58 A. D. 1717- 



occafioned by the Spainifli ambafllidor extraordinary, the marquis de 

 Monteleone having delivered a memorial againft the Britifh fettlement 

 in the ifle of Trifl, and on the Laguna de Terminos in the bay of Cam- 

 peachy, where they continued to cut logwood : declaring, ' that if, in 

 the fpace of eight months, they do not leave the place, they (hall be 

 looked on and tre:ited as pirates.' That board reprefents to his ma- 

 jefty, * that fince a trade of fo great importance to our navigation and 

 the American colonies is in danger of being loft, we have again care- 

 fully perufed the books and papers in our office, and have received 

 from the merchants and others the fulleft information we can hope 

 to obtain, which hath taken up much time. And we now humbly 

 crave leave to lay before your majefty the paft and prefent ftate of 

 this trade, with the arguments that formerly engaged your majefty's 

 royal predeceflbrs to protect and fupport the fame ; to which we fhall 

 add fome obfervations, and the reafons that induce us to conclude, 

 your majefty's fubjedls have now as fiill and ample a right to this 

 trade as to any other liberty or privilege that has been allowed by the 

 crown of Spain, and enjoyed by them, by virtue of any treaty what- 

 foever. 



' Firft, logwood is one of the productions of the province of Yuca- 

 tan, where the Spaniards are poflefled of San Francifco de Campeachy, 

 its capital town and port (which has been thrice taken by the Englifh) 

 and of two other inland towns, Merida and Valladolid, having but 

 few inhabitants : but the reft of the province, before the Englifti 

 logwood-cutters were fettled, was in a manner wholely defolate and un- 

 inhabited. It is, however, allowed, that the Spaniards had from time 

 to tinie cut wood in feveral parts near their own fettlements : but, 

 during the hoftilities in the Weft-Indies before the year 1667, they 

 deferted that employment, being frequently interrupted by the priva- 

 teers, both by fea and land ; who, by degrees, becoming acquainted 

 with the coaft, and with thofe parts where the wood grew, that were 

 moft remote from the Spaniards, at laft fell into the trade, and laid 

 the foundation of their future eftabliftiment near Laguna de Termi- 

 nos, and Trift and Beef iflands. For, notwithftanding the treaty of 

 Madrid, concluded by the earl of Sandwich in the year 1667, was 

 principally intended to adjuft our commerce with Spain in Europe, 

 yet a general, firm, and perfect, amity being thereby concluded, it was 

 conftrued to extend to America as well as to Europe ; wherefor many 

 of the Britifh privateers were then induced to quit their former courfe, 

 and to fettle with the logwood-cutters in the Laguna de Terminos : 

 fo that in the year 1669, their numbers were confiderably increafed, 

 and great quanties of wood were tranfported both to Jamaica and 

 New-Eri gland. , 



