526 SPANISH AMERICA. 



St. Augustine, the capital of East Florida, north latitude 29° 45 ? , 

 west longitude 81° 12', runs along the shore, and is of an oblong 

 form, divided by four regular streets, crossing each other at right 

 angles. The town is fortified with bastions, and enclosed with a ditch. 

 It is likewise defended by a castle, which is called fort St. John ; 

 and the whole is furnished with cannon. At the entrance into the 

 harbour are the north and south breakers, which form two channels, 

 whose bars, at low tides, have eight feet water. 



Government. ...The government is in general like that of the other 

 Spanish colonies in America; but all the settlers from the United 

 States, or other countries, are under the immediate orders of the 

 military commandants, and subject to martial law, with an appeal, 

 from stage to stage, up to the viceroy of Mexico. 



History. ...This country was discovered by Sebastian Cabot in 1497. 

 It has frequently changed masters, belonging alternately to the French 

 and Spaniards. The French first formed a small establishment in 

 Florida in 1564, from which they were driven in the following year 

 by the Spaniards, who then began to form settlements themselves. 

 At the peace of 1763 Florida was ceded to England, in exchange for 

 the Havanna, which had been taken from the Spaniards. While it 

 was in possession of the English, it was divided into East and West 

 Florida, separated by the Apalachicola. During the American war, 

 in the year 1781, both the Floridas were reduced by the Spaniards, 

 to whom they were confirmed by the peace of 1783. 



