OF THE PRESENT TRADE OF THE ISLAND, THE FREE PORT OF ROSEAU, WITH
REMARKS ON THE SAME, AND THE CONCLUSION OF THE WHOLE.
The trade of Dominica is at present very much circumscribed, as
except that carried on by a few Guinea Factors, and five or six
ships annualy to take away the produce, there is very little
commerce in the island.
Roseau is however a free port, but its being so at present is
rather a disadvantage to the inhabitants, as it is confined
to within little more than one half its former boundaries,
and is besides under and subject to so severe regulations and
restrictions, that foreigners are deterred, rather than encouraged
to trade thither; and they absolutely look upon this free port,
in its present situation, as only a snare laid to allure them to
certain ruin.
No foreign vessel is allowed to enter this port, if it appear to be
any thing above the burthen prescribed by the free-port act, which
is there too rigidly construed. For, as the West-India vessels are
built for sailing fast, in order to make short voyages, they will
not stow away goods equal to their measurement, like the vessels
built in England. This has, however, been often made a pretence
for even seizing vessels, or obliging them to quit the port;
notwithstanding their having on board only money to a great amount
to purchase negroes with; by which means the Guinea Factors lost
those opportunities of disposing of their slaves, and were thereby
disabled from making so early or so great remittances to their
correspondents in England, as they would otherwise have done, to
the great injury of them both.
The frequent seizures that have been made there, and condemning a
number of foreign vessels, under the smallest appearance of their
using a clandestine trade, have effectually put a stop to the
resort of foreigners thither; nor can the Americans, from having
been repeatedly refused admittance, be induced to have any manner
of dealings with this island.
Many of the seizures made in this port have been perfectly illegal;
as in the case of a French vessel named the Pearl, which having
only touched at an out bay in distress for water, was seized,
brought to Roseau, and there condemned and sold, with a valuable
cargo of sugar. This proceeding was however, by an appeal of the
owners to the Admiralty Court in England, greatly reprehended;
and that Court adjudged the vessel and cargo to be restored, with
full costs and damages, to be paid by those who had been guilty of
making so very illegal a seizure.
Moreover, no boat from a foreign vessel is permitted to land on any
occasion in this port, but only in a particular spot appointed for
the purpose, for if an attempt be made to land at any other place,
they are immediately fired at by a centinel on the spot. This is
a most extraordinary, as well as a dangerous regulation, and has
several times been very nigh proving fatal to both foreigners and
the inhabitants of the town. As the former, not apprehending any
danger from landing in a different place, have been fired at, and
the balls dropt into the boat where the latter have been at work.
In short, so many very extraordinary measures are used for
regulating the free port of Roseau, that it is of no manner of
advantage to the inhabitants of the place; and in consequence by no
means answers the ends for which was appointed by the Crown.
This is a matter worthy of serious consideration by the British
Government, as from the still unsettled state of this valuable
island the only way to render it of that importance to the mother
country, of which it is so eminently capable, will be by a proper
encouragement to trade; without which, no settlement in the
West-Indies, be its internal resources ever so extensive, can
possibly be of any material advantage to whatever nation it belongs.
There seems, however, to be a want of knowledge somewhere of the
capabilities of this island; otherwise, there is every reason to
believe that it would not have been so greatly neglected as it has
been since its restoration to the British dominions, when at the
same time, the other powers of Europe were using every means to
establish their West-India settlements; the Spaniards, especially
in their island of Trinidad, inviting foreigners, particularly
English subjects, to reside there, by offering them free grants
of land and other great privileges; by which means thousands
have quitted the British settlements and gone there, and many
from Dominica; whereby the English subjects of this island are
reduced to near half the number that were in it, shortly after
the restoration, and the generality of them there at present seem
disposed to quit it, by reason of the ruin of their trade, and
other disadvantageous circumstances which they labour under.
Emigrations of English subjects from our other settlements, or
even from Great Britain, might be turned to great advantage to the
island of Dominica; as the lands there, if cleared of the excessive
forests of woods, are capable of far greater improvements than the
lands of Trinidad, or of any other still unsettled country in the
West-Indies. And if ample encouragement was to be given by Great
Britain, there is no doubt, but that in a few years this island
would be in a very flourishing situation.
This might be done, by giving free grants of the unappropriated
lands in the interior Northern parts of the island, which are
all in standing woods, in allotments of a certain number of acres
to every family, to furnish them that were not able to do it
themselves, with provisions and utensils for eighteen months by
Government, in order to induce them to reside on the lands, to
clear and cultivate the same; after which, their own industry might
enable them to proceed.
Secondly, to grant the leasehold lands which have been purchased
from the French inhabitants by English subjects, in the same manner
as their other lands; a considerable part of them so purchased
being now under cultivation, as sugar estates.
Thirdly, the remaining instalments due on lands in this island, not
under cultivation, to be given up by Government.
Fourthly, that some mode be adopted for getting the abandoned
estates re-cultivated.
And lastly, the establishing a society for promoting agriculture
in this island, with premiums to be given to such as raise the
greatest quantities of West-India produce, for the maintenance of
themselves and slaves at first, afterwards for commerce.
If pasture estates were to be established there, as in Jamaica, it
would be a material point gained. And as the cattle in Dominica
breed extremely well, there is no doubt, but that in a few years,
by good management, this island would be well furnished with those
useful animals.
The very bad state of the public roads is a great disadvantage to
the island, as some of them are perfectly dangerous to travel; and
the whole of them are difficult and badly situated. They are in
general dug on the sides of mountains of stupendous heights above
the rivers or sea, the billows of which are continually dashing
at the feet of them, in a frightful manner. They are also so
very narrow in some places, that it is very difficult, as well as
dangerous, for two persons meeting on horseback to pass each other;
as the least slip on the edge would precipitate both the horse and
rider to inevitable destruction.
Of this description, are several parts of the road from Roseau to
Prince Rupert’s Bay; where, together with the frightful prospect of
hanging rocks and large stones at a great height above one’s head,
that threaten every moment to fall and crush the fearful traveller;
the tedious steepness, stony, and difficult passages, render them
perfectly uncomfortable to travellers.
The public roads in the interior parts of the country are no less
inconvenient, they being in general very steep of ascent; narrow,
and subject to breaking in. One walks or rides there at a height
far exceeding that of the monument in London; so that a person’s
head turns giddy on casting a view to the bottom, as he passes
along.
Those who are advocates for the abolition of slavery, may in this
island have the opportunity of trying the settlement of cool
situations by white people only. Why not employ the soldiers there,
and allow them extra pay for making good bridle roads in the
interior parts of this country? this would materially promote the
further settlement of the island; and was a good open road to be
made from Roseau to Prince Rupert’s Bay, the communication between
those two places would be productive of the greatest utility, as
other roads might be made to branch from it to the windward and
leward coasts, in a much more convenient manner than can be done by
the present small number of its inhabitants.
FINIS.
Transcriber’s Notes:
The convention of beginning every line of a quoted passage with
quotation marks was changed to modern standard quotation notation
to accommodate the fluid lines of an ebook. Otherwise, all unusual
spelling, capitalization and punctuation was retained as possibly
the intention of the author, with the exception of the following,
which were clearly printing errors.
“is” changed to “it” on page 29. (for which reason it is generally
called the West-India ortolon.)
Repeated word “the” removed from page 89. (larger than the largest)
“goal” changed to “gaol” on page 184. (The public gaol in Roseau)
“entertaiments” changed to “entertainments” on page 221 (Their
entertainments, on these occasions, are also very expensive)