678 A. D. 1781. 



colonies in us neighbourhood ; a prodigious ftream of wealth floxved in 

 upon the Dutch, through whole a,7ency moft of the hufinefs was tranl- 

 aded ; and money was plentier there than in any other of the Weft- 

 India iflands. 



The great accommodation, which the trade of S'. Euftathius afforded 

 to the enemies of Great Britain, pointed it out as the firft object to be 

 attacked by tl'.^ Britilli forces after the commencement of hoftilities 

 againft the Dutch. And accordingly Admiral Rodney and General 

 Vaughan with a great force inverted the ifland (February 3"*), which, 

 being totally unprepared with any means of defence, was immediately 

 furrendered at difcretion. Above 156 velTels, many of them richly 

 loaded, were found in the bay, befides a Dutch frigate of 38 guns, and 

 five veflels of from 14 to 26 guns. The ftores on the ifland were full 

 of produce and goods of all kinds; and the very beach was covered with 

 hoglheads of lugar and tobacco. Every fpecies of property found on 

 the ifland, whomfoever it belonged to, was made prize of, to the 

 amount, as was eftimated, of above three millions fterling ; a meafure 

 which afterwards became the fubject of fevere animadverfion in parlia- 

 ment. The conquerors, by keeping the Dutch flag flying, entrapped 

 17 more veffels, which quietly and fecurely failed into their pofleflion. 

 Moreover, having learned that a rich fleet of about 30 large fliips had 

 failed for Europe under the convoy of a Dutch fliip of 60 guns only two 

 days before their arrival, the admiral dilpatched Captain Reynolds with 

 three ftiips in purfuit of them, who next day (February 4'') came up 

 with them, and took the Dutch fhip of war with every one of her con- 

 voy. At the fame time three large fltips from Amfterdam with naval 

 ftoi-es of all kinds were alio taken by the fleet, and fent to the royal 

 dock-yard at Antigua. 



When the Britifh forces arrived off S'. Euftaihius, a detachment was 

 fent to reduce the Dutch ifland of Saba (the inhabitants of which had 

 little concern either in commerce or warfare, being gardeners and 

 planters of cotton) and the ifland of S'. Martin's alfo belonging to the 

 Dutch ; and both furrendered at difcretion (February 5'''). 



March 14" — The Dutch continental colonies of Demararay and Ifl"e- 

 quibo (called by feamen Ifacape) on the coaft of South America, were 

 alfo reduced to the dominion of Great Britain by Admiral Rodney and 

 General Vaughan. All the floating property *, and the property of the 

 Dutch Wefl:-India company, were feized ; but the inhabitants of thefe 

 colonies were more favourably treated than thofe of S'. Eullathius, and 

 permitted to retain their property on the land. Berbicia, another 



* A coiifiderable number of Dutch merchant lur.y ; and as they had no commiflions to aft 

 {hips had been taken by fome Britiib privateers in againft the Dutch, their priz<;s became a droit of 

 the river Demararay before the capture of the co- the admiralty. 



