910 DEANE PHILLIPS 
to the Dutch, who were increasing their sugar production in Surinam. 
There grew up in addition a very considerable indirect trade by way 
of the barren Dutch island of Curacao, where the Dutch had established 
a free port. This port soon became a great entrepot for all the West 
Indies. Here were landed the supplies brought by the New England 
vessels, which returned home laden with sugar, molasses, and the other 
products of the islands, while the lumber, horses, provisions, and other 
supphes brought by them were either transferred directly to island 
vessels or put ashore and peddled out among the islands by the Dutch 
at their leisure (106). 
During this time New England horses continued to be sent, as 
formerly, to the British islands along with the other customary sup- 
plies, but there is much evidence that they were equally important in 
the trade with the Dutch and the French. At Curacao they were 
received in considerable quantities and many were put ashore on the 
neighboring islands of Boneiray (or Bonaire) and Aruba (107). Here 
they were kept until there was a call for them in the trade carried on 
at Curacao. At Surinam no vessel was allowed to trade unless it brought 
in horses as part of its cargo (108), and the various reports to the 
Lords of Trade made by the governors of the continental British 
colonies indicate that this Dutch colony was a frequent destination for 
the horses sent out from their ports (109). Another and more con- 
fidential report made to the Lords of Trade in 1721 ‘‘ On the State 
of the British Plantations in America ’’ states that ‘‘ the trade of 
Massachusetts Bay consists chiefly in the export of horses to Surinam 
and to Martinico and other French islands, which is a great discourage- 
ment to the planters in the British islands for without these horses 
French and Dutch could not carry on their sugar trade’’ (110). In 
1748, Ashley, writing on the condition of the British colonies, also 
notes horses as one of the important items with which the French and 
the Dutch are supplied by the continental colonies (111), and _ his 
statement is confirmed by that of other contemporary writers and, 
especially, by reports of the various British governors to the Board of 
Trade in London. 
There are many other indications that this trade in horses between 
New England and the Dutch and French islands was extensive. Gov- 
