440 TEINIDAD. 



landed with a party of armed marines — thus committing a 

 breach of the neutrality of Trinidad. In October, 1796, war 

 was declared between Spain and England. In January of the 

 same year a Spanish squadron, consisting of four ships and a 

 frigate, with about 800 men, had entered the Gulf, under the 

 command of Don Ruiz de Apodaca, a chance being thus given 

 to Chacon of defending the island. 



On the other hand, the British fleet, having left Martinique 

 with orders to take possession of Trinidad, entered the Bocas on 

 the 16th of February, 1797. It consisted of eight men-of-war, 

 two frigates, and eight sloops, besides two transports, carrying 

 900 guns and 6,700 men. 



It must be acknowledged that Governor Chacon had made 

 no defensive preparations, but no defence was possible. This he 

 and Apodaca clearly saw. They therefore agreed to offer nc 

 resistance, and to put the vessels on fire to prevent their falling 

 into the hands of the enemy. Chacon surrendered without 

 firing a gun. A capitulation was signed, and the island delivered 

 up to General Abercrombie and Admiral Harvey. Thus ended 

 the dominion of Spain over Trinidad. Chacon and Apodaca 

 were tried by court-martial and condemned, the former for not 

 having defended the colony as he ought to have done, and the 

 latter for having prematurely burnt his ships. Trinidad was 

 finally ceded to England by the Treaty of Amiens in 1802. 



At the time of the capture of Trinidad by the British, 

 colonisation had made fair progress under the conditions of the 

 cedula of 1785. The population, which in 1773 was only 1,000 

 inhabitants, exclusive of the Indians, had increased to 18,600 in 

 1797. The conqueror made no changes in the administrative 

 organisation of the island ; but, on the contrary, adopted the 

 policy of the late Governor, and treated the colonists with due 

 consideration. The colony continued to prosper under the new 

 government. The colonists, particularly those of French descent, 

 being energetic and industrious, had introduced various cultures, 

 and when the island was transferred to Great Britain there 

 existed a grand total of 468 estates, of which 159 were sugar 

 estates, 130 coffee, 103 cotton, 70 tobacco, several indigo, 6 

 cacao plantations, besides a good many young cacao cultivations, 

 representing a cultivated area of 37,960 acres. 



Immediately after the surrender of the island, Sir Ralph 



