KIN 



460 



K I N 



KINGSTON, n sea-port town, and the principal seat 

 of con.merce in the island of. Jamaica, is situated on the 

 south side of tin- i.Oaiul, in 18 N. Lat. and on the north 

 side of a bay or inlet of the sea, formed by the low 

 neck of land, at the print of which the town of Port 

 Royal stands. This neck of land is nine miles in length, 

 and two miles in width, at the broadest part, fronting 

 the city. The channel is deep enough to admit ships 

 of any burden. A thousand may anchor in perfect 

 safety ; and vessels of considerable burden may lie along- 

 side the wharfs to deliver their cargoes. 



Kingston was founded in the year 1693, after the al- 

 jim>t tola! destruction of Port Royal by an earthquake 

 the preceding year. The plan of it, drawn by Colonel 

 Lilly, an experienced engineer, was a parallelogram, 

 one mile in length, by half a mile in breadth, regularly 

 traversed by streets and lanes, crossing each other at 

 right angles, except at the upper part, where a large 

 square was left ; but the town has extended consider- 

 ably within these few years; to the west, east, and north, 

 so that this square is now nearly in the centre of the 

 city. On the south side of the square stands the church, 

 n large elegant building, with four aisles, and a fine 

 organ. The tower, with a large clock, and the spire, 

 are well constructed, and are a great ornament to the 

 city. On the north side of the square are barracks of 

 brick for 200 men and their officers. The theatre is 

 likewise on this side of the square; it was nearly thirty 

 years without any performers, but it has lately under- 

 gone a thorough repair. It is neatly fitted up, and at 

 present the inhabitants are amused by a tolerable com- 

 pany of performers, A free school was established in 

 May 1 729. There is likewise a poor-house and public 

 hospital, and a very handsome church has been lately 

 erected for those of the Presbyterian persuasion. The 

 houses are in general built of brick, two stories high, 

 the fronts being shaded by a piazza below, and a co- 

 vered gallery above. Accidents from fire rarely occur 

 here, the kitchens being detached buildings, and there 

 are wells and pumps in the principal streets, and fire- 

 engines and leather buckets in the court-house, and the 

 inhabitants are obliged to keep a certain number of 

 these buckets, according to the value of their house. 



The well water in general is bad, a few wells being fed 

 by subterraneous drains from the Hope river or other 

 mountain streams. The rest are brackish, and very apt 

 to cause a dysentery in habits not much accustomed to 

 it; but the inhabitants of this town observe that the same 

 effect is produced by the water of Spanish Town, which 

 is taken from the Rio Cotese, and undergoes filtration. 



In the lower part of the town is the market-place, 

 which is plentifully supplied with butcher-meat, poul- 

 try, fish, fruits and vegetables. Of the latter, be- 

 sides those usually found in a tropical country, are ma- 

 ny American and European, such as pease, beans, cab- 

 bage, lettuce, cucumbers, artichokes of the finest kind, 

 carrots, turnips, radishes, onions, leeks, and other small 

 sallads. These are brought from the Liguanea moun- 

 tains. There are also great quantities of the finest pine 

 apples, which grow on the Long Mountain. Strawber- 

 ries and apples likewise grow on the higher mountains, 

 and grapes might be cultivated to any extent in the 

 lower parts of the island. 



Kingston was constituted a city in 1802. It is go- 

 verned by a mayor, 12 aldermen, and 12 common coun- 

 Cilmen, a recorder, two solicitors, and a treasurer. 

 The population of the town is nearly 7500 whites, 

 ith 2500 strangers, 2500 free people of colour, 2500 

 tree negroes ; 805* male, and 9900 female slaves, total 

 1 7,954 i but as all may not have been returned, the 



number of slaves may be rated at 20,000, so that the Kingston, 

 population cannot be less than, 35,000. """" 



King.-ton returns three members to the House of 

 Assembly, and furnishes to the militia dfl-the island 

 two troops of horse, two companies of artillery, two 

 battalions of infantry, nine companies in each, viz. six 

 of whites, two of Jews, four of Mulattoes, three of qua- 

 droons, and three of free blacks, well appointed ; the 

 batteaux, one captain, three lieutenants. The Surrey 

 assizes are held here three times in the year, January, 

 April, and August. 



The situation of Kingston is highly favourable, rising 

 from the sea with sufficient acclivity to give it the com- 

 mand of the sea breezes, which blow regularly during 

 the greatest part of the year, and likewise to have a 

 view of the ships coming down the coast to the har- 

 bour of Port Royal, and up to the town. The heat of 

 the night is tempered by a land wind. The plain on 

 which it stands rises with a gradual ascent to the foot 

 of the Liguanea Mountains, a distance of about six 

 miles, and is covered with country residences of the 

 admiral, and many of the inhabitants, and towards the 

 mountains with sugar estates. 



A hill, called the Long Mountain, crosses this plain 

 diagonally, beginning near Rock Port, and extending 

 to near the Liguanea Mountains. Over this towers the 

 first range of mountains in great grandeur, to the height 

 of 5000 feet, and covered to the height of 4000 feet 

 with coffee plantations, villas, &c. ; and above this range 

 are seen the Blue Mountains. 



The city being situated on a dry soil, is not incom- 

 moded by any stagnation of water, and it is thorough- 

 ly ventilated ; but the slope upon which it is placed, is 

 attended with one inconvenience, that it admits a free 

 passage to torrents of rain, which descend the streets 

 during the rainy season with such impetuosity, as to 

 render them impassable for wheel carriages, and carry- 

 ing accumulations of rubbish and mud to the wharfs. 

 It would be a great improvement to have the streets 

 paved, and a cut made above the town, to prevent the 

 torrents from pouring through the streets. 



The thermometer, in the hottest part of the year, 

 sometimes rises to 96, and is seldom below 76. King- 

 ston is hotter by about 3 than Spanish Town, but is 

 not so subject to storms of thunder. 



The following return of imports and exports, from 

 the 29th Sept. 1816, to the 29th Sept. 1817, laid be- 

 fore the House of Assembly on the 10th of November 

 1817, will show the scale of importance in which King- 

 ston stands as a sea port. 



Imports. 56/217 barrels flour; 2863 barrels, 4064 

 bags, 1085 kegs, bread; 1591 tierces, 396 barrels, 4476 

 bags, rice; 19,827 bushels, 1243 bags, 7804 barrels, 

 corn and corn meal; 202 barrels, pease; 1481 hogs- . 

 heads, 5131 casks, 2553 boxes, 397 quintals, dry fish; 

 239 tierces, 28,757 barrels, 866 kegs, pickled fish; 

 1,805314 staves and heading, 8,261006 shingles, 

 7,672387 feet of lumber; 680 horses; 1998 mirtes; 

 202 asses ; 2808 cattle. No account is here given of 

 the beef, pork, and herrings, imported from Great Bri- 

 tain, Ireland, and North America. In 1816, 15,070 

 barrels of herrings, and about the same quantity of 

 beef and pork, as also dry goods, iron, and hard- ware, 

 to a great amount; wines, brandies, &c. &c. In 1817, 

 16,915 gallons of brandy and gin were entered at the 

 Custom House. 



Tonnage, from 29th Sept. 1815, to 2Qth Sept. 1816. 



North of the tropic from Great Britain and Ireland 



35,162; America 36,032. Within the Tropic from 



the Spanish Main and neighbouring islands, 20,803, 



