594 A. D. 1776. 



the fame time was improved by the addition of a magnificent wet dock 

 or bafm. He alfo commiflioncd Mr. Bolts, who had been in India in 

 the fervice of the Englifh Eaft-India company, to make commercial and 

 colonial fcttlements in Afia or Africa. Mr. Bolts, in conjimclion with 

 fome merchants of Flanders, fitted out a large fliip at Leghorn, well 

 armed, and loaded with a valuable cargo, and alfo carrying a body of 

 people fufficient to eftablifli a fmall fettlement. At Delagoa bay on the 

 eafl fide of Africa he fixed his refidence on a piece of ground purchafed 

 from the chiefs of the country. The principal article of trade in the 

 place is ivory ; but fugar-canes, cotton, rice, and all the tropical pro- 

 diidions grow luxuriantly. From this port he carried on a profperous 

 trade with India and the adjacent countries for about three years ; and 

 then the Portuguefe, who pretend to an exclufive right to the eaftern 

 coaft of Africa, found means to undermine Bolts's intereft at the Impe- 

 rial court ; the confequence of which was, that the colony and the 

 trade were given up to their mercy, and an armament, difpatched from 

 Goa, the principal Portuguefe fettlement in India, defl;royed their build- 

 ings, arid carried off their fiiipping and property of every kind. 



November i' — The expenfes of the lord-mayors of London for 

 many years pafl had greatly exceeded the income attached to the office ; 

 fo that the gentlemen, who had fupported the dignity of the mayoralty, 

 had been from two, to near four, thoufand pounds out of pocket in the 

 courfe of the year. It was therefor refolved, that fome cafual emolu- 

 ments, which ufed to be paid to the lord-mayor, fhould henceforth be 

 paid into the chamber of London, and that one thoufand pounds a-year 

 fhould be added to the fixed falary. 



The fatal effeds of American hoftilities were earlieft and moft fevere- 

 ly felt by the Weft-India colonies and thofe concerned with them. The 

 illands were greatly diftrefled by the failure of the accuftomed fupplies 

 of American provifions, and of lumber, almoft as efi^ential to them as 

 provifions. The infurance on homeward-bound Weft-India fliips rofe 

 to the enormous rate of tiventy-three per cent. Nor were the underwriters 

 at all benefited by thofe high premiums, for the lofles greatly exceeded 

 the proportion on which the premiums were calculated. A fleet of about 

 1 20 fail of fliips was loaded and ready to fail from Jamaica in July, when, 

 on account of fome difcontents among the negroes, they were detained 

 by the governor for about a month. The Americans were thereby 

 apprized of the delay, and with extraordinary difpatch fitted out a vail 

 number of privateers, wliich took a great number of them. Many fhips 

 from the other iflands alfo fell into their hands. And the whole value of 

 fliips and cargoes, taken by the Americans this year, was eftimated to be 

 confiderably above a million of money, exclufive of tranfports and ftore 

 fliips in the fervice of government. On the other hand the Britifli. 



