908 DEANE PHILLIPS 
every seaport town in Massachusetts, in which were to be entered the 
number, description, destination, and vessel on which it was shipped, 
of every horse sent out of the colony, as well as the name of the owner 
of the horse and his place of residence. For any violations a fine of 
£10 was to be inflicted for each horse sent out (100). 
The incentive for most of ‘this stealing was, of course, the export 
trade to the West Indies, which made the thieving both possible and 
profitable. The prevalence and widespread extent of this practice is 
but one more indication of the importance and magnitude of the export 
trade itself during this period. It is therefore probably no exaggera- 
tion to say that by the year 1700, horses were being raised for shipment 
to the West Indies throughout the whole New England area — to such 
an extent had the trade developed in the space of fifty years. It is 
apparent, however, that by this time a shift was taking place in the 
center of the trade, from its early location in the ports of Massachusetts 
Bay to those of Rhode Island and, especially, Connecticut. 
These shipments of horses were carried on the decks of the vessels 
engaged in the West Indies trade, so that nearly every ship could 
transport’ a few animals on the southward voyage. Since the ships 
engaged in the trade were numerous and since they usually made two 
trips a year (101), the possible shipments of horses were large. By the 
end of. the period, also, a beginning had been made in the building of 
vessels with more ample deck space to provide room for the livestock 
shipments, and these ‘‘ horse jockeys,’’ as such vessels were called 
(102), played an important part in the West Indies trade during the 
century that .followed. 
INCREASING DEMAND FOR NEW ENGLAND HORSES FROM 1700 TO 1775 
The exportation of horses, which by 1700 had become a well-estab- 
lished part of the trade of New England with the British sugar colonies, 
continued on an increasing seale during the century that followed. 
About 1700, however, the demand for supplies for the islands began 
to be greatly augmented by the entrance into the market of the Duteh 
and Freneh West Indies, which were beginning in their turn to develop 
the raising of sugar on an extensive scale. A steady increase in New 
England exports was a reflection of these changes that were taking 
