436 TRINIDAD. 



The Court of Spain had not yet come to any decision 

 respecting Saint Laurent's scheme; they, nevertheless, had 

 appointed two Governors, a civil administrator, and a commander 

 of the troops, viz., Don Rafael Delgado and Colonel Salaverria. 

 Don Rafael advised Saint Laurent to go to Caracas and try to 

 secure the good-will and concurrence of the intendant of that 

 town. But Saint Laurent preferred, as a preliminary measure, 

 to pay a cursory visit to the smaller Antilles, with the view t< 

 inducing immigration to Trinidad. He took with him for dis 

 tribution French and English copies of the cedula granted by th( 

 king. On returning from this voyage he started for Caracj 

 with the object of submitting his plan to the intendant, Doi 

 Jose de Sabalos, and obtaining his acquiescence in the same. 

 Don Sabalos approved the plan, and promised his support at th( 

 Court of Madrid. Saint Laurent, in order to avoid furthei 

 delays, decided to go to Spain. Passing through Paris, he sa^ 

 there Count d'Aranda, who approved his decision, and urge( 

 him to continue his voyage. Saint Laurent's plan was approved, 

 and the Cedula of Colonisation was issued shortly after. Pending 

 the arrival of Captain Don Jose Maria Chacon, appointed Captain- 

 General, Don Juan Franciso Machado acted as Governor, witl 

 instructions to carry into effect the plan of colonisation adopte< 

 by the Government, the cedula promulgating the same having 

 been signed in November, 1781. 



As we may trace the colonisation of Trinidad to this ceduk 

 of 1783, the reader will, no doubt, be glad to know its principal 

 clauses. This document consisted of twenty-eight articles, some 

 of which are unimportant as referring to general matters. Th* 

 first article enacts that all new colonists must be Catholics. 

 Article 2 requires the new comers to take the oath of alle- 

 giance to the King of Spain, and to observe the laws of the 

 Indies, the king then granting them, gratis and in perpetuity, 

 the lands they may have a claim to. Article 3 determines the 

 quantity of land to which every new comer will be entitled, viz., 

 each white person of either sex to four fanegar and twenty- 

 sevenths (thirty-two acres) ; half that quantity for every slave 

 lie may introduce, the grants being prepared in such manner 

 that all grantees may have land of bad, indifferent, and good 

 quality ; these grants to be registered in a book of population, 

 showing the individuality and name of each colonist, the elate of 



