A. D. 1734. 201 



' guiila, Spanilhtown, Tortola, and the refi: of the Virgin idands, there 

 ' are 10,262 white people ; and their miUtia confifls of 3284 men *. 



' The illands called the Bahamas are the next in thofe feas of im- 

 ' portance to Great Britain ; where Providence is the only ifland as yec 

 ' of any confideration to us, or that is peopled in any degree. And 

 ' here they have 500 white people, out of whom they have formed fi\ 



* companies of militia, befide one independant company in his majefty's 

 ' pay. On this ifland they have two forts. 



' In Bermudas there were a few years fince 5000 white people, of 

 ' whom there are 1000 white men, befide officers, for their militia. 



* They have one fort and fix batteries.' 



Nothing is faid in the report of that board of Newfoundland, which, 

 indeed, is properly no colony, it having fcarcely any foil capable of 

 cultivation ; and the forts and people there are folely for the proted:ion 

 and accommodation of the fliips of our important cod fiihery on the 

 adjoining fhoals, called the banks of Newfoundland, and alfo in its bays 

 and harbours. Thofe garrifons are alfo requifite for preventing anv 

 other European nation from getting pofleilion of the ifland, which 

 would render our fifliery there very precarious on a rupture with fuch 

 nation, as it would alfo our communication with our northern colonies. 

 Newfoundland, therefor, on thefe accounts, is of very great importance 

 to us. 



A committee of the proprietors of South-fea flock having infpe(fted 

 the flate of the company's commerce to the Spanifh Weft-Indies, it ap- 

 peared, that the entire balance of that trade from the beginning, or of 

 their ten years American or aiFicnto trade, amounted to no more than 

 L32,26o : 1 8 profit to the company. This was, by the proprietors of 

 the flock, thought, and indeed was, a very inconfiderable profit, being 

 but L3226 for each year of that trade. This it was which made the 

 flockholders very earnefl to accept the equivalent formerly propofed by 

 the court of Spain : but thofe proprietors or flockholders confidered 

 only their own private advantage by that fuppofed equivalent. For as 

 the king and his miniflers muft have been confulted, before fuch equi- 

 valent could be accepted by the company, there was a more important 

 and extenfive confideration to be duely weighed, viz. whether, by the 

 very profitable illicit trade carried on by the company's fupercargocs, 



•■ In ilic year i 736 the ftrengtli of ihe Biilifh Leeward Iflands was as follows. 



Ill Anlij^iia - 1500 men, two forts, and fevcn hntteries. 



St. Clirllloplicrs '34-0 men, three forts, and fix hatterics. 



Montfenat - 360 nun, one fort, and one battery. 



Nevis - - 300 men, one tort, and one battery. 



Angnilla - 80 men. 



Spanilhtown - 72 men. 



'iortola - - 120 men. 



3772 while men in all the Btiti(h Leeward illands, A. 



Vol. III. C c 



