POLITICAL AND COMMERCIAL 13 



den, but the size of the vessel was not lim- 

 ited. Owing to restrictions imposed, there 

 was very little trade with the Spanish South 

 American colonies. The Danish West 

 Indies were free ports, and the Swedish 

 colony, St. Bartholemew, or St. Barts, as 

 it was usually called, derived its importance 

 from its being open to neutrals in time of 

 war. Although itself a barren rock, the ex- 

 ports of sugar, coffee and molasses from 

 the island were quite large. Vessels could 

 clear from the richer islands to St. Barts 

 and then evade the law by clearing from 

 St. Barts to other ports. 



Trade with the East Indies was con- 

 ducted under the same colonial law as with 

 the West Indies, but there was no limita- 

 tion as to size of vessel employed. English 

 law allowed a direct voyage between Amer- 

 ica and the East Indies, but it must not be 

 broken. Trade with the islands of France 

 and Bourbon was free, and much of the 

 French East India trade was carried on 

 from those ports. Trade with the Dutch 



