Complete Works of Edmund Burke

by Edmund Burke

  Besides this, they have the wild cinamon tree, whose bark is so serviceable in medicine; the manchineel, a most beautiful tree to the eye, with the fairest apple in the world, and when cut down affording a very fine ornamental wood for the joiners, but the apple, and the juice in every part of the tree, contain one of the worst poisons in nature. Here is the mahogany too, in such general use with us; the cabbage tree, a tall plant, famous for a substance looking and tasting like cabbage, which grows on the very top, and which produces but one a year, and for the extreme hardness of it’s wood, which when dry is incorruptible, and hardly yields to any tool; the palma, from which is drawn a great deal of oil, much esteemed by the negroes both in food and medicine; the white wood, which never breeds the worm in ships; the soap tree, whose berries answer all the purposes of washing; the mangrove and olive bark, useful to tanners; the fustic and redwood to the dyers, and lately the logwood; and their forests supply the apothecary with guaicum, salsaparilla, china, cassia, and tamarinds; they have aloes too; and do not want the cochineal plant, though they know nothing of the art of managing it; nor perhaps is the climate suitable. The indigo plant was formerly much cultivated, and the cotton tree is still so, and they send home more of it’s wool than all the rest of our islands together.

  The whole product therefore of the island may be reduced to these heads. First, sugars, of which they exported in 1753 twenty thousand three hundred and fifteen hogsheads, some vastly great even to a tun weight, which cannot be worth less in England than 424,725 pounds sterling. Most of this goes to London and Bristol, and some part of it to North America, in return for the beef, pork, cheese, corn, pease, staves, plank, pitch and tar, which they have from thence. 2. Rum, of which they export about 4000 puncheons. The rum of this island esteemed the best, and is the most generally used in England. 3. Molasses, in which they make a great part of their returns for New England, where there are vast distilleries. All these are the produce of their grand staple the sugar cane. 4. Cotton, of which they send out 2000 bags. The indigo, formerly much cultivated, is now inconsiderable, but some cacoa and coffee are exported, which latter is in no great esteem; though it is said to be little inferior to that of Mocha, provided it be kept for two or three years. With these they send home a considerable quantity of piemento, ginger, drugs for dyers, and apothecaries, sweetmeats, and mahogany and manchineel plank. But some of the most considerable articles of their trade are with the Spanish continent of New Spain and Terra Firma; for in the former they cut great quantities of logwood, and both in the former and latter they drive a vast and profitable trade in negroes, and all kinds of the same European goods which are carried thither from Old Spain by the flota.

  Both the logwood trade and this counterband have been the subjects of much contention and the cause of a war between our’s and the Spanish nation. The former we avow, and we claim it as our right; though in the last treaty of peace, that point was far from being well settled. The latter we permit; because we think, and very justly, that if the Spaniards find themselves aggrieved by any counterband trade, it lies upon them, and not upon us, to put a stop to it.

  Formerly we cut logwood in the bay of Campeachy on the northern side of the peninsula of Jucatan. But the Spaniards have driven our people entirely from thence, and built forts and made settlements to prevent them from returning. Expelled from thence, the logwood cutters settled upon the gulph of Honduras on the southern side of the same peninsula, where they are in some sort established, and have a sort to protect them. They are an odd kind of people, composed mostly of vagabonds and fugitives from all parts of North America, and their way of life is suitable. They live pretty much in a lawless manner, though they elect one amongst them whom they call their king; and to him they pay as much obedience as they think fit. The country they are in is low, and extremely marshy; the air is prodigiously molested with muskettoes; and the water dangerous with alligators; yet a life of licentiousness, a plenty of brandy, large gains, and a want of thought, have perfectly reconciled them to the hardships of their employment, and the unwholsomeness of the climate. They go always well armed, and are about one thousand five hundred men.

  In the dry season, when they cut the logwood, they advance a considerable way into the country, following the logwood, which runs amongst the other trees of the forest, like the vein of a mineral in the earth. When the rains have overflowed the whole country, they have marks by which they know where the logwood is deposited. This is an heavy wood, and sinks in the water. However, it is easily buoyed up, and one diver can lift very large beams. These they carry by the favour of the land-floods into the river, to a place which is called the Barcaderas or Port, where they meet the ships that come upon this trade.

  In the year 1716, when the debate concerning this matter was revived; the lords of trade reported, that before the year 1676 we had a number of people settled and carrying on this trade on the peninsula of Jucatan; that we always considered this as our right, and were supported in it by our kings; and that this right was confirmed, if it had wanted any confirmation, by a clause of uti possidetis, in the treaty of peace which was concluded with Spain and the court of London in 1676, and that we certainly were in full possession of those settlements and that trade, long before the time of that treaty; and further, that the Spaniards themselves have incidentally drawn a great advantage from it; since the pirates, who were formerly the most resolved and effectual enemies they ever had, were the more easily restrained from their enterprises, by having their minds diverted to this employment. Upon the whole, they concluded it an affair very well worth the attention of the government, as in some years it employed near six thousand tuns of shipping; found employment for a number of seamen proportionable; consumed a good deal of our manufactures, and was of considerable use in fabricating many others; and that the whole value of the returns were not less than sixty thousand pounds sterling a year. Notwithstanding this, our claim seems dropped, nor is it very clear how far it can be maintained, to carry on a trade by violence in a country, in which we can hardly claim, according to the common ideas of right in America, any property. However this may be, the trade, though with many difficulties and discouragements, still continues, and will probably continue whilst the Spaniards are so weak upon that side of Mexico, and while the coast continues so disagreeable, that none but desperate persons will venture to reside there. The logwood trade is generally carried on by New England vessels, who take the goods they want in Jamaica.

  But there is a trade yet more profitable carried on between this island and the Spanish continent, especially in time of war. This too has been the cause of much bickering between us and the court of Spain, and it will yet be more difficult for them to put a stop to this trade than to the former, whilst the Spaniards are so eager for it, whilst it is so profitable to the British merchant, and whilst the Spanish officers from the highest to the lowest shew so great a respect to presents properly made. The trade is carried on in this manner. The ship from Jamaica having taken in negroes, and a proper sortment of goods there, proceeds in time of peace to a harbour called the Grout within Monkey-key, about four miles from Portobello. A person who understands Spanish, is directly sent ashore to give the merchants of the town notice of the arrival of the vessel; the same news is carried likewise with great speed to Panama; from whence the merchants set out disguised like peasants with their silver in jars covered with meal, to deceive the officers of the revenue. Here the ship remains trading frequently for five or six weeks together. The Spaniards usually come on board, leave their money, and take their negroes, and their goods packed up in parcels fit for one man to carry, after having been handsomely entertained on board, and receiving provisions sufficient for their journey homeward. If the whole cargo is not disposed of here, they bear off eastward to the Brew, a harbour about five miles distant from Carthagena, where they soon find a vent for the rest. There is no trade more profitable than this; for your payments are made in ready money; and the goods sell higher than they w
ould at any other market. It is not on this coast only, but every where upon the Spanish main, that this trade is carried on; nor is it by the English only, but the French from Hispaniola, the Dutch from Curassou, and even the Danes have some share in it. When the Spanish guarda costas seize upon one of these vessels, they make no scruple of confiscating the cargo, and of treating the crew in a manner little better than pirates.

  This commerce in time of peace, and this with the prizes that are made in time of war, pour into Jamaica an astonishing quantity of treasure; great fortunes are made in a manner instantly, whilst the people appear to live in such a state of luxury as in all other places leads to beggary. Their equipages, their cloaths, their furniture, their tables, all bear the tokens of the greatest wealth and profusion imaginable; this obliges all the treasure they receive, to make but a very short stay, as all this treasure added to all the products of the island itself, is hardly more than sufficient to answer the calls of their necessity and luxury on Europe and North America, and their demand for slaves, of which this island is under the necessity of an annual recruit for it’s own use and that of the Spanish trade, of upwards of six thousand head, and which stand them one with another in thirty pounds apiece, and often more.

  CHAP. IV.

  THE whole island is divided into nineteen districts or parishes, which send each of them two members to the assembly, and allow a competent maintenance to a minister. Port-Royal was anciently the capital of the island; it stood upon the very point of a long narrow neck of land, which towards the sea formed part of the border of a very noble harbour of it’s own name. In this harbour above a thousand sail of the largest ships could anchor with the greatest convenience and safety; and the water was so deep at the key of Port-Royal, that vessels of the greatest burthen could lay their broadsides to the wharfs, and load and unload at little expence or trouble. This conveniency weighed so much with the inhabitants, that they chose in this spot to build their capital, though the place was an hot dry sand, which produced not one of the necessaries of life, no not even fresh water. However, this advantageous situation, and the resort of the pirates, soon made it a very considerable place. It contained two thousand houses, very handsomely built, and which rented as high as those in London. It had a resort like a constant fair, by the great concourse of people of business, and grew to all this in about thirty years time; for before that there was scarcely an house upon the place. In short, there were very few parts of the world, which for the size could be compared to this town for trade, wealth, and an entire corruption of manners.

  It continued thus until the 9th of June 1692, when an earthquake, which shook the whole island to it’s foundations, overwhelmed this city, and buried nine tenths of it eight fathom under water. This earthquake not only demolished this city, but made a terrible devastation all over the island, and was followed by a contagious distemper, which was near giving the last hand to it’s ruin. Ever since, it is remarked, that the air is far more unwholsome than formerly. This earthquake, one of the most dreadful that I think ever was known, is described in such lively colours in the Philosophical transactions, and by persons who saw and had a large part in the terrors and losses of this calamity, that I shall say nothing of it, but refer thither; as I am certain no man from his fancy, could assemble a greater number of images of horror, than the nature of things, taught the persons who saw them, to bring together, and which are there related very naturally and pathetically.

  They rebuilt this city after the earthquake, but it was again destroyed. A terrible fire laid it in ashes about ten years after. Notwithstanding this, the extraordinary convenience of the harbour tempted them to rebuild it again. But in the year 1722 a hurricane, one of the most terrible on record, reduced it a third time to a heap of rubbish. Warned by these extraordinary calamities, that seemed to mark out this place as a devoted spot, an act of assembly removed the custom-house and publick offices from thence, and forbid that any market should be held there for the future. The principal inhabitants came to reside at the opposite side of the bay, at a place which is called Kingston. This town is commodiously situated for fresh water, and all manner of accommodations. The streets are of a commodious wideness, regularly drawn, and cutting each other at equal distances and right angles. It consists of upwards of one thousand houses, many of them handsomely built, though low, with porticoes, and every conveniency for a comfortable habitation in that climate. The harbour was formerly in no good posture of defence, but by the care of the late governor Mr. Knowles, it is now strongly fortified.

  The river Cobre, a considerable, but not navigable stream, falls into the sea not far from Kingston. Upon the banks of this river stands St. Jago de la Vega, or Spanish-town; the seat of government, and the place where the courts of justice are held, and consequently the capital of Jamaica, though inferior in size and resort to Kingston. However, this, tho’ a town of less business, has more gaiety. Here reside many persons of large fortunes, and who make a figure proportionable; the number of coaches kept here is very great; here is a regular assembly; and the residence of the governor and the principal officers of the government, who have all very profitable places, conspire with the genius of the inhabitants, ostentatious and expensive, to make it a very splendid and agreeable place. Mr. Knowles, the late governor, made an attempt to remove the seat of government from hence to Kingston, for reasons which, it must be owned, have a very plausible appearance; for it would certainly facilitate the carrying on of business, to have the courts of justice and the seat of government as near as possible to the center of commercial affairs. But whether the consideration of a more healthful situation; the division of the advantages of great towns with the several parts of the country, and the mischiefs that might arise from shaking the settled order of things, and prejudicing the property of a great many private people, can weigh against the advantages proposed by this removal, I will not undertake to determine. One thing appears I think very plainly in the contest which this regulation produced; that the opposition was at least as much to the governor as to the measure; and that great natural warmth of temper upon all sides, enflamed and envenomed by a spirit of party which reigns in all our plantations, kindled a flame about this, which, if it had not happened, must have risen to the same height upon some other occasion, since there was a plenty of combustible materials ready upon all sides.

  The government of this island is, next to that of Ireland, the best in the king’s gift. The standing salary is two thousand five hundred pounds a year. The assembly vote the governor as much more; and this, with the other great profits of his office, make it in the whole little inferior to ten thousand pounds a year. But of the government I shall say little, until I speak of the government of the rest of the plantations, to which this is in all respects alike.

  CHAP. V.

  THE next island, in point of importance, which we possess in the West-Indies, but the oldest in point of settlement, is Barbadoes. This is one, and by no means the most contemptible one amongst the Windward division of the Caribbee islands. It is not distinctly known when this island was first discovered or settled; but it was probably some time about the year 1625.

  When the English first landed here, they found the place the most savage and destitute that can be well imagined. It had not the least appearance of ever having been peopled even by savages. There was no kind of beast of pasture or of prey, no fruit, nor herb, nor root fit for supporting the life of man. Yet as the climate was good, and the soil appeared fertile, some gentlemen of small fortunes in England resolved to become adventurers thither. But the first planters had not only the utter desolateness of the place, and the extreme want of provisions to struggle with, but the trees were so large, of a wood so hard and stubborn, and full of such great branches, that they proceeded in the clearing of the ground with a difficulty that must have worn down any ordinary patience. And even when they had tolerably cleared some little spot, the first produce it yielded for their subsistence was so small and ordinary, at the
same time that their supplies from England were so slow and precarious, that nothing but the noblest courage, and a firmness which cannot receive too many praises, could have carried them through the discouragements which they met in the noblest work in the world, the cultivating and peopling a deserted part of the globe. But by degrees things were mollified; some of the trees yielded fustic for the dyers, cotton and indigo agreed well with the soil; tobacco then becoming fashionable in England answered tolerably; and the country began gradually to lay aside all it’s savage disposition, and to submit to culture.

  These good appearances in America, and the storm which some time after began to gather in England, encouraged many to go over; but still the colony received no sort of encouragement from the government, which at that time understood the advantages of colonies but little; and which was besides much worse occupied in sowing those seeds of bitterness, which came afterwards so terribly to their own lips. The court took no other notice of this island than to grant it to a very unworthy and unfaithful favourite, the earl of Carlisle; which, as may be judged, proved of no advantage to the settlement.

  However, as this colony had the hardiest breeding, and the most laborious infancy of any of our settlements, so it was far stronger in it’s stamina, and grew with greater speed; and that to an height, which if it were not proved beyond any reasonable doubt, could scarcely be believed. For in this small island, which is but twenty-five miles in length, and in breadth but fourteen, in little more than twenty years after it’s first settlement, that is, in 1650, it contained upwards of fifty thousand whites of all sexes and ages, and a much greater number of blacks and Indian slaves. The former of which slaves they bought; the latter they acquired by means not at all to their honour; for they seized upon those unhappy men without any pretence, in the neighbouring islands, and carried them into slavery. A practice which has rendered the Caribbee Indians irreconcileable to us ever since.