30 JAMAICA. 



The greater mortality, obfervable here among the foldiers and 

 tranfient Europeans, muft be afcribed to their importing with them 

 the Enghih cuftoms of" eating and drinking in excefs, but chiefly 

 the latter; and their hberal indulgence in a vile fophifticated com- 

 pound of new rum, pepper, and other ingredients, brewed hereby the 

 Jew-retailers ; who, as they pay a tax on their licences, and a 

 duty on the rum they retail, have recourfe to this villainous 

 praftice, in order to enhance their profit upon the miferable con- 

 lumers, who are chiefly the loldiers, and meaner clais of Whites. 

 That this has been, and is ftill, the main caufe of bad health 

 among the troops is evident ; for, when they are in quarters not 

 locally unvvholefome, and where they cannot get at it, they are 

 known to be very healthy. If the ipirit was even fold ro them 

 without this adulteration, it could not fail of producing fatal 

 effeds ; for the Jews could not afford to keep it fo long on hand, 

 as to become what is called old rum, and then retail it at their 

 ufual low price. They would therefore fell it frefli from the flill ; 

 in which flate it is fo fiery, as to be no lefs unfit for human po- 

 tation, than burning brimflone ; yet fome of the foldiers have been 

 known to drink off a bottle of it at one fitting. The officers have 

 often attempted to check this evil, by punifhing the delinquents ; 

 but a more certain method would be by prevention. The common 

 foldiers, employed in the Weft-India fervice, or at leaft the re- 

 cruits fent over, have frequently been the very refu'e of the Britifh 

 army: thefe men cannot be broke of their Ibttifh habits; but, fmce 

 they mufl and will have fpirituous liquor, care might be taken to 

 provide them with fuch as, while it gratifies their inclination, may 

 be the leafl detrimental to their health. The commanding officer 

 (for example) in town might appropriate a certain part of their 

 country pay, and lay in every year a flock of the beff rum, free 

 from all bad tafte and fmell, and permit it to be retailed by a fut- 

 ler to the men; taking care, that none fhould be iffued of lels 

 than a twelvemonth's age, and limiting the price to what they 

 now pay the Jew- retailers, which could very well be afforded, as 

 the foldier's rum is exempted from all duty. The futler chofen 

 for this purpofe would no doubt be a man on whofe fobriety and 

 honefty they could fafcly depend ; at leaft, fhould he be guilty of 



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