A. D. 1 78 1. 679 



Dutch fcttlement on the fame court, was aUo taken, together with feveral 

 veflels, by two privateers. 



Admir,il Rodney, from the information of the Dutch colonifls, ftated 

 the annual produce of Dcmararay and llfequibo to be lo.cco hogflieads 

 of fugar, and rum in proportion; 5,000,000 pounds of coffee; 800,000 

 pounds of cotton ; befidcs cacao and indigo : and he gave it as his 

 opinion, that in tb.c hands of Great Britain they miglit foon be brought 

 to produce a vail deal more, and might employ more ihips, and yield 

 more revenue, than all the Britifli Weft-hulia illands. 



This rapid career of conquefts at the commencement of the war with 

 the Dutch was mofl diftrelling to all the enemies of Great Britain, who 

 ufed to find every tiling necellary for carrying on their warlike oper- 

 ations at S'. Euftathius ; and it was abfolutely ruinous to the Dutch, and 

 alfo to vail: numbers of nicrchants in the Wcil-hidies belonging to the 

 other nations concerned in the war, as it overturned the whole lyrtem 

 of their commerce in that quarter of the world. 



March 16''' — The fmall French ifland of S'. Bartholemew was alfo 

 reduced by the Britifli forces at the fame time. It was of little con- 

 fequence in p. commercial view, (its only produce being a Imall quantity 

 of cotton) unlefs in depriving the French privateers of the Ihelter, 

 which, according to Admiral Rodney's difpatches to government, they 

 ufed to fuid there. 



The whole property of every kind found upon the ifland of S'. Eufta- 

 thius having been feized upon the furrender of it, it was fold by order 

 of the admiral and general by public auclioii, which commenced on the 

 i^'"" of March, and laded till the beginning oi May, advertilement hav- 

 ing been previoufly made in the neighbouring iflands, that all purchalers 

 Ihould have whatever they bought properly lecured to them, and Ihould 

 be allowed to fliip their goods either in Britifli or neutral bottoms, and 

 either for Britifli or neutral ports. It was aflerted, that the goods were 

 fold for about one fourth of their value ; and Mr. Burke alleged in the 

 houfe of commons, that by means of thole lules the French and Ameri- 

 cans were fupplied with Acres from S'. Euflathius fifty per cent cheajxrr 

 than they could formerly have had them from the Dutcli, and iliat 

 thereby the profelfed purpofe of the rigorous proceedings againfl the 

 inhabitants of the ifland was direclly counteracled. 



The merchants of S'. Chriflophers, as foon as they lieard of the 

 indifcriminate confifcation of private property in S'. Euflaihius, much 

 of vvhich belonged to themfelves as proprietors or confignees, had pre- 

 fented a memorial to the two commanders, reclaiming their property ; 

 which being refufed, they tranfmitted by the liands of Mr. Glanville, 

 the folicitror-g(ineral of their ifland, a lecond very llrong memorial and 

 remonftrance, ' for themlclves, and as agents and factors for many of 

 ' the mofl commercial houfes in Great Britain and Ireland,' wherein 



