The negro flaves have alfo decreased. By the last returns preceding the capture of the ifland in 1779, they were ftated at thirty-five thousand, of which five thousand were in Cariacou, and the fmaller islands. In 1785 they amounted to no more than twenty-three thousand nine hundred and twenty-lis in the whole. The decreafe was owing partly to the want of any regular fupply during the French government, and partly to the numbers carried from the ifland by the French inhabitants, both before and after the peace. The free people of colour, amounted in 1787, to one thousand one hundred and fifteen. To prevent the too great increate of this mixed race, every manumiffion is, by an act of this illand, charged with a fine of one hundred pounds currency, payable into the public treafury. But this law has neither operated as a productive fund, nor as a prohibition; for it is ufually evaded by executing and recording afts of manumittion in some other island and government where there is no fuch law. The evidence of all free coloured people, whether born free or manumitted, is received in the courts of this ifland, our their producing fufficient proof of their freedom; and fuch free people are tried on criminal charges in the fame manner as whites, without diftinction of colour. They are alfo allowed to poffefs and enjoy lands and tenements to any amount, provided they are native-born fubjects or capitulants, and not aliens. The governor, by virtue of his office, is chancellor, ordinary, and vice-admiral, and prefides folely in the courts of chancery and ordinary, as in Jamaica. His falary is three thousand two hundred pounds currency per annum, which is railed by a poll tax on all slaves; and it is the practice in Grenada to pass a falary bill on the arrival of every new governor, to continue during his government. In all cafes of abfence beyond twelve months, the falary ceafes and determines. The council of Grenada confifts of twelve members and the affembly of twenty-fix. The powers, privileges and functions of both thefe branches of the legiflature are the fame, and exercifed precifely in the fame manner as those of the council and affembly in Jamaica. A freehold or life ettate, of fifty acres, is a qualification to fit as reprefentatives for the parishes, and a freehold or life eftate in fifty pounds houle rent in St. George, qualifies a reprefentative for the town. An • The currency of Grenada, or rate of exchange, is commonly fifty-five per cent. worse than ferling. eftate of ten acres in fee, or for life, or a rent of ten pounis in any of the out towns, gives a vote for the reprefentatives of each parish respectively; and a rent of twenty pounds per ans. iffuing out of any freehold or life eitate in the town of St. George, gives a vote for the reprefentative for the town. The law courts in Grenada, befides thofe of chancery and ordinary, are the court of grand feffions of the peace, held twice a year, viz. in March and September. In this court the fit perfon named in the commiffion of the peace prefides, who is ufually the prefident or fenior in council.-The court of common pleas this court confifts of one chief and four aliiftant juftices, whofe cominiflions are during pleafure. The chief justice is ufually appointed in England, a profeffional man, and receives a falary of fix hundred pounds per annum. The four affiftant juftices are ufually appointed by the governor from among the gentlemen of the island, and act without a falary.The court of exchequer: the barons of this court are commiffioned in like manner as in the court of common pleas; but this court is lately grown into difuse.—The court of admiralty for trial of all prize caufes of capture from enemies in war, and of revenue leizure in peace or war. There is one judge of admiralty and one furrogate.-The governor and council compole a court of error, as in Jamaica, for trying all appeals of error from the court of common pleas. We have already noticed that there are feveral fmall islands fubject to the laws enacted in Grenada; they each elect a perion to reprefent them in the general affembly, which is always held in St. George's. As none of the Grenadines have a harbour fit for large veffels, the produce of them is conveyed in imali vetiels to St. George's, from whence it is exported to the different places of Europe, Africa, America, &c. From the number of veffels that arrive there yearly from different places, and from its being the feat of the legislature, it has become fo populous, that two newípapers are publifhed in it. On occasion of the late profpeft of a war with Spain, an aft was peded here in February 1790, obliging every gentlemon to give in upon oath the value of his eftate, and the number of packs upon it, in order that the general affumbly might alce:tain the number of flaves each fhould fend to work upon the fortifications on Richmond hill, near St. George's. We fall clote our account of this ifland with a view of its exports in 1787, with an account of its value in the Brit. market. An ACCOUNT of the Number of Veffels, their Tonnage, and Men, (including their repeated Voyages) that cleared outwards from the Ifland of GRENADA, &c. to all Parts of the World, between the 5th of January, 1787, and the 5th of January, 1788, with the Species, Quantities, and Value of their Cargoes, according to the actual Price in London. By the Infpe&tor-General of Great Britain. Hides, Dying Prices in Lon- don. No. Tons. Men. Cwt. qrs. lbs. Gallons Gallons. Cwt qrs lbs Cwt. qrs.lbs lbs. lbs. £. s. d. £. s. d. 4300 2716 3 18 8812 2 42,062,427 2819 64545 0 3 614.908 9 3 M m DOMINICA. THIS ifland is fituated between 61 and 62° weft longitude, and 15° and 16° north latitude, is about twenty-nine miles long, and fixteen broad; it was fo named by Columbus, on account of its being discovered on a Sunday. Prior to the year 1759, its history is a mere blank; at the above period it was taken by Great-Britain from France, and afterwards confirmed to her at the peace in 1763. : When Great Britain took poffeffion of this ifland, many Frenchmen had established plantations of coffee in various parts thereof, and these were secured in their poffeffions by the Bri tish government, on condition of taking the oaths of allegiance, and paying a quit rent of two fhillings per acre per annum, provided each plantation did not confift of more than three hundred acres. The rest of the cultivable lands were fold by auction under the inspection of commiffioners appointed for that purpose ninety-fix thoufand three hundred and forty-four acres were thus difpofed of, which yielded to the British government three hundred and twelve thousand and ninety-two pounds eleven fhillings and one penny fterling. These pur chases made by British subjects do not appear to have answered the expectation of the buyers, for the French inhabitants are fill the most numerous, and poffefs the most valuable coffee plantations in the ifland, the produce of which has hitherto been found its moft important ftaple. At the commencement of the unjust and deftructive war against the American colonies by Great-Britain, the island of Dominica was in a very flourishing ftate. Rofeau, its capital, had been declared a free port by act of parliament, and was relorted to by trading veffels from moft part of the foreign Weft-Indies, as well as from America. The French and Spaniards purchased great numbers of negroes there for the fupply of their settlements, together with large quantities of the ma nufactures of Great-Britain, payment for the greater part of which was made in bullion, indigo, and cotton, and completed in mules and cattle, articles of prime neceflity to the planter. Thus the island, though certainly not fo fertile as fome others, was rapidly advancing to importance. The fituation of this ifland is between the French island of Guadaloupe and Martinico, with fafe and commodious roads and harbours for privateers, rendered its defence an object of the utmost importance to Great-Britain; but her defpotic principles, folly, and frantic rage against her colonies on the continent, caufed a total neglect of her Weft-India poffeffions. Pofterity will fearcely believe that the regular force allotted to this ifland, the best adapted of all others for the defence of the Caribbean fea, and the diftreffing of the French colonies, confifted only of fix officers and ninety-four privates. In 1778, the Marquis de Bouille, the governor of Martinico, made a defcent with two thousand men ; all resistance being vain, the only thing the garrifon could do was to procure as favourable terms of capitulation as poffible. These were granted with fuch readiness as did great honour to the character of this officer, the inhabitants experiencing no kind of change except that of transferring their obedience from Britain to France, being left unmolested in the enjoyment of all their rights, both civil and religious, The capitulation was strictly observed by the Marquis, no plunder or irregularity being allowed, and a pecuniary gratification. being diftributed among the foldiers and volunteers who accompanied him in the expedition. An hundred and fixty-four pieces of excellent cannon, and twenty-four brafs mortars, befiles a large quantity of military ftores, were found in the place, infomuch that the French themselves expreffed their furprife at finding fo few hands to make use of them. The Marquis, however, took care to fupply this defect, by leaving a garrifon of one thousand five hundred of the best men he had with him. Though the conduct of Bouille in the above expedition was fuch as in every part hereof to reflect honour on him as a foldier and a man, yet it was far different with respect to the Marquis Duchilleau, whom Bouille appointed commander in chief in Dominica. During five years and three months, the period this ifland was fubject to the French monarchy, and under his administration, it was a prey to the most villainous defpotifin and wanton exertion of power. The principles of the late court of Versailles difcovered themfelves in all their hellish forms. The English inhabitants were firipped of their arms, and forbid to affemble in any greater number than two in a |