66 A. D. 1784, 



people. He alfo communicated his fuggeftions to the public in yJ view 

 of the Britipj empire^ more efpecially Scotland, with feme fro'pojals for the irri' 

 provement of that country, the extenfion of its fifjeries, and the relief of the peo- 

 ple. 



It is fome fatisfadtion to fay, that the exertions of thefe two friends of 

 the country were not entirely in vain. 



In confequence of the deftrudion of the plantane trees * in Jamaica 

 by a dreadful hurricane on the 30'*" of July, the lieutenant governor was 

 prevailed upon to ilTue a proclamation on the 7''' of Auguft, permitting 

 the free importation of provifions and lumber in foreign veflels for four 

 months. But, the time being fo fhort, very few American veflels arriv- 

 ed, the fmall fupplies they brought fold at enormous prices, and the in- 

 habitants faw the horrors of famine approaching. Though the aflembly 

 earneilly and repeatedly urged the lieutenant-governor, in confideration 

 of the very diftrefled fituation of the ifland, to prolong the free import- 

 ation till the end of March 1785, when, it was hoped, the provifions then 

 on the ground would be fit for ufe, he could not be brought to depart fo 

 far from his inftrudions as to grant their requefi; fully ; but he ventured 

 to enlarge the time till the end of January. The governors of fome other 

 Britifh iflands this year alfo found themfelves under a neceffity of grant- 

 ing fimilar indulgences to the provifion trade of America. 



This year the trade of all foreigners with China was in danger of be- 

 ing entirely cut off in confequence of a mere accident. On fome occa- 

 fion of ceremony the guns were fired onboard the Lady Hughes, a fhip 

 belonging to Britifli fubjedts refiding in India ; and one of the guns be- 

 ing unfortunately fhotted, flruck a Chinefe boat, and killed two of the 

 people f . The viceroy of the province, who bcfides the national con- 

 tempt for foreigners in general, had a very unfavourable opinion of the 

 Brititli, alleged it was a wilful murder, and demanded the commanding 

 officer, or the gunner, to be delivered vxp in order to be put to death. 

 In vain the fupercargoes reprefented the innocence of the parties, and 

 endeavoured to convince him that accidental death ought not to be pu- 

 nilhed as murder. The viceroy put a flop to all commerce with Eu- 

 ropeans, and being refolved on having a vidim, feized one of the chief 

 fupercargoes of the Britifh fadory. So violent a ftep alarmed all the 

 Europeans in Canton, who immediately made a common caufe of it. 

 Their fhips were numerous and ftrongly armed. They prepared for hof- 

 tilities: and the viceroy alfo coUedted a military force. In this crifis it 

 was judged proper, in order to avoid extremities, and the probable total 



* Plantanes are ufcd as a fubftitute for bread in up in the air. The crime of murder, except the 



the tropical countries, and conftitute the principal tolerated deftruftion of infants, is very rare among 



food of the negroes in the Weft-Indies. thcna ; and therefor even the appearance of it ex- 



\ So very cautious are the Chinefe on fuch oc- cites the greateft horror and execration, 

 cafions, that they point thslr guns perpendicularly 



