Occasional Notes. 161 



against the Navigation Laws. They, not thinking themselves bound 

 by his order, demurred as to the legal mode, etc, etc. Mr. Charles 

 Brandford, the Attorney General of that day and also Advocate 

 General (as was customary at that period), a great humourist and 

 of a very impatient and impracticable temper, was very restive with 

 Captain Nelson and said he would take his own time and proceed as 

 he thought best and proper in the case. Nelson could not brook the 

 indecision and delay and the nice distinction of Seizures in Port by 

 the Navy or Custom House. They were trading contrary to the 

 Navigation Laws, and were enemies to England, of course ; and he 

 set off with the vessels for Nevis, where they were instantly libelled 

 and condemned. Governor Parry sent the late Alexander Malet, Esq., 

 of the Custom House, and a man of address and business, after him. 

 He put in the Governor's Claim for his part of the seizure, etc., etc., 

 but it was not substantiated and Governor Parry appealed but I 

 believe never got anything, at least to my knowledge. I very well 

 remember the whole transaction and my connection with Mr. 

 Malet afforded me good opportunity of knowing the whole. 

 It is rather surprising this affair has never been noticed in the Life 

 of Nelson, for surely his decision of character, manly spirit, and 

 hatred of Old England's Enemies are as strongly marked in this 

 instance as in any other brought forward at Nevis against the 

 Americans for breach of the Navigation Laws." — J.G.C, 



The First Local Exhibition. — It may be interesting to note that 

 this was held at the Queen's College Grammar School, January 2nd, 18^5. 

 It appears that para grass, now so common everywhere, was then rare. 

 The " Royal Gazette " said a specimen was shown and it was anticipated 

 that its cultivation would be very important. There was also a sewing 

 machine, probably the first seen in the colony. The paper said : " Mr. 

 Davis was there with his machine for ruining the trade of journeyman 

 tailors ; surrounded by a crowd of ladies, who looked with wonder on a 

 single little instrument, which can sew canvas as well as stitch muslin 

 handkerchiefs in a period of time scarcely to allow a n n edle to be threaded." 

 The writer did not anticipate that the machine would become the salva- 

 tion instead of ruin of tailors and dressmakers. The " Gazette " said : " As 

 a first attempt it was most perfectly successful." The exhibits were 

 mostly sent to Paris for the French Exhibition of the same year ; like all 

 the early shows it was the work of our Society. 



In view of the fact that the Queen's College building has lately been 

 vacated, it may be as well to mentiou that it was built in 1853. The 

 school was, however, started in 1844 and was carried on in the Old 

 Colony House at first and then in a house in Main Street. The school 

 building cost £5,000 which was raised by donations, a Government grant 

 of unclaimed slave compensaiion money and grants from English societies. 



JR. 



Origin of the Use of Tobacco. — From much evidence I have tenta- 

 tively come to the conclusion that Tobacco was originally adopted to 



