes there for the supply of their fettlements, together with large quantities of the manufactures of Great-Britain, payment for the greater part of which was made in bullion, indigo, and cotton, and completed in mules and cattle, articles of prime neceffity to the planter. Thus the island,

though certainly not fo fertile as fome others, was rapidly advancing

to importance.

The fituation of this island is between the French island of Guadaloupe and Martinico, with fafe and commodious roads and harbours for privateers, rendered its defence an object of the utmost impor tance to Great-Britain; but her defpotic principles, folly, and fran tic rage against her colonies on the continent, caused a total neglect of her Weft-India poffeffions. Pofterity will scarcely believe that the regular force allotted to this ifland, the best adapted of all others for the defence of the Carribbean fea, and the diftreffing of the French colonies, confifted only of fix officers and ninety-four pri vates. In 1778, the Marquis de Bouille, the governor of Marti nico, made a defcent with two thousand men; all refiftance being vain, the only thing the garrifon could do was to procure as favourable terms of capitulation as poffible. These were granted with fuch readiness as did great honour to the character of this officer, the inhabitants experiencing no kind of change except that of transferring their obedience from Britain to France, being left unmolested in the enjoy ment of all their rights, both civil and religious. The capitulation was strictly observed by the Marquis, no plunder or irregularity being allowed, and a pecuniary gratification being distributed among the foldiers and volunteers who accompanied him in the expedition. An hundred and fixty-four pieces of excellent cannon, and twentyfour brafs mortars, befides a large quantity of military stores, were found in the place, infomuch that the French themselves expressed their surprise at finding fo few hands to make use of them. The Marquis, however, took care to fupply this defect, by leaving a garrifon of one thousand five hundred of the best men he had with him.

Though the conduct of Bouille in the above expedition was fuch as in every partt hereof to reflect honour on him as a foldier and a man, yet it was far different with refpect to the Marquis Duchilleau, whom Bouille appointed commander in chief in Dominica. During five years and three months, the period this ifland was fubject to the French monarchy, and under his adminiftration, it was a prey to the most villainous defpotifm and wanton exertion of power. The principles of the late court of Verfailles difcovered themselves in all their hellish forms. The English inhabitants were stripped of their ame, and forbid to alemble in any greater number than two in a

place,