9 2 
HISTORY OF THE [book v . 
The finest grained and most perfectly cleaned 
cotton, which is brought to the English market, 
is, I believe, that of the Dutch plantations of Ber- 
biee, Demerara and Surinam, and of the island of 
Cayenne; but before the year 1780 England had 
no fine manufactories. In the latter end of that 
year, however, cotton wool of all kinds found a 
ready sale at the following prices: 
s. d. 
Berbice ....... 2 1 per lb. 
Demerara.1 11 to 2s. Id. 
Surinam.2 O 
Cayenne.2 0 
St. Domingo .... 1 10 
Tobago ..1 9 
Jamaica ....... 1 7 
Since that time the prices have indeed varied, but 
'the relative value has continued nearly the same; 
that is, the difference of price between the cotton 
of Berbice and that of Jamaica has been from 25 
to 30 per cent, in favour of the former; a circum¬ 
stance which alone should convince the most bigot¬ 
ed planter of the British West Indies that, if he 
wishes to turn his labours to account, the choice of 
a better species of cotton, at least of a sort more 
-easily cleaned than that in general cultivation, is 
indispensably requisite. 
I shall now bring into one point of view the se¬ 
veral particulars attending the first cost and settle- 
