392 A. D 1764. 



Upon a confideration of the flate of the iflands ceded to us in the 

 Weft-Indies by the treaty of peace, in order to concert a plan for the 

 immediate and effedual improvement of them, the following account 

 of them was drawn up. 



Tobago, fup])ol"ed to contain above 100,000 acres of land, is one of 

 the moft valuable of the Caribbee iflands, being, though little encum- 

 bered with mountains, well refreflied by rivulets, and ftored with ufe- 

 ful timber. Though it was formerly in fome degree fettled*, it was 

 now abandoned, the only habitations on it being a few huts for the 

 fhelter of the French turtlers, when they reforted to it. For the mofl: 

 advantageous fettlement of this ifland, it was recommended, that it 

 fhoukl be divided into convenient diftricls or parilhes of from fix to ten 

 thoufand acres each, limited as natural boundaries might diredt, and ex- 

 tending from the fliore into the heart of the ifland; that fituations pro- 

 per for fortifications or yards for the navy fliould firft be marked out ; 

 that a place in each diviiion moft convenient for trade, and containing 

 from 500 to 1000 acres, fliould be allotted for a town, with fuitable al- 

 lowances of glebe for a minifter and fchoolmafter ; that in the hilly 

 parts of each parifli a proper refervation fliould be made of the natural 

 wood, for the fake of attracting the clouds, and thereby producing the 

 feafonable rains fo neceflary in a warm climate, and for want of which 

 forae iflands, where the woods have been totally extirpated, have great- 

 ly iufFered in their crops f . After all thefe refervations, it was pro- 

 pofed, that the remaining lands fliould be allbrted into lots, moftly 

 from 100 to 300 acres, and a few as large as 400 or 500 acres, allowing, 

 as far as the ground would admit, an equal proportion of the natural 

 conveniencies to every lot, and extending them length-ways from the 

 iliore or river into the interior country ; and alfo that fuch parts of 

 each parifli as were unfit for fugar plantations, fliould be diftributed 

 into linall lots of from ten to thirty acres for the encouragement of poor 

 fcttlers, and for promoting the fpeedy population of the ifland. 



all its btancliis, from the maniifi£liirer to tlie ex- lands, wlii'ch is in reality the price of provifions, 



porter, who feels it fevtrely in viihialling his (hips, may rife, when a country is far from being in a 



as feviral merchants c'eclared in the coinfe of this flourilhing condition. 



fame inquiry. But if we were profpcruus in Maicli ' Repeated attempts were made by the Englifti 



1764, hv this ftar.dard we mud have been more and by the Dutch to fettle Tobago; and a duke 



than duub'.y profperous in Maich 1799, the price of Cowrland alfo made an effort here to come in 



of niti't being more than double ot what was com- for a ihare of the Well-Indian iflands with the 



plain. d of in 1 7''>4 as eiiomious. greater fovtriigns of Europe. \_Raynal Hijl. phU. 



No one can rejoice more tiian myfclf at the pro- et polil. f. vii, f. 302, ed. 1782. — Campbell' 1 poll- 



fpcrity of my country ; yet I cannot help feeling lica! Jurvty, V. ii, p. 690.] 



for the fituation o\ all thofe who cannot increale f Raynal thinks the prefervation of the woods 



their income to keep pace with the profperlty of alfo neceflary to health, and he afcribes the great 



the dealers in provifions, and av? confequently not mortality of the Europeans on the firll fettlement 



quite half fo rich now with an income of the fame of the iflands to the injudicious pradtice of cutting 



number of pounds, as they were fo lately as the down all the trees, and clearing the ground fader 



year 1763. Dean Sv.-ift, in ]ih M. xims contr.JM than they could cultivate it. [//j?. f'. vii,/. 303.] 

 in Ireland, has made it appear, that the price of 4 



