448 TRINIDAD. 



him as a token of their appreciation of his services as Governor j 

 the sum was declined. The neighbouring islands contributed 

 largely. As a consequence of the calamitous occurrence, a law 

 was passed forbidding the building of houses with inflammable 

 materials. 



General Hislop, as well as Governor Picton, had made it a 

 duty to encourage insurrectional movements in the continental 

 dependencies of Spain. In 1806, Miranda, encouraged by the 

 British Government, attempted to revolutionise that part of the 

 Spanish Main nearest to Trinidad. He had at his disposal several 

 vessels and a troop of about 200 men ; he was also joined by 

 a considerable number of volunteers from Trinidad, and had also 

 the assistance of Admiral Cochrane. Miranda, as is well known, 

 failed in his attempt. 



General Hislop, who had left on leave in January, 181 

 returned in March, to leave finally in May. He had for s 

 cessor Major-General W. Monro, who was sworn as Lieutenan 

 Governor in May. 



General Monro, in his civil capacity and social dispositio 

 very much resembled his predecessor. He left almost entire 

 the cares and toils of government to his secretary and a Mem 

 of Council. This secretary was not better than the one at t' 

 service of Sir Thomas Hislop. He indulged in convivial partie 

 with his friends, but would not trouble himself much about the 

 administration of the colony entrusted to his care. 



It was during his government, in the year 1811, that a royal 

 order was issued to enforce the registration of the slaves. The 

 measure was opposed by the planters, as fraught with most 

 injurious results. It was, nevertheless, enforced. 



The war waged by the colonists against Spain on the neigh- 

 bouring continent was still raging, though with adverse vicissi- 

 tudes. Trinidad was then — as it ever was, and still is — the 

 asylum of the weaker party — not, perhaps, to its advantage, as 

 proved by the rash measures adopted against the commerce of the 

 island by the reigning president, Guzman Blanco (1883) . England 

 was at peace with Spain, and could not, without a breach of 

 faith, encourage the insurgent colonists. However, Santiago 

 Marino, with several others, managed to prepare, in some valley 

 of the north coast, an expedition, which landed on the opposite 

 coast of the Gulf, and took possession of Guiria. These few men 



