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HISTORY OF THE [book vi. 
wholesome food, before that time. The term of 
four months not being expired when this address 
was presented, the lieutenant-governor declined to 
comply therewith; but on the 1st of December 
following, the house represented, that a prolonga¬ 
tion of the term was then absolutely necessary: 
They observe that, persuaded of the reluctance with 
which his honour would be brought to deviate from 
regulations which he felt himself bound to observe, 
it would give them much concern to address him 
on the same occasion a second time, were they not 
convinced that it was in a case of such extreme ne¬ 
cessity as to justify such a deviation. Accordingly, 
the lieutenant-governor, by the advice of his ma¬ 
jesty’s council, directed, that the time formerly li¬ 
mited should be extended to the 31st of January 
then next ensuing (1785): but, at the same time, 
he informed the house, that he was not at liberty 
to deviate any longer from the regulations which 
had been established in Great Britain. 
« From the 31st of January 1785, therefore, the 
ports continued shut, and the sufferings of the poor 
negroes, in consequence thereof, for some months 
afterwards, were extreme : Providentially, the sea¬ 
sons became more favourable about May, and con¬ 
siderable quantities of corn and ground provisions 
were gathered in by the month of August; when 
the fourth storm happened, and the lieutenant-go¬ 
vernor, immediately, shut the ports against the ex¬ 
portation of any of our provisions to the French and 
Spanish islands, which were supposed to have suf- 
