464 J A M A I C A. 



the ifland to fave his own deficiency for 30 (laves, or i 50 head of 

 cattle ; and all proprietors, under twenty-one years of age, fent off 

 for the benefit of their education, to fave half a deficiency. By thi> 

 meafure they threw an extraordinary weight of taxation, for that year, 

 upon the abfcntees. They likewife addreffed his majefty, that he 

 would be pkafed to give direftions, that the company of the 49th 

 redment, ftationed at the Mofquito fhore, and four companies of the 

 74th, at the coaft of Africa, might repair to, and join, their refpeftive 

 regiments in Jamaica. They reprefented, that many gentlemen, of 

 laro-e eftates in the ifland, were non-relidents, whofe influence over 

 their flaves, if refident, would, in all probability, contribute much to 

 the prevention of the mifchiefs arifing from rebellious confpiracies and 

 inl'urreftions ; and that they found themfelves under indifpenfable ne- 

 ceffity of follciting his majefty for another regiment, for the better 

 fecurity of the ifland ; and the rather, as they had pafled a bill, oblig- 

 ing the inhabitants of the feveral pariflies to ere£l barracks for the re- 

 ception and accommodation of more troops. They voted a large fum 

 for ftrenothening the fortifications, ordered a fiipply of ftores for the 

 forts, and diredted a powder magazine to be built at Spanifli Town. 



On the 1 2th of Oftober, 1761, the aflembly met again ; when the 

 lieutenant governor, in his fpeech, li^formed them, that he had delayed 

 their meeting beyond the ufual time, in order that every meafure 

 might be enforced, which could tend to the prefer vation of the general 

 tranquillity, at that time happily reftored again, by the total JupfreJJion 

 of the rebellion, and to give them opportunity of fupporting, by their 

 prefence in their feveral diftri£ls, thofe refolutions, which were taken 

 for the internal fecurity of the ifland, and the prevention of future 

 attempts, to involve them again in calamities of the like nature. That 

 the advantages which muft attend the eredion of barracks in the differ- 

 ent pariflies, and the cantoning his majefty 's troops according to the 

 plan then laid down, were fo evident, that no one, interefted in 

 the welfare of that community, could difapprove of fo prudent a 

 meafure. 



Thus, every meafure that could be fuggefted, either for remedying 

 the diforders under which the ifland had fuffered fo much, or for baf- 

 fling the machinations of future infurgents, or putting the forts and 

 fortifications into a refpeftable flate of defence agalnft foreign enemies, 



was 



