A. D. 1788. 165 



The Dutch flave trade, which before the war employed about forty 

 veflels, did not now employ above fifteen, the cargoes of which amount- 

 ed to about 4,000 flaves. The planters of Berbice, EfTequebo, and De- 

 mararay, petitioned, that the government, in confideration of the great 

 fcarcity of flaves, and for the intereft of the national trade, whofe prof- 

 perity ' depends on the fuccefs of agriculture in the colonies, which 

 ' cannot be fupported without a plentiful fupply of flaves at reafonable 



* rates,' would allow ' a free flave trade' to the veflels of all nations, the 

 importation of Negroes at moderate prices being ' the barometer of 



* cultivation in !he colonies.' The fliates of Holland and Weft Frife- 

 land, though they did not grant a free flave trade to foreign veflels, re- 

 folved to remove all obftrudions to the national flave trade, and do 

 every thing in their power to revive it. 



The French government, in order to encourage the flave trade, in 

 the year 1784 gave a bounty of 40 livres upon every tun of the burthen 

 (' continence') of the veflTels employed in the flave trade *, to be paid 

 for every voyage, and moreover a premium of 60 livres for every Negro 

 carried to Guadaloupe and Martinique, and 100 livres each for thofe 

 carried to the fouth fide of S'. Domingo, to Cayenne, Tobago, and S'. 

 Lucie ; and they, of courfe, repealed a duty of 10 livres a head, which 

 had been impofed in the year 1 767. 



Though no contraft was entered into with the French government 

 for flaves, feveral veflels, fitted out in Britain, failed to the ports of 

 France, and there took in French officers and feamen, and cargoes, and 

 proceeded to the coaft of Africa, whence they carried Negroes to the 

 French Weft-Indies. Befides the premiums on the tunnage of the vef- 

 fels and on the flaves, they got much higher prices for the flaves than 

 in the Britifli colonies, and they alfo got freights of produce to France f. 

 And by thefe advantages fome of the Britiih flave-merchants were in- 

 duced to turn their trade into the French channel. 



Befides the trade now mentioned, owners of French vefi^els made con- 

 tracts with Britifli flave-dealers for the dehvery of flaves upon the coaft 

 of Africa, as the practice was before the war ; and the prices they offer- 

 ed were little inferior to what the flaves would fetch in the Britifh fugar 

 iflands. 



Britifli vefl!els loaded with flaves were at this time admitted under 

 Britifli colours into all the French Weft-India colonies, except S'. Do- 

 mingo, on paying a duty of fix livres for every flave. 



From the year 17691111 1779 the Spanifli colonies were fupplied with 

 Negroes by a royay affiento, under which a company of merchants in 



* This bounty, by ihe difference of mcafure- f The Britifh flave (hips, it has been already ob- 

 ment, was fuppofcd equal to 80 livres on tlie tun ferved, bring home very little produce from the 

 of Brilifn fhipping. Mr. Edwards afcribes the Weft-Indies, 

 calamities of S'. Domingo to the vail importatioa 

 of Negroes occafioncd by thefe bouuties* 



