TO BAG O.

TOBAGO is fituated in 11° odd minutes north latitude, one hun

dred and twenty miles fouth of Barbadoes, and about the fame diftance from the Spanish main. It is about thirty-two miles in length and nine in bread.b. The climate here is not fo hot as might be expected fo near the equator; and it is faid, that it lies out of the courfe of those hurricanes that have fometimes proved fo fatal to the other Weft- India islands. It has a fruitful foil, capable of producing fugar, and indeed every thing elfe that is raifed in the WestIndies, with the addition, if we may believe the Dutch, of the cinnamon, nutmeg and gum copal. It is well watered with numerous fprings; and its bays and rivers are fo difpofed as to be very commodious for all kind of fhippine. The value and importance of this ifland appears from the expenfive and formidable armaments fent thither by European powers in fupport of their different claims. It feems to have been chiefly poffeffed by the Dutch, who defended their pretenfions against both England and France with the moft obftinate perfeverance. By the treaty of Aix la Chapelle, in 1748, it was declared neutral, though by the treaty of peace in 1768, it was yielded up to Great Britain; but, in June, 1781, it was taken by the French, and ceded to them by the treaty of 1783; but the English took it again in 1793ST. BARTHOLOMEW, DESEADA and MARIGALANTE,

Are three small islands lying in the neighbourhood of Antigua and St. Chriftopher's, and are of no great confequence to the French, except in time of war, when they give fhelter to an incredible number of privateers, which greatly annoy the British Weft-India trade. St. Bartholomew is now to be confidered as belonging to the crown of Sweden, being ceded to it by France in 1785. The fmall iflands of St. Pierre and Miquelon, fituated near Newfoundland, belonging to France, were also taken by the English ia 1793.

HISPANIOLA.

IN noticing the Spanish fettlements in this part of the globe, we have

already taken a general view of this ifland; it only therefore remains to notice the French fettlements threreon.

The French towns are, Cape Francois, the capital, containing feveral years ago, about eight thoufand whites and blacks. Leogane, though inferior in point of fize, is a good port, a place of confiderable trade, and the feat of the French government in that ifland. They have two other towns, confiderable for their trade, Petit Gauves and Port Louis.

The following is fait to be an exact flatement of the population, product and commerce of the French colony of Hifpaniola in the year 1788, and may ferve to fhew the immenfe lofs fuftained by the late infurrection of the Begroes.

Whites, twenty-feven thousand feven hundred and feventeen; free peeple of colour, twenty-one thousand eight hundred and eight; flaves, four hundred and five thousand five hundred and twenty-eight. The plantations were, of fugar, feven hundred and ninety-two; of indigo, three thoufand and ninety seven; of cotton, seven hundred and five; of coffee, two thou

fand eight hundredand ten. The manufactories were, diftilleries, one hundred and feventy-three; of brick and potter's ware, fixty-three; cacao, fixty-nine, and three tanners.

Its productions exported to France were, feventy millions two hundred and twenty-feven thousand feven hundred and nine pounds of white fugar: ninety-three millions one hundred and feventy-feven thousand five hundred and eighteen ditto of brut ditto; fixty-eight millions one hundred and fiftyone thousand one hundred and eighty-one diuo of coffee; nine hundred and thirty thousand and fixteen pounds of indigo; fix millions two hundred and eighty-fix thousand one hundred and twenty-fix ditto of cotton; and twelve thoufand nine hundred and ninety-five dreffed skins.

Sold to American, English and Dutch smugglers; twenty-five millions of pounds of brut fugars; twelve millions ditto of coffee; and three millions diuo of cotton.

The molaffes exported in American bottoms, valued at one million of dollars; valuable wood, exported in French ships, two hundred thousand dollars.

Its trade employed five hundred and eighty large fhips, carrying one hundred and eighty-nine thousand fix hundred and feventy-nine tons, in which the imports amounted to twelve millions of dollars, of which more than eight millions of dollars were in manufactured goods of France, and the other four millions in French produce.

The Spanish fhips exported in French goods, or money, one million four hundred thousand dollars, for mules imported by them into the colony.

Ninety-eight French fhips, carrying forty thoufand one hundred and thirty tons, imported twenty-nine thousand five hundred and fix negroes, which fold for eight millions of dollars.

The negroes in the French divifion of this ifland have, for feveral years paft, been in a state of infurrection. In the progress of these disturbances, which have not yet fubfided, the planters and others have fuftained immenfe loffes. As this unhappy affair has engaged much of the attention of the public, we are happy in being able to give a fummary flatement of the caufes of this infurrection.*

The fituation of the French colonies early attracted the attention of the conftituen: Affembly. At this time all was as tranquil as fuch a fate of oppresfion would permit. Political health can only be attributed to a country with a free conflitution. The fituation of the island is that of a paralytic; one part is torpid, whilft the other is affected with the frantic motions of St. Vitus's dance.

The first interference of the National Affembly in the affairs of the colonies, was by a decree of the 8th of March, 1790, which declared, that all free perfons, who were proprietors and refidents of two years landing, and who contributed to the exigencies of the flate, fhould exercise the rights of voting, which conflitute the quality of French citizens,

This decree, though in fact it gave no new rights to the people of colour, was regarded with a jealous eye by the white planters, who evidently faw. that the generality of the qualification included all defcriptions of proprietors; they affected, however, to impofe a different conftruction on it. The people of colour appealed to common juice and common fenfe; it was to no purpofe, the whites repelled them from their affemblies; fome commotions enfued, in which they mutually fell a facrifice to their pride and resentment..

From a pamphlet published in 1592, entitled, "An Inquiry into the Caules of the Infarrection of the Negroes, in the Ifland of St. Domingo."

Thefe difturbances again excited the vigilance of the National Affembly; a decree was paffed on the 12th of October, 1790, by which the Affembly declared, as a conftitutional article, "That they would establish no regulations refpecting the internal government of the colonies, without the precife and formal requeft of the colonial affemblies,"

Peace, however, was not the confequence of this decree. The proprietors, is is true, had obtained a legal right of tyrannizing, but the unfortunate queftion full recurred, Who fhould be permitted to exercile that right ? On this head the decree was filent. New diffemtions arofe; each of the parties covered under a faftious patriotifm, the most attrocious defigns. Allahinations and revolt became frequent. Mauduit, a French officer of rank, loft his life by the hands of his own country men. At length the unfortunate Oge, a planter of colour, who had exerted himself in France in the caufe of his brethren, refolved to fupport by force their juft pretenfions. He landed in the Spanish territory of St. Domingo, where he affembled about fix hundred mulattoes. Before he proceeded to hoflilities he wrote to the French general, that his defire was for peace, provided the laws were enforced. His letter was abfurdly confidered as a declaration of war. Being attacked and vanquifhed, he took refuge amongst the Spaniards, who delivered him up to his adverfaries. The horrors of his death were the harbingers of future crimes. Thefe difturbances ftill increafing, the National Affembly found it neceffary at length to decide between the contending parties.

On the 15th of May, 1791, a decree was made, confifling of two articles, by the fift of which the Allembly confirmed that of the 12th of October, fo far as refpected the flaves in their islands. It is true that the word flave was cautiously omitted in this document, and they are only characterized by the negative defeription of "men not free," as if right and wrong depended on a play of words, or a mode of expreffion.

pari

This of the decice met with but little oppofition, though it paffed not without fevere reprehenfion from a few enlightened members. The fecond article, refpecting the people of colour, was frongly contested; those who were before known by the appellation of patriots, divided upon it. It was, however, determined in the refult, that the people of colour, born of free parents, should be confidered as active citizens, and be eligible to the offices of government in the islands,

This fecond article, which decided upon a right that the people of colour had been entitled to for upwards of a century, inflead of reftoring peace, has been the pretext for all the fubfequent evils that the colony of St. Domingo has fuftained. They arofe not indeed from its execution, but from its counteraction by the white colonifls. Had they, after the awful warnings they had already experienced, obeyed the ordinances of an Affembly they pretended to revere; had they imbibed one drop of the true fpirit of that conflitution to which they had avowed an inviolable attachment; had they even fuppreffed the dictates of pride in the fuggeflions of prudence, the form that threatened them had been averted, and in their obedience to the parent ftate they had difplayed an act of patriotifin, and preferved them from all pofficility of danger.

But the equalization of the people of colour flung the irritable nerves of the white colomits. The defcendants of flaves may lofe the refentments of their fathers; but the hatred of a defpot is hereditary. The European maxim allows, That they never pardon who have done the wrong ;" but in the colonies this pervertity attains a more monftrous growth, and the aver

fion to African blood defcends from generation to generation. No fooner had the decree palled, than the deputies from the islands to the National Af fembly withdrew their attendance: the colonial committee, always under the influence of the planters, fufpended their labours. Its arrival in the island Aruck the whites with confternation: they vowed to facrifice their lives rather than fuffer the execution of the decree. Their rage originating in defpotifm and phrenzy, carried them fo far that they propofed to imprifon the French inerchants then in the ifland, to tear down the national flag, and hoist the British fiandard in its place, whilft the joy of the mulattoes was mingled with apprehenfions and with fears. St. Domingo re-echoed with the cries of the whites, with their menaces and blafphemies against the conflitution. A motion was made in the ftreets to fire upon the people of colour, who fled from the city, and took refuge in the plantations of their friends and in the woods: they were at length recalled by proclamation; but it was only to fwear fubordination to the whites, and to be witneffes of fresh enormities. Amid thefe agitations the flaves had remained in their accustomed fubordination; nor was it till the month of Augufl, 1791, that the fymptoms of the infurrection appeared amongst them.

A confiderable number, both of whites and people of colour, had loft their lives in thefe commotions before the flaves had given indications of difaffection; they were not, however, infenfible of the opportunities of revolt afforded by the diffentions of their mafters; they had learnt that no alleviation of their miferies was ever to be expected from Europe; that in the firuggle for colonial dominion, their humble interefts had been equally facrificed or forgotten by all parties. They felt their curb relaxed by the difarming and difperfion of their mulatto mafters, who had been accuftomed to keep them under rigorous difcipline. Hopelefs of relief from any quarter, they rofe in different parts, and fpread defolation over the ifland. If the cold cruelties of defpotifm have no bounds, what fall be expected from the paroxyfins of defpair ?

On the 11th of September, 1791, a convention took place, which produced the agreement called the Concordat, by which the white planters ftipulated, that they would no longer oppofe the law of the 15th of May, which gave political rights to the people of colour. The colonial Affembly even promised to meliorate the fituation of the people of colour, born of parents not free, and to whom the decree of the 15th of May did not extend. An union was formed between the planters, which, if it had fooner taken place, had prevented the infurrection. The infurgents were every where difpirited, and difperfed; and the colony it felf preferved from total deftruétion.

By a decree of the National Affembly, the 24th of September, the people of colour were virtually excluded from all right of all colonial legiflation, and exprefsly placed in the power of the white colonifls.

If the decree of the 15th of May could inftigate the white colonifts to the frantic acts of violence before defcribed, what fhall we fuppofe were the feelings of the people of colour on that of the 24th of September, which again blafted thofe hopes they had juftiy founded on the conflitutional law of the parent ftate, and the folemn ratification of the white colonists? No fooner was it known in the islands, than those diffentions which the revolt of the negroes had for a while appeafed, broke out with fresh violence. The apprehenfions entertained from the flaves had been allayed by the effects of the Concordat; but the whites no fooner found themselves relieved from the terFors of immediate destruction, than they availed themselves of the decree of

the 24th of September; they formally revoked the Concordat, and treache rously refused to comply with an engagement to which they owed their very exiflence. The people of colour were in arms; they attacked the whites in the fouthern provinces; they poffeffed themselves of Fort St. Louis, and defeated their opponents in feveral engagements. A powerful body furrounded Port au Prince, the capital of the ifland, and claimed the execution of the Concordat. At three different times did the whites affent to the requifi. tion, and as often broke their engagement. Gratified with the predilection for monarchy and ariflocracy, which the Conflituent Affembly had in its dotage avowed, they affected the appellation of patriots, and had the addrefs to transfer the popular odium to the people of colour, who were contending for their indifputable rights, and to the few white colonifts who had virtue enough to espouse their caufe. Under this pretext, the municipality of Port au Prince required M. Grimoard, the captain of the Boreas, a French line of battle fhip, to bring his guns to bear upon, and cannonade the people of colour assembled near the town: he at first refufed, but the crew, deluded by the cry of patriotism, enforced his compliance. No founer was this meafure adopted, than the people of colour gave a loose to their indignation: they fpread over the country, and fet fire indifcriminately to all the plantations; the greatch part of the town of Port au Prince foon after shared the fame fate. Nothing feemed to remain for the white inhabitants but to feek their Lafety in quitting the colony.

In the northern paris the people of colour adopted a more magnanimous and perhaps a more prudent conduct. "They begun," fays Mr. Verniaud, "by offering their blood to the whites." "We fhall wait," said they, "till we have faved you, before we affert our own claims," They accordingly oppofed themfelves to the revolted negroes with unexampled courage, and endeavoured to foothe them by attending to their reasonable requisitions.

DUTCH WEST-INDIES.

SITUATED in

ST. EUSTATIUS,

ITUATED in 17° 29′ north latitude, and 63° 10' weft longitude, and three leagues north-weft of St. Chriftopher's, is only a mountain, about twenty-nine miles in compafs, rifing out of the fea like a pyramid, and almoft round. But though fo finall and inconveniently laid out by nature, the induftry of the Dutch have made it to turn to very good account; and it is faid to contain five thousand whites, and fifteen thousand negroes. The fides of the mountains are laid out in very pretty fettlements, but they have neither fprings nor rivers. They raife here fugar and tobacco; and this ifland, as well as Curaffou, is engaged in the Spanish contraband trade, for which, however, it is not fo well fituated; and it has drawn the fame advantage from its conflant neutrality. But when hoftilities were commenced by Grea Britain agaiaft Holland, Admiral Rodney was fent with a confiderable landand fea force against St. Euftatius, which being incapable of defence, furrendered at difcretion, on 3d of February, 1781. The private property of the inhabitants was confifcated, with a degree of rigour very uncommon among civilized nations, and very inconfiftent with the humanity and generofity by which the English nation used to be characterised. The reafon alligned was,

that the inhabitants of St. Euftatius had allifted the United States with naval and other flores. But on the 27th November, the fame year, St. Eustatius