126 A. D. 1722. 



' iflands of St. Vincent and Dominica, which belong to the Carib- 



* beans, natives of the country, according to the treaty of the 31(1 of 

 ' March 1660 ; and in the poffefiion whereof it is rriy intention to fup- 

 ' port them : I have neverthelefs agreed with the court of England, 

 ' that, \mtil thofe pretenfions fhall be determined, the laid iflands fliall 

 ' be evacuated by both nations. And it is my pleafure that you make 



* this known, &c.' 



We have already given, at fundry times, fomewhat of the hiftory of 

 the ifland of St. Lucia, and lome account alfo of Dominica. That of St. 

 Vincent is fomething more obfcure. It lies to the fouthward of St. 

 Lucia. When Governor Uring fent his counfellor, Mr. Egerton, thi- 

 ther, to prepare its inhabitants tor fubmillion to the Britifli crown, he 

 found two forts of people there in great numbers, viz. the native Caribs, 

 who were the aborigines or primitive pofTellors thereof; and the ne- 

 groes, the defcendants of a cargo of flaves from Africa, who had been 

 fhipwrecked there about 70 years before ; and who, by the accellion of 

 other negroes, fugitives from the neighbouring European fettlements, 

 were increafed to about 6000 men, women, and children. • Their go- 

 vernment was republican, viz. by chiefs or leaders by eledtion. The 

 Indians, or native Caribs, he found to confifb of about 8000 perfons, 

 who inhabited fundry pretty villages, and feemed to live in plenty. They 

 feemed alfo to be a determined people for liberty and independence, 

 any farther than acknovvleging the proteftion of the French at Mar- 

 tinico, which the later gladly afforded them, to prevent, their putting 

 themfelves under the protedion of any other European nation. 



This year the general court of the African company made a call 

 of L5 on every Lioo nominal flock, for vigoroufly carrying on their 

 trade : and the fame court mofl injudicioufly refolved, that a dividend 

 of 1 4- per cent per annum be made to the proprietors of their flock. 



The interference of the Oflend Eafl-India company, and fundry other 

 difBculties, at this time obliged the Englifli Eaft-lndia company to re- 

 duce their half-yearly dividend froin 5 to 4 per cent. 



1723 Though four millions of the South-fea capital ftock had been 



ingrafted (as we have fliewn) into the capital ftock of the bank of England, 

 yetftillthat company's capital of L31, 802,483 : 14 was thought too large. 

 At general courts their numbers had already been, and might hereafter 

 be, tumultuous. The legiflature therefor judging that inconveniencies 

 were likely to arife from tlie great number of proprietors, determined 

 to divide the capital into two equal moieties : by an ad: (ot the 9th of 

 King George 1) ' for reviving and adding two millions to the faid 

 ' capital flock, and for dividing their whole capital' (after fuch addition 

 made) ' into two equal moieties, &c.' The laid two millions were here- 

 by accordingly carried to each proprietor's account, making one fix- 

 leentb part, or L6 : 5 pec cent ; and the capital, thus again made '^'^ 



