236 HISTORY OF THE [BOOK. n. 



The current coins are Portugal pieces of gold, call- 

 ed the half-johannes, valued in England at thirty-six 

 shillings each ; these pass here, if of full weight, at 

 fifty-five shillings. Spanish gold coins current here, 

 are, doubloons at .5 5s. each, and pistols at twenty- 



WAYS and MEANS. 







Outstanding debts 35,000 o o 



Negro duty, computed at - 6,000 o o 



Rum duty - - 14,000 o o 



Double deficiency on Negroes 24,000 o o 



Poll-tax - - 67,000 o o 



.136,000 o o 

 Deduct for prompt payment, 10 



percent. - 13,600 o o 



. . 122,400 



The overplus was applied towards discharging the public debt, which 

 was estimated at .180,000 currency; but since then, the contingent 

 charges of government, have risen annually to double the amonnt above 

 stated, owing chiefly to a great augmentation of the British troops j the 

 whole expense of raising and maintaining all which (above the number 

 of 3,000) is thrown upon the island. Among these is a regiment of light 

 dragoons, which is mounted on horses bred in the country. 



N. B. The situation of Jamaica, in respect to the expenses of its in- 

 ternal government and finances, has been strangely altered since the first 

 publication of the preceding estimates. Its public debt and contingent 

 expenses for 1796, came to no less than .298,333 is. 3d. currency; and 

 this sum was altogether exclusive of the expenses incurred by the war 

 with the Maroon Negroes, of which an account will hereafter be given, 

 amounting to no less than .520,198 145. 7d. currency. The commit- 

 tee of the assembly by whom these estimates were reported, declare at 

 the same time, that they find it impracticable to devise the means of 

 answering a debt of such magnitude, and an application was made 

 (but I believe without success) to the British government for a loan of 

 .200,000 sterling. 



