CHAP, v.] WEST INDIES. 253 



been procured at through France the house, disre- 

 garding all colonial opposition, came to a resolution, 

 " that the continuance of free-ports in Jamaica would 

 be highly beneficial to the trade and manufactures of 

 the kingdom." The act was thereupon renewed, 

 and has since been made perpetual. 



But the main argument which was originally addu- 

 ced in defence of the establishment of free-ports in 

 Jamaica, was founded on the idea, that those ports 

 would become the great mart for supplying foreign- 

 ers with negroes. It \vas said, that in order to have ne- 

 groes plenty in our own islands, every encouragement 

 must be thrown out to the African merchant to in- 

 duce him to augment his importations,, and that no 

 encouragement was so great as that of an opportunity 

 of selling part of them to foreigners for ready money ; 

 a temptation, it was urged, which would be, as it 

 heretofore had been, the means, that a number would 

 be imported sufficient both for the planters use and 

 for the foreign demand; and it w r as added, that at all 

 events the French would deal with us, if the Spani- 

 ards would not. 



Whether it be a wise and politic measure at any 

 time, to permit British subjects to supply foreigners 

 with African labourers, is a question that may admit 

 of dispute. || I mean, at present, to confine myself 



|| The re-export of negroes from the British West Indies, for the last 

 twenty years, for the supply of the French and Spanish plantations, has 

 not I believe exceeded one-fifth of the import. It was greater formerly, 

 and during the existence ot the Assiento contract, exceeded one third. 



