2 24 



exacted by the poorer orders of people, from 

 their few and weakly flaves, is more fevere 

 than that required by the opulent planter from 

 his regular, and better-appointed gang : al- 

 though, in theory, the circumftance of being 

 always under the eye of the mafter, inftead 

 of being left to the mercy of a hireling, would 

 feem to be an advantage much in favor of 

 the flaves of thofe owners, who poflfefs but 

 few. 



You will not be furprifed that we fhould 

 find it extremely difficult to procure a fufK- 

 eient number of workmen and labourers, in 

 this colony, for the fervices required. Al- 

 though the wages of labour are extravagantly 

 high, an extraordinary number of hands for any 

 emergency cannot be obtained, without having 

 recourfe to a fyftem of coercion. The work 

 required to be done at the fort in conftructing 

 new batteries, and improving our means of de- 

 fence, being urgent and extenfive, it is found 

 neceflary to detain the mechanics, who are 

 employed, by very clofe watching ; otherwife, 

 although they are exorbitantly paid, they 

 could not be relied upon for a fmgle day. It 

 has been found neceifary to procure the mere 



