History of Demerara— 1763. 239 
The Commerce of the colony should be open to all 
ports of Holland. 
A town should be built, a church ere6ted and a minis- 
ter sent out as soon as possible. A Battery should also 
be made at the mouth of the river to guard it against 
insults, &c* 
As to the fertility of Demerary, a better idea cannot 
be given of it than by saying what is fa6t, that notwith- 
standing the great difficulties the inhabitants have met 
with, they have absolutely at this time upwards of 25 
Sugar works ere6ted and far advanced, and at least 20 
Coffee Plantations. f The ill-treatment of their mother 
country was sufficient to make them desert their habita- 
tions, yet the richness of the soil encouraged them to 
go on, still hoping one time or other to get succour 
from their Protestors in Holland, and it is evident to 
all who have been there that if proper encouragement 
is given them, the colony will in a short space rival 
that of Surinam. 
Gedney Clarke Junior to Count Bentinck. Middelburg, 24th July, 1762. 
Your Excellency's goodness will, I hope, permit me 
to recommend to your knowledge my friend Mr. AMYOT, 
who has a fine Plantation in our Infant Settlement of 
Demerary, and who can give your Excellency all the 
* The battery, now Fort William Frederick, was built during the 
French occupation, 1782-4. 
•}• There are no returns of the shipments of produce from Demerara 
alone for this year, but including Essequebo, the quantities of the 
staple produces of the two colonies were : — 2988 hhds. Sugar, 43 
hhds. and 238 bags Coffee, and 10 bags Cocoa, shipped in 10 vessels 
to Zeeland. 
