30 
Indiana University Studies 
This reprimand had its effect as further events in Domin- 
ica soon showed. In consequence of a hurricane which 
occurred there in September, 1815, the House of Assembly of 
that island represented that, without the immediate importa- 
tion of supplies, particularly from the United States, a great 
proportion of the -slave population must perish from hunger. 
They therefore earnestly urged that the ports of the island 
be opened at once to the vessels of the United States for the im- 
portation of provisions and lumber. Governor Maxwell and 
his privy council held, however, that the royal injunctions 
were so imperative that they could not advise compliance, and 
cited Lord Bathurst’s instructions on the subject. But the 
Assembly knew from experience that all expectations of sub- 
stantial relief from the British North American colonies in 
British bottoms were altogether visionary, and that partial 
supplies from the neighboring islands, at doubled prices, 
would be above the planters’ means of payment. They there- 
fore again passed resolutions stating that famine in its most 
frightful form would be felt unless their recommendations 
were put in practice. The Governor, nevertheless, persisted 
in his refusal to adopt the measure.^ The legislature of An- 
tigua went even further, addressing a memorial to the British 
Government itself, in which they deprecated in strong terms 
the policy pursued toward American vessels. They, too, rep- 
resented the impossibility of securing adequate supplies from 
the British North American colonies, and stated that Ameri- 
can supplies which came indirectly thru St. Bartholomew’s 
were charged three times as much as tho they came direct. At 
the same time they despaired of any sufficient supply from the 
United States by British vessels, especially as the Govern- 
ment of the United States might reasonably be supposed in- 
clined to retaliate on British vessels in America for the exclu- 
sion of American shipping from British West India ports.^ 
But not all the British colonies in the West Indies took 
this view, as various criticisms of the Antigua resolutions 
showed. A Demerara paper characterized them as “a series 
of the most unexpected Resolutions that perhaps were ever 
agreed to, . . . nothing else than the foundation of a peti- 
3 Annual Register, LVIII, 163, 164. Richmond Enquirer, Nov. 26, 1816. 
^ Quoted from Antigua Gazette, Aug. 7, 1815, by St. George's Chronicle and Grenada 
Gazette, Sept. 9, 1815. Boston Daily Advertiser, Feb. 26, 1816. 
