i6 J A M A I C A. 



or luflainccl tor the publick convenience, ought in reafon to be 

 eroded and fuftained at the publick charge ; and undoubtedly, if 

 the whole ifland is interefted in what concerns the feat of govern- 

 ment, records, and juftice, which it certainly is, there is full as 

 much reafon for a general tax to rebuild or repair the gaol as to 

 rebuild or repair a houfe of refidencc for the governor. Not fiir 

 from the gaol ftauds the free-fchool, built and partly endowed at 

 the expence of Peter Beckford, efq; formerly lieutenant-governor 

 of the ifland, who left by will looo/. currency ; which fum was 

 borrowed by the public, and lo/. per cent inCereft allowed ever 

 li nee for the purpofe of better fupporting it: augmentations have 

 alfo been made by other legacies; fo that the whole income at 

 prefent is \<)ol. per a?imim, of which the mafler annually receives 

 140/. and the furplus is lodged in the hands of the treafurer, fub- 

 je£t to fuch.ufesas the governors (confifting of the whole le- 

 giflative body of the ifland, the judges of the fupreme court, 

 and the reclor of this parifli for the time being) may think fit to 

 direifl. This foundation was incorporated by an a£l of aflembly, 

 and defigned for the inftrudion of a certain number of boys, the 

 offspring of poor parents, in reading, writing, grammar, arith- 

 metic, and otlier mechanical and praftical knowledge. It has ge- 

 nerally from twenty- five to thirty poor boys; and, if it was well 

 regulated, it might prove an ufeful feminary ; fuch an education 

 being I'ufiicierit to qualify the boys for a variety of profitable em- 

 ployments in the ifland : but it may be pronounced of this, as of 

 many other charities of the like kind, that as yet it has ill-anfwered 

 the intent of its founder. Near the fchool is the fliambles or mar- 

 ket-houfe, where the butchers meat flaughtered in this town is by 

 law appointed to be fold. It is under the direilion of an officer, 

 who receives a yearly flipend as clerk of the market. His bu- 

 finefs is, firft, to fee that the meat expofed to lale is found and fit 

 'for ufe J and, if he finds it otherwife, he is to caufe it to be im- 

 mediately burnt. He is likewife to prove all the fcales and weights 

 ufed here and in the different ftiops within the town ; and, on dif- 

 covering any fraud or deficiency, he may levy the penalty impofed 

 bylaw. He has a power too of arbitration in all difputes that may 

 happen between buyer and feller relative to weighing of meats and 

 3 other 



