blockade, to grant inderonity and mutual restitutious, which were not spoken of in that treaty.

June 2d.

-Rear-Admiral Missiessy has anchored in our ports. His squadron has not experienced any accident, and his crews are healthy and coraplete. It quitted Rochefort on the 11th of January, and arrived at Martinique in forty days. Near St. Lucie it chacer a convoy escorted by frigates, but was forced to discontinue the chace that it might not lose the wind. They arrived before Dominica at break of day on the 22d of February. The governor sent cat a pilot, so persuaded was he that a squadron in those seas could only be English.-- At ten all the troops had disembarked. The enemy defending himself bravely, they made some resistance at Point St. Michael, but were put to the rout. The town was taken, and the fort capitulated. The English, by mismanagement, set the town on fire, which was entirely burnt. General Prevost retired to Fort Portsgouth, 12 leagues from Roseau. We might have considered ourselves as masters of this colony, but Ceneral Lagrange and Rear Admiral Missiessy had already warnt that St. Domingo, attacked by the negroes, demanded prompt reinforcements, They felt that it would be impossible entirely to fulfil their mission, which was not only to augment the woops in, and completely provision Martinique and Guadaloupe, and to carry provisions and reinforcements to St. Domingo, but also to keep Dominica, lears ing there a suflicient establishment for that purpose. The squadron accordingly eva Custed Dominica on the 20th of February, ater living destroyed all the enemy's magazines, all the vessels which were in the port, taken § or 900 prisoners, 60 pieces of Canton of different calibres, and all the arms of the militia. General Lagrange released all the prisoners who were inhabitants of the country, and levied a contribution on the coJonyThe squadron proceeded from thence to Guadaloupe, where they disembarked the ammunition, the arms, the provisions, and the troops destined for that colony. They then went to St. Christopher's, where, after having landed 100 men, they seized the ar'tillery, took all the vessels, and levișd a contribution. They performed the same at Nois and Montserrat, after which they returned to Martinique, where they disembarked all that was necessary to complete the garrison in men, anapunition, areas, and provisions, and set sail on the 22d of March for St. Domingo, where they arrived on the 27th. negroes bad blockaded the town for thirty days, with 8000 ton, General

Lagrange disembarked immediately troops, ammunition of every description, and all the provisions which he had been able to procure at the Windward Islands. He added even a part of his biscuit, by which, having considerably diminished his stock of provisions, he determined to return to France. At the moment when be effected his debarkation, the negroes raised the siege.The French conducted themselves with all that propriety required by policy, and commanded by the still more important considerations of the interests of humanity. They have been far from following the example given us every year by the English, when they bombard, for pare pastime, Havre, Dieppe, Fecamp, &c. with no other end in view then to injure the peaceable inhabitants of the towns and country; odious expeditions, which are at tended with no other result than to kill women and children, and which could only be planned by ministers as cowardly as they are impolitic.The conduct of our squadrons is very different. Every thing, however, bas bounds, and we think we may foretel to the English, that whenever they again bombard us in such a manner, against all the rights of war, it is extremely likely that another expedition may carry fire and bloodshed to their colonies, since they have so very often forgotten that war has its laws, in which peaceable inhabitants ought to find protection. Experience has just proved that we might have ravaged four of their colonies, and put the inhabitants to the sword; and that if we have not done so, it is because we did not wish to do so. But in princes generosity is sometimes weakness, Send expeditions against our flotilla if you like, you have to cope with armed vessels: but stay not the peaceful cultivator, the simple inhabitant of the coasts; or if you do, dread that terrible reprisals may follow one day or other. Carry on the war bravely, and as you ought to do in the nineteenth century. All mankind is interested in it; but if the war is to consist in causing unarmed individuals to shed tears, reflect that a single tear shed by a Frenchman shall be paid for dearly by an Englishman, whatever part of the world he may inhabit.. -Since the Epglish call the late operations of our squa dron in the West Indies plunder, it is but just they should know that this plunder will not be over so soon as they think. We fiatter ourselves even, that ere a week has passed over our heads, intelligence from every part of the world will, announce to the English commerce other events of the like pasure. We shall theh print, perhaps, a little work composed under the eyes of Mr. Pitt, nad

an extensive market which they knew must be scantily supplied. After some intermediate relaxation, the intercourse was at length confined to British vessels, navigated according to law. Putting the loss and destruction of property out of question, to this country the result was terrible.- -It is briefly stated in a report of a committee of this house on the subject of the slave-trade, which never has been, and never can be, controverted. We decline,' say the committee, to enlarge on the consequences which followed, least we may appear to exaggerate; but having endeavoured to compute, with as much accuracy as the subject will admit, the number of our slaves whose destruction may be fairly attributed to the unfortunate measure of interdicting foreign supplies, whilst the country was suffering under internal calamities, we hesitate not, after every allowance for adventitious causes, to fix the whole loss of lives at fifteen thousand. This number we firmly believe to have perished of famine, or of diseases contracted by scanty and unwholesome diet, between the latter end of 1780 and the beginning of 1787.- -Such was the waste of life at which the first experiment was made for securing to Great Britain the carrying trade between Jamaica and the United States of North America! With the charity of christians, and loyalty which oppression could not alienate, the assembly were willing to suppose that the consequences of the measures adopted were not intended or foreseen, and they are brought forward as a defence against new calumnies, and not as a subject of recrimination, for the destruction of their property.It is to be recollected that this trial was made not only in the time of profound peace, but commenced at the termination of the American war, when a redundancy of shipping, seamen, and capital, in the mother-country, were ready for any new or advantageous commerce; when a great addition of active and enterprising adventurers were poured into the remaining British colonies of North America, solicitous to profit by a speculation which their misrepresentations had contributed to set on foot.Finally, however, it was admitted to be vain to contend against the decrees of Providence, which had condemned New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to perpetual sterility, and shut up all intercourse with Canada for more than half the year. When these provinces applied to the legislature of the mother-country for, and were allowed, liberty to import lumber and provisions from the United States, it was thought impossible that statesmen could listen to an application for ren

dering the supply of half a million of British subjects subservient to their blind and indecent avarice.Although the expectations of the inhabitants of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Canada, were completely defeated, it must be acknowledged that the profit of the carrying trade betwixt the United States of North America and the British West India colonies, was for a time secured to the British ship-owners. They were computed to get about 245,0001. sterling, annually; and, perhaps, the inhabitants of this country only paid about double the freight which the articles would have cost if imported in American vessels. This, however, was during peace.- -When the late war with France commenced, notwithstanding the immense superiority of Great Britain by sea, and the advantages of an established and regular intercourse, the national shipping gradually disappeared. The increasing exigencies and diminished supplies induced the Right Honourable the Earl of Balcarres to assume the responsibility of providing for the wants of the country confided to his care, by opening the ports of this island to Ame rican shipping.By this wise and necessary measure a second famine was averted; and, during a period of great difficulty, the agricultural capital of the country has been preserved, and the planters look forward to better times to disencumber themselves from the debts affecting it.It is our painful duty to represent that, by recurring to the system of restriction formerly tried, the same consequences must follow with inevitable certainty. The capital and labour employed in raising staples for exportation, so important to the commerce and navigation of the mother-country, must be applied to raise food for our subsistence, and, in certain situations, to procure substitutes for lumber.

-Every one conversant with the state of the island must admit that obtaining them is not practicable in the best cultivated districts; but were it otherwise, the shipping of the empire would be materially diminished by attempting to engross the carrying trade between the island and America.This intercourse is in its nature unchangeable. On the part of the North American states our staples might be dispensed with, because they are luxuries, and can also be supplied from other parts of the world; but our demands from them are for necessaries the most essential, and only become greater in proportion to our industry and the increase of our cultivation. We shall take two periods, very distant from each other, to shew their nature and extent.The schedule No. 1. contains an account of the im

ports from North America into the British West-India islands in 1771, 1772, and 1773. It is on the authority of Mr. Stanley, secretary to the Commissioners of the Customs, and discriminates what was supplied by the ferritories now' forming the United States from what was furnished by the British provinces. The articles composed 1200 cargoes annually, and were estimated to be of the value of 720,0001. sterling, or 1,008,0001. Jamaica currency; but as many of the vessels made two and sometimes three voyages within the year, the number did not exceed 533, and the seamen employed were about 3399. The schedule No. 2. exhibits a similar account for the years 1802, 1803, and 1804, from the returns of the naval officer, made to the House of Assembly, of the importations from the United States and the British dominions in North America, and disfinguishes the proportions imported in American and in British bottoms. A valuation is added, on the authority of members of this house, of great commercial experience and respectability: it will be found 1,249,073 1. currency.- -The schedule No. 3. contains an account of our exportations to North America, from the same authorities.- -As might be expected, it will be found, from these. authentic documents, that the increased cultivation of Jamaica calls for a supply of greater value than was required by all the British islands in the first period; and that, of this supply, less than one-twelfth part comes from his Majesty's colonies in North America; and that six-seventh parts of what we procure from the United States is imported in their own shipping. We shall admit, however, that the number of vessels mentioned by Mr. Stanley now carries the increased supply, and it will be found that 456 additional British vessels, navigated by 2802 seamen, must enter immediately into the American trade, to prevent the absolute rain of this country. -No person in the least acquainted with commerce but must admit that twice that number will be requisite if our wants are intended to be answered by means of ships making a circuitous voyage, once a ye ir, from Great Britain -Situated as the mother-country is at present, we do not hesitate to affirm that neither shipping nor seamen can be spared for carrying on and protecting this commerce until the return of peace.We have hitherto regarded matters in the most favourable view, as if we possessed the quantity of provisions usual at this season of the year, and without a prospect of interruption to the intercourse.The facts, however, are extremely different. From a scanty.harvest in America, and a great de

mand from Spain, the importations have been less than common, whilst the expenditure has been augmented by drawing the militia from their homes, and collecting pioneers and working parties, during the present martial law.From the best information, collected by inquiries under authority, on the proclamation of martial law, it is ascertained that there then was not flour to feed that portian of the inhabitants who depend on it for subsistence for two weeks, and we have no reason to believe, that the stock is now greater. In about thirty days the expectation of all additional supply must be given up. When the imperious cravings of absolute famine may arrest attention it will be too late to administer relief. In the hurricane months few American vessels adventure in these latitudes, and the winter frosts lock up many ports of the United States from which we are supplied. We trust that we have been fortunate enough to impress your honour with a true sense of the situation of this country, for if ever there was a case calling for the sound exercise of that discretion with which his most gracious Majesty has entrust- ed you, we humbly submit that case now exists here.--No means can be pointed out for carrying on an intercourse admitted to be indispensible at all times; proved to be now peculiarly so from causes which his Majesty's ministers could not foresee, but which are fully disclosed to your honour.No ́ benefit can accrue to Great Britain, or to the empire at large, from the calamities which will be brought upon this country.admit the responsibility which your honour must assume in exercising the high prerogative which our most benevolent Sovereign has delegated to you, for the purpose of protecting his faithful people from partial evils, arising out of well intended general regulations; but we humbly call your honour's attention to the higher responsibility which will attach on declining to dispense the blessings which his Majesty meant to be communicated to his loyal subjects here. From all these considerations we rely that your honour will, without delay, give directions for continuing this most important intercourse, on its present footing, for six months after the time limited by the present order of the Privy Council, or until his Majesty's pleasure shall be known.

Lt. Governor's Answer.

-We

Mr. Speaker, and Gentlemen of the Assembly,-Having received no instructions from his Majesty's Secretary of State, authorising me to give directions for continuing the intercourse between Jamaica and the United States of America, after the 21st of May