1805.] 



State of Public A fairs in July, 18Qi5. 



71 



follow with inevitable certainty. The capi- 

 tal and labour en)ployed in raising staple* 

 for exportation, so important to the com- 

 merce and navigation of the mother-coun- 

 try, must be applied to raise food for our sub- 

 sistence, and, in certain situations, to pro- 

 cure substitutes for lumber. 



Every one conversant with the state of the 

 island liiust admit, that obtaining them is 

 not practicable i'l the best-cultivated di- 

 stricts ; bit, were it otherwise, the shipping 

 of the etnpire would be maleriallv diminish- 

 ed by attempting to enijrojs the carrying- 

 trade between the island and America. 



Tins intercourse is in its nature unchange- 

 able. 



On the part of the North- American States 

 our st iples might be dispensed with, because 

 they are luxuries, and cm also be supplied 

 from otiier parts of the world . but our de- 

 man'fs from them are foi necessaries the 

 most essential, an I only be cume greater in 

 proportion to our industry anil the increase 

 of our cultivation. We shall take two pe- 

 riods, very distant from each other, to shew 

 their nature and extent. 



The Scheoule No t. contains an account 

 of the imports from North- America into the 

 British NVest-India Islands ii: 1771, 177;, 

 and 1713. It is on the authority of Mr. 

 Stanley, Secretary to the Commissioners of 

 the Customs, and discriminates vvhat was 

 supplied by the territories now forming the 

 United States from what was furnished by 

 the British pro\ inces The articles compos- 

 ed izoocargoes annually, and wereesiiniaced 

 to be of the value of 720,000 sterling, or 

 i,ooS,oool. Jamaica currency ; but, as many 

 of the vessels made nvo, and sometimes 

 three, voyages within i-.e year, the number 

 did not exceed jjj, and the seamen employ- 

 ed wer^ about jjy;. 



The Schedule No, 2. exhibits a similar ac- 

 count for the years 1S02, 1805, and ib'04, 

 Irom th-' returns of the naval officer, made 

 to the House of Assembly, of the importa- 

 tions from the United States and the Uittish 

 dominions in North America, and distin- 

 guishes the proportions imported in Ameri- 

 can and in iSniish buttonis. .A valuation is 

 added, on the authority of members of this 

 House, of great commercial experience and 

 respectability: it will be founj 1,249,073!. 

 currency. 



Tlie Schedule No. 3. contains an account 

 ofour expoitations to North-America, from 

 the same authorities. 



As might bt expected, it will be found, 

 from ihese authentic documents, that the 

 increased cultivatio.i of Jamaica calls for a 

 supply of greater value than wa» required by 

 all the British islands in the first peiiod; and 

 that, of thissftpply, less than onc-twelfih 

 pan comes from his Majesty's colonies in 

 North-America ; and tK.if six-seventh parts 

 ot what we procure from the United States 

 IS imported in tluir own shipping. We 

 shall av.'init, hoivever, tlia". the number of 

 vessels mentioned by Mr. Sianlcy now car- 

 fiei tii« increased supply, aiiU it will be 



found, that 456 additional British vessels, 

 navigated by -f-di seamen, must enter im- 

 mediately into the American trade, to pre- 

 vent the absolute ruin of :his country. 



No person in the least acquainted with 

 commerce, but must admit, that twice that 

 number will be lequisite if our wants are in- 

 tended to be answered by means of ships 

 iTiaking a circuitous voyage once a-year 

 from Great Britain. 



Situated as the mother-country is at pre- 

 sent, we do not hesitiaie to affirm, that nei- 

 ther shipping nor seamen can be spared fur 

 carrying on and protecting this commerce 

 until the leturii of pe<ice. 



We have hitherto regarded matters in the 

 most favourable view, as if we possessed the 

 quantity of provisions usual at this season of 

 the year, and without a prospect of interrup- 

 tion to the intercourse. 



The facts, however, are extremely diffe* 

 rent. From a scanvy harvest in America, 

 and a great demand from Spain, the impor- 

 tafions have been less than common, whilst 

 the expenditure has been augmented by 

 drawing the mjUtia from their homes, and 

 collecting pioneers and working-parties, 

 during the pre/ent mariial-liw. 



h^rom the best information, collected by 

 inquiries under authority, on the proclama- 

 tion of martial-law, it is asceriained, that 

 there then was not flour to feed that portion 

 of the inhabitants who depend on it lor sub- 

 sistence fjr two weeks, and we have no rea- 

 son to believe lliat the stock is now greater. 

 In about thirty days the expectation of all 

 additional supply must be given up. When 

 the imperious cravings of absolute famine 

 may arrest attention, it will be too late to 

 administer relief. In thehurricane-inonths, 

 few American vessels adventure in these la- 

 titudes, and the winter-frosts lock up many 

 portsof the United states trom which weare 

 supplied. 



We trust that we have been fortunatef 

 enough 10 impress your Honour with a true 

 sense of the situation of this counl'y, lor if 

 ever there vi-a a case calling for the sound 

 exercise of that discretion with which his 

 most gracious Majesty has entrusted you, 

 we humbly submit that case now exists 

 here. 



No means can be pointed out for carrying 

 on an inteicourse admitted to be indispen- 

 sable at all times ; proved to be now pecu- 

 liarly so from causes which his .Majesty's 

 Ministers could not foiesee, but which are 

 fully disclosed to your Honour. 



No benefit can accrue to Great Britain, 

 or to the empire at large, from the ca- 

 lamities which will be brought upon this 

 country. ' 



We admit the responsibility which your 

 Honour must assume in exercising the high 

 pierogative which our most benevolent So- 

 vereign has delegated to you, tor the pur- 

 pose ol' protecting his failhfnl people from 

 partial tvils, arising out of well-intended 

 general regulation^ , but we humbly call 

 your honour's altcmiyn to the higher re- 

 sponsibility 



