A. D. 1795. ^51 



and 5'" July 1798 *, together with intereft at five per cent on the amount 

 of each payment. In cafe of bankruptcy the claims of the commiflion- 

 ers were made preferable to thofe of all other creditors, without preju- 

 dice, however, to preferences duely obtained upon real eftates according 

 to the law of Scotland, [c. 1 27] 



In the fpring of this year a party from Newfoundland drove the 

 French out ot the iflands of S'. Pierre and Miquelon, which by the treaty 

 of peace had been ceded to them as ftations for their fifhermen. 



In the beginning of April the Dutch ifland of S'. Euflathius in the 

 Wefl-Indies, which, as a great depofit of naval and military flores, is 

 an object of confequence to the contending powers in every war, was 

 required to abandon the interefl of the ftadtholder by commiflioners 

 depu'ed from the Batavian and French republics, who arrived at the 

 ifland with only a fingle fchooner. The governor refufing to comply 

 with their demand, they foon after returned with a force lufficient to 

 compell him ; and that important ifland fell under the power, if not 

 under the dired dominion, of France. 



In the early part of the year the French inhabitants of S'. Lucie, with 

 the afliftance of the free people of colour, undertook the recovery of the 

 ifland from the Britifli forces, who were finally obliged to abandon it 

 in the month of July. 



The French inhabitants of the iflands of Grenada, S'. Vincent's, and 

 Dominica, though they had now lived above thirty years under the 

 Britifli dominion, flill retained the diflindions of language and reHgion,. 

 national manners, and interefts. Nor, though they had been admitted 

 to a participation of the legiflative and civil authority with Britifli in- 

 habitants, had they ever mingled in friendly fociety, or formed matri- 

 monial connedions. So little attention had been beftowed of late years 

 in promoting cordiality between thefe two different defcriptions of fel- 

 low-fubjeds, that the churches and church lands of the French clergy, 

 after a peaceable pofl^eflion of twenty years under the Britifli govern- 

 ment, were taken from them. National animofities now became fl;ronger 

 than ever in confequence of the war ; and all friendly intercourfe be- 

 tween the Britilh and French inhabitants was at an end. It is not fur- 

 prifing that the French in the neighbouring iflands took advantage of 

 the fituation and temper of their countrymen by fending emiflaries to 

 infpire them with the defire of regaining complete pofl'eflion of the 

 iflands which were once their own, and in which they, or their fathers, 

 held in abfolute property the lands, which they were obliged now to 

 occupy as leafeholders. 



In Grenada the French inhabitants, aflx)ciating with them the free 

 people of colour (a defcription of people, who in all the European col- 

 onies have many caufes of uneafinels) took pofl!eflion in the fame night 

 (March 2"*) of the towns of Grenville and Gonyave on the oppofite fides 



* The term of payment was prolonged by fubfcquent atls. 3 



