-J92 JAMAICA, 



no doubt, had long deplored tbc calamitous circumftaaces of Barba- 

 does, unprovided with a fufficient ftock of praclitioneis, regularly 

 trained to the knowledge of phyfic. He was fenfible, that a colony, 

 furrounded with enemies, and liable to internal infurreiSlions of flaves, 

 required a conftant fupply of white inhabitants; and that, if the pro- 

 portion of thofe annually imported did not counterbalance the number 

 annually fwept off by diftempers, the colony muft inevitably decline; 

 for, it is the multitude of ufeful hands which conftitutes the vigour 

 and profperity of every fettlcment ; and the greater the mortality is, 

 the greater, and heavier, muft be the labour that falls upon the furvi- 

 vors: if 500 men only are employed to garrifon a country, which, 

 from its extent and circumflances, requires 2000, the inlufficient body 

 may harrafs themfelves to death, and yet be unable to maintain their 

 ground againft an enemy; fo if, by judicious pradice, only 500 lives 

 .per annum are retrieved, which, by erroneous pradtice, would have in- 

 fallibly been loft to the community, no man furely will deny the im- 

 portance of fuch an acquifition to a Weft India colony ; the faving 

 thofe lives may introduce, perhaps, an increafe of many hundred more 

 to the ftock by procreation ; add to this, that the death of a principal 

 planter, on whole well-being twenty white perfons are probably de- 

 pendent for bread and employment, is equal to the lofs of twenty-one 

 perfons; becaufe thefe dlfcarded fervants, who have attained to no 

 fixed property, may remove to fome other country in fearch of a pro- 

 vifion. Nor does the lofs entirely reft here; if he was a virtuous man, 

 fuftained a public employment with integrity, and diffufed happinefs 

 and utility from the greatnefs of his ftation, his ability, and benevolent 

 fpirit, fuch a chafm becomes ftill more extenfive, and difficult to be re- 

 paired. Colonel Codrington, who enjoyed the government of Barba- 

 does, devifed by his will in 1710, two plantations in that ifland, and 

 likewife a part of Barbuda, another of the Carribbee iflands, in value 

 about 2000/. per miniim, or upwards, to the ioiiitty de propaganda fide, 

 for the purpofes of inftrufting Negroes belonging to Barbadoes, and 

 the other Carribbees, in the Chriftian religion, and for ereding and en- 

 dowing a college in Barbadoes, in which the liberal arts Ihould be. 

 taught, particularly phyfic and Jurgery. A college was accordingly 

 eredted there, the good effeds of which may be traced, not only in the 

 greater number of white inhabitants in proportion to the other Britifti 



iflands, 



