254 HISTORY OF THE [BOOK n. 



only to a recital of facts; and it is certain that the very 

 great demand for negroes in the ceded islands, for 

 some years after the act took place, affected the Ja- 

 maica import in a high degree; and in 1773, a circum- 

 stance occurred, which was thought to render a re- 

 newal of the free-port law a measure of indispensable 

 necessity. In that year the Spanish Assiento Com- 

 pany at Porto-Rico obtained permission to remove 

 their principal factory to the Havanna, and to purchase 

 slaves in any of the neighbouring islands, transport 

 ing them to their own settlements in Spanish vessels. 

 It was easily foreseen, that Jamaica, from its vicinity 

 to the chief colonies of Spain, in which negroes were 

 most in demand, would engage a preference from 

 the purchasers; wherefore, that encouragement might 

 not be wanting, the British parliament not only re- 

 newed the free-port law, but also took off the duty 

 of thirty shillings sterling a head, which in the former 

 act was exacted on the exportation of negroes, and 

 laid only a duty of two shillings and six-pence, in lieu 

 of it. The result was that the import for the next 

 ten years, exceeded that of the ten years preceding, 

 by.no less than 22,213 negroes: and the export sur- 

 passed that of the former period, to the number of 

 5,952. Such part, therefore, of this increased export, 

 as went to the supply of the Spanish colonies, we 

 may attribute to the free-port law; for it is probable, 



Perhaps it would be found on the whole, that Great Britain has, by this 

 means, during the last century, supplied her rivals and enemies with 

 upwards of 500,000 African labourers j a circumstance which sufficiently 

 justifies the doubt that I entertain concerning the wisdom and policy of 

 this branch of the African commerce. 



