mined his employers at home immediately to enforce a scheme they had projected a short time before, of altering the whole system of the Barbadian commerce, by prohibiting by an act of the Commonwealth, all foreign shipping from trading with the English plantations; and not permitting any goods to be imported into England, or any of its dependencies, in any other than English bottoms; or in ships of that European nation of which the merchandize imported was the genuine growth and manufacture. And thus arose the famous navigation act of this kingdom; for immediately after the restoration, its provisions were adopted by Charles the Second, with this addition, that the master and three fourths of the mariners, should also be English subjects.

Whatever advantages the general commerce and navigation of England may, have derived from this celebrated law, it must be allowed, that its original framers were actuated by no better motives (as a great writer* hath observed) than those of punishing the planters, and clipping the wings of the Dutch. The inhabitants of Barbadoes, justly considering the law as a chastisement inflicted on them by the commonwealth for their loyalty to Charles the Se

cise, should be laid, nor levy made on any of the inhabitants of this island, without their consent in a general assembly; and that all laws that had been made by general assemblies, not repugnant to the laws of England, should be good.

• Blackstone.

cond, were filled with amazement and indignation, on finding its provisions adopted and confirmed on the restoration of that monarch. By the regulations of this act, and the establishment of the internal duty on their produce, of which I have so largely spoken, they thought themselves treated with a rigour which bordered on ingratitude, and they predicted the decline of their population, agriculture and wealth, from the effect of those measures. How far their predictions have been accomplished, a comparative state of the island at different periods will demonstrate: with which, and a few miscellaneous observations, I shall dismiss my present account.

Barbadoes is situated in 13 degrees 10 minutes north latitude, and in longitude 59 degrees west from London. It is about twenty-one miles in length, and fourteen in breadth, and contains 106,470 acres of land, most of which is under cultivation. The soil in the low lands is black, somewhat reddish in the shallow parts; on the hills of a chalky marl, and near the sea generally sandy. Of this variety of soil, the black mould is best suited for the cultivation of the cane, and, with the aid of manure, has given as great returns of sugar, in favourable seasons, as any in the West Indies, the prime lands of St. Kitt's excepted.

That the soil of this island is, to a great degree, naturally fertile, we must necessarily admit, if we give credit to the accounts which are transmitted

down to us, of its ancient population and opulence. We are assured, that about the year 1670, Barbadoes could boast of fifty thousand white, and upwards of one hundred thousand black inhabitants, whose labours, it is said, gave employment to sixty thousand tons of shipping.* I suspect that this account is much exaggerated. It cannot however be doubted, that the inhabitants of this island have decreased with a rapidity seldom known in any other country. I have now before me authen

* The earliest planters of Barbadoes were sometimes reproached with the guilt of forcing or decoying into slavery the Indians of the neighbouring continent. The history of Inkle and Yarico, which the Spectator has recorded for the detestation of mankind, took its rise in this island; but happily this species of slavery has been long since abolished: and perhaps, such of my readers as have sympathized with the unfortunate Yarico, may not be sorry to hear, that she bore her misfortunes with greater philosophy than they have hitherto fancied. The story was first related by Ligon, who (after praising poor Yarico's excellent complexion, which, he says, was "a bright bay:" and her small breasts" with nipples of porphyrie") observes, that," she chanc't afterwards to be with child by a Christian servant, and be. "ing very great, walked down to a woode, in which was a pond of "water, and there, by the side of the pond, brought herselfe a-bed, "and in three hours came home with the child in her arms, a lusty "boy, frolicke and lively." The crime of Inkle the merchant, however, admits of no palliation; but it is ridiculous enough to hear Abbé Raynal (willing to improve upon Addison) ascribe to it an intended revolt of all the Negroes in Barbadoes, who, as he asserts, moved by indignation at Inkle's monstrous cruelty, vowed with one accord the destruction of all the Whites; but their plot was discovered the night before. it was to have been carried into effect. The Histoire Philosophique has a thousand beauties; but it grieves me to say, that in point of historical accuracy, it is nearly on a level with the History of Robinson Crusoe, or Tom Thumb.

tic returns of the number of its whites in 1724, and of its negroes in 1753: the former consisted of no more than eighteen thousand two hundred and ninety-five, the latter of sixty-nine thousand eight hundred and seventy, In 1786 the numbers were sixteen thousand one hundred and sixty-seven whites, eight hundred and thirty-eight free people of colour, and sixty-two thousand one hundred and fifteen negroes.

It appears too, that the annual produce of this island (particularly sugar) has decreased in a much greater proportion than in any other of the West Indian colonies. Postlethwayte states the crop of sugar, in 1736, at 22,769 hogsheads of 13 cwt. which is equal to 19,800 of 15 cwt. and the author of the European Settlements, published in 1761, calculates the average crop at 25,000 hogsheads. As the author first quoted gives a précise number, it is probable his statement was grounded on good authority. If so, the island has fallen off nearly one half in the annual growth of its principal staple. On an average of eight years (from 1740 to 1748) the exports were 13,948 hogsheads of sugar of 15 cwt. 12,884 puncheons of rum of 100 gallons, 60 hogsheads of melasses, 4,667 bags of ginger, 600 bags of cotton, and 327 gourds of aloes. The exports, on an average of 1784, 1785, and 1786, had fallen to 9,554 hogsheads of sugar, 5,448 puncheons of rum, 6,320 bags of ginger, 8,331 bags of cotton; exclusive of

some smaller articles, as aloes, sweetmeats, &c. of which the quantities are not ascertained.

That the dreadful succession of hurricanes, with which it has pleased the Almighty to visit this, and the other West Indian islands, within the last twelve years, has contributed to this great defalcation, cannot be doubted. The capital of this island was scarce risen from the ashes to which it had been reduced by two dreadful fires, when it was torn from its foundations, and the whole country made a scene of desolation, by the storm of the 10th of October 1780, in which no less than four thousand three hundred and twenty-six of the inhabitants (blacks and whites) miserably perished; and the damage to the country was computed at £.1,320,564 15s. sterling.

It might have been presumed, however, from the favourable seasons which have been experienced for the last three or four years, that the prospect was at length beginning to brighten; but although, since the failure of their sugar plantations, the inhabitants have found some resource in the cultivation of cotton, it does not seem probable, that any encouragement is capable of ever restoring this island to its ancient splendor and opulence; unless it be relieved from the heavy imposition of four and a half per cent. on their exported produce, of the origin of which I have so largely treated. It is to be hoped, that an enlightened minister will one day arise, who will have the cou