162 A. D. 1 73 1. 



Thprty leagues wefc of Hifpanioln lies our ifland ot" Jamaica in lent^th 

 150, in breadth 50, miles; of the importance of which, we may partly 

 jadi^e from the quantity of its produce annually fhipjjed off for us, viz. 

 in lugar alone, 10,000 tons. In cotton, indigo, ginger, pimento, rum, 

 lime-juice, cacao, mahogany, &c, 2000 tons more. Thus, not lefs than 

 12,000 tons of our own fliipping are conlhmtly employed in that fervice 

 only ; over and above what is employed between Jamaica and the 

 northern continental colonics. Great are the advantages accruing to 

 Britain from the trade between Jamaica and the Spaniards of Mexico, 

 &c. the rife whereof fprung from the treaty of 1670, (called the 

 American treaty,) whereby peace was firfl fettled between the two na- 

 tions in America ; and till the commencement of Queen Anne's war 

 that trade was carried on with little interruption, to the value of near 

 1.300,000 yearly, in various European merchandize, negroes, provifions, 

 &c. for all which our people were paid in good pieces of eight. 



Jamaica, however, afterwards regained much of that clandefline 

 trade ; by which, and by their privateers, and the money fpcnt by the 

 fliips of War Rationed in thofe feas, they became rich and populous, till 

 after the South-fea company's afliento fadors fettled there; when again 

 much of their illicit trade was loft *. 



Much of that clandefline trade removed to the Dutch ifle of Curaqoa, 

 from thence grown up to be \'ery confiderable in commerce and fhip- 

 ping, though of itfelf a mere barren ipot, with only a commodious har- 

 bour, and an happy fituation in refpecSt to the Spanifli Weft-Indies. It 

 is fupplied with provifions from the two neighbouring Dutch ifles of 

 Aruba and Bonaire ; and, though yielding nothing of itfelf, is yet a mar- 

 ket for all things, there having been fometimes feen in its harbour 60 

 or 70 fail of fhips together. 



Cnba is to the Spaniards the mofl important by its fituation of any 

 ifland they have in all America. It is about 700 miles in length, and 

 I 20 miles in breadth in fome parts. It has an excellent foil, intinite 

 numbers of cattle, and fine tobacco ; great quantities of aromatic drugs 

 and dye-ftuffs. It has alfo fine bays and havens. What renders it fo 

 particularly beneficial to Spain, is its fafe and well-fortified harbour and 

 port called ITavanna, being the rendezvous of all the Spanifh fleets and 

 {hipping bound to Europe from any part of the coafts of New-Spain, 

 &c. to the weftward or leeward of the Caracca's. Yet the Spaniards have 

 been far from cultivating this fine ifland fo well as might have been 

 done. 



Of the Bahama ifiands, though very numerous, and producing many 

 things ufeful and neceflliry, and all claimed by the crown of Great 

 Britain, only four are inhabited by Englilh people, viz. Providence, the 



• I: was faid, with too much truth, that it was carried on by the others. A. 



