40 JAMAICA, 



alfo as a garnfon, It will appear to form a great additional ftrength 

 to the midland-part of the ifland, and has fo proved in feveral in- 

 ternal difturbances that have occurred from Negroe mal-concents ; 

 particularly in 1761, when the detachments of horfe-militia and 

 regular troops, ordered from hence, to quell a dangerous infurrec- 

 tion, which had broke out in St. Mary's parifli, arrived there fo ex- 

 peditioufly, as to give almoft immediate protedtion to the inhabi- 

 tants. A colony of fuch extent would unqueftionably become 

 much fecurer, if more towns were formed in convenient parts of 

 it. Inftead therefore of labouring to ruin a town fo antient and 

 beneficial, the men of fenfe and fortune in the ifland fliould rather 

 endeavour, by fuitable encouragements and provifions, to found new 

 ones in thofe uncultivated diftrifts where congregations of people 

 are much wanted, to add more links to the chain of communica- 

 tion, which ought to pervade every part of fo fruitful and delightful 

 a country. 



The conteft about removing the feat of government, before-men- 

 tioned, became the caufe of fetting up a printing- houfe in this 

 town ; for, before that sera, the votes of aflembly were printed at 

 Kingfton. But the partizans of Spanifli Town formed an aflbciation 

 to fupport a new prefs in their town. From this iflues a weekly 

 paper of intelligence, compiled moflly from the London and 

 North-American prints; but it is chiefly convenient to the inha- 

 bitants as a vehicle for advertifements of different forts. Some oc- 

 cafional pamphlets have likevvile received their birth from it; and 

 a new edition of the laws was lately preparing. The votes of af- 

 fembly and the annual bills are printed here; the journals of the 

 council are printed in Kingflon, where two preflcs are elfablifhed, 

 and two weekly papers. Thus each of thefe branches of legiflature 

 having its feparate prefs, I need not remark, that, when political dif- 

 ferences arife, an extraordinary employment is given to thefe ma- 

 chines, by appeals to the public, and thearguments oneithcr hde pro 

 undcon: but it is doubtful, whether thefe difputat-ions, carried on as they 

 generally are with great vehemence and acrimony, do not tend more 

 to exafperate than to conciliate. The prefs of Spanifli Town was 

 devoted to a far better ufe, when the aflbciation of gentlemen be- 

 fore-mentioned made it fubfervient to the interefts of morality, and 



tfec 



