ted to carry on their trade as formerly; he prifoners were all released, the young Nabob withdrew his forces, and the English were content without any other fruit of their victory, than reestablishing the peace of the country, for which, alone, they had taken arms. Charge. The English have ingrofied the falt-petre trade. Defence. The Nabob has granted us a farm of the exclufive trade in falt petre, under an annual rent of 25,000 rupees, and a delivery of 2,000 maunds of that commodity at prime coft; but this is no more than has been usually done to merchants of the country, and furely what the Nabob has been used to do to his own people, he may do to us if he pleafes, without giving any just ground of complaint to the Dutch. The very fame grant was made at the fame rent to Coja Wazeed, by the late Nabob Soroja Doula and his fucceffor, and from him our fervants and those of the Dutch company used to purchase the falt-petre they fent to Europe; this the Dutch fubmitted to without complaint and how it can be material to them if this trade is farmed, whether it be by us, or by a merchant of the country, it is impoffible to conceive, as their demands are as conftantly and regularly fupplied now as before. Our right to hold this grant may be farther fupported, if any farther fupport were neceflary, by the example of the Dutch themselves, who, under colour of grants of the fame kind, exclude us at this hour, and have long excluded us from many valuable articles of commerce in various parts of India; they have formerly driven our fervants from fettlements we once poffeffed, the contiguity of which led them to apprehend a trade contrary to the tenour of those grants; and they do now actually difpute our right of navigating feas to an immenfe extent, for no other reafon, than because they join to countries to which they pretend to have acquired the fole and exclufive right of trading, tho' thefe countries are very imperfectly known even to themfelves, or indeed rather altogether unexplored. It is, indeed, very extraordinary, the Dutch should pretend we ought not to hold a grant for which they them felves follicited; and that they did follicit fuch a grant, not only of falt-petre, the very article in queftion, but also of opium, which had never been farmed before, appears by the very petition they prefented for that purpofe; for, though they pretend that they did not follicit an exclufive grant, yet they exprefsly follicited a preference in the purchafe, which would have been more, because they would then have been subject to no rent; and whether they had an exclusive right of purchasing, or whether they were to be fupplied before we could begin to purchase, seems to be a diftinction without a difference; fince, under either, they might, whenever they thought fit, have engroffed the whole product of the country. Such, on the contrary, was our moderation, that though we were offered the opium trade in the fame manner as the faltpetre, we would not accept it; because we knew that a grant of the opium would have diftreffed the Dutch trade, and perhaps have totally ruined it; and we did this, notwithstanding the Dutch had follicited it for themfelves, knowing, if they had fucceeded, the grant would have been as fatal to us, as our acceptance when offered, would have been to them. Charge. The English have obstructed the Dutch in the callico trade, by feizing all that they found in the weavers hands, and preventing the weavers by threats, from making any for the Dutch. Defence. There is fo little truth_in this charge, that the cloth supposed to have been feized for the ufe of the English, was ner er fent to them, nor is it fit for their market. The complaint is founded intirely upon fome irregularities practifed by the fervants of the Moor merchants; irregularities by which the English fuffer equally with the Dutch, and` which they are equally unable to prevent. Charge. Adiniral Pocock feized a grab belonging to the Dutch in 1757, which was unjustly condemned. Defence. Defence. With this the company has nothing to do, but from the known merit of Admiral Pocock, whofe juftice has never yet been impeached, they make no fcruple to fay, that he will, whenever he is called upon, juftify his conduct in this and every other particular. Charge. A Dutch fhip, called the Ann, was loft on the Ganges, by the English pilots not going off to her in distress. Defence. The English pilots have fworn, that they never faw the veffel, nor heard any of her fignals. It is indeed, true, that the English, being apprehenfive that the French admiral, in the absence of the English fleet, might 'attempt to bring his fquadron to Bengal, did request the Dutch governor of Chinfura, not to fend pilot-boats into the Ganges, where the pilots might be bribed, or forced by the French, to conduct their fleet up the river; but we offered, at the fame time, to take Dutch pilots on board English loops, or to give our own pilots orders to affift Dutch fhips if any fhould arrive. This reafonable request was rejected, and Dutch pilot-boats came down the river, which, therefore, we stopped; a precaution, for want of which, we loft our fettlement at Bencoolen, where the French armament was conducted into the inner harbour by a Dutch pilot, without whofe affistance, it could not have found the way. The defence, from which these brief extracts are made, is drawn up with uncommon ftrength and perfpicuity, and is in every respect, as masterly a performance of the kind as ever appeared. In 1494, he (viz. Columbus) founded à city, to which he gave the name of St. Dominic. This name was first extended to that quarter of the island, where the city was erected, but in process of time to the whole, which is now generally called St. Domingo. It lies between the parallels of 67. 35, and 74 deg. 15. min. W. longitude, being about 400 miles from E. to W. and 17. 37. and between 20 deg. N. latitude, about 120 miles where broadeft. It is only about 24 leagues N. E. from Jamaica, and separated from Porto Rico on the Eaft by a narrow fea. Its circuit is computed about 1500 miles. If we except Cuba, it is the largest of the Antilles; the climate is very hot, but much mitigated by the trade-winds and fea-breezes. The rains here are fome Its times exceffive, yet not alike in alt places; and although the climate agrees but indifferently with ftrangers, yet the inhabitants live to a great age, fome 100 years and upwards. This island is bleffed with an extraordinary rich and fertile foil: the trees and meadows in it are conftantly fo green, that we may truly fay, it enjoys a perpetual spring; and it is juftly reckoned one of the pleasantest in all the Weft-Indies. Here are great forefts of cabbage-trees, and all the various kinds of valuable wood common in the Weft-Indies. produce and commodities are the fame with that of Cuba laft defcribed. In the Savanna's are innumerable herds of cattle, with the greateft plenty of hories, with which the French fupply their other colonies. Here the hunters fhoot the beeves, as in Cuba, for the fake of their hides and tallow; as for the pork, they ftrip the flesh from the bones, and jerk it, as they do in Jamaica. No country is better watered, either by brooks or navigable rivers, which are well ftored with fish of various kinds, as the coaft is with cro. codiles and tortoifes. Gold duft is frequently found in the fands of these rivers, and has many mines of gold, filver, and copper, which were formerly wrought with great profit: but the Spaniards Spaniards take fpecial care to conceal them from strangers. The trading commodities of this ifland are hides, tallow, fugar, indigo, cotton, cocoa, coffee, ginger, tobacco, falt, wax, honey, ambergrife, various kinds of drugs and dying woods, &c. The Spaniards by degrees conquered the natives, and at laft wholly extirpated them, leaving neither men, women, nor children. While the natives enjoyed their poffeffions, they cultivated their lands for the Spaniards, and fupplied them with fith, and fome quantities of gold: during which time the Spaniards lived much more happy, and in greater affluence, than they have done ever fince; whereas now the far greater part of what the Spaniards claim, rather than poffefs, is defert, and yields them little or nothing, for want of hands to improve the luxuriant foil. As this ifland was the first of the Spanish difcoveries in the new world, fo it was for a confiderable time the centure of their trade in these parts; and as they had been for many years fole poffeffors of it, was for fome part of that time a very flourishing colony. But after their conqueft of Peru, Chili, and the great additions they made to their territories on the continent both of North and South America, they lighted this island, which encouraged the French, about the middle of the laft century, to fix themselves on the Weft part of it, where they have improved their fettlements to great perfection, and are become very numerous and strong. The French here are faid to equal, if not out-number the Spaniards; though both together fall very short of what the extent and fertility of the island is capable to maintain. The French, in the year 1694, under M. du Caffe, then governor of Hifpaniola, made a defcent upon Jamaica, and plundered feveral plantations, befides committing many barbarities: as foon as the news of this arrived at England, King William fent thither fome land-forces, who partly with the affiftance of the Jamaicans and the Spaniards, ruined most of the French fettlements, attacked, took, and demolished the fort of Porte de Paix, and carried off a vaft plunder. In short, the Weft part of the island having fuffered fo much, both by the defcents of the English and French, obliged the Spaniards to grant to the latter all that part of it, to the West of Monte Chrifto on the North, and Cape Mongon on the South; and as they made this conceffion rather from constraint than pleasure, and though the Spaniards were glad to live upon good terms with them, yet they always confidered them as ufurpers of a country to which they had no fort of right; which continued to be the cafe till the year 1697, when the Spaniards yielded that part of the island to them, at the treaty of Ryfwick, and the boundaries between them and the French were fettled by a line drawn across the country from North to South. The most noted places in the French part of the island, as they lie from the South Weft to the North East, are: 1. St. Lewis, about 6 leagues to the North Eaft of the ifle of Vache, and 28 from Petit-Guaves, a small island, and only feparated from the main land of St. Domingo by a narrow channel, not three quarters of a mile in breadth, has a good harbour, where they erected a fort about 50 years ago. This town and fort was levelled with the ground in 1737 by a dreadful hurricane, which is frequently the deftruction of those climes, but is rebuilt fince. 2. Vache (or Cows Inland) is about 3 leagues from the main land of the great ifland, and 5 or 6 leagues in length. The foil here is extremely good, and has feveral convenient harbours along its coaft, fome of which are capable of receiving large veffels. 3. Donna-Maria-Bay, fituated at the Weft end of the island, 6 leagues North Eaft from Cape Tiberoon, is the place where the King's fhips generally ftop for wood and water. All the Weft part of this ifland, from this place to Cape St. Nicholas, abounds with excellent harbours. 4. Petit 4. Petit-Guaves, is a port-town fituated in a great bay, on the Weft fide of the island, and was taken from the Spaniards by the French Buccaneers in 1654. It is a very confiderable place, and drives a brisk trade. 5. Leogane (which gives name to a principality) is another port in the fame bay. Here the French in 1712 built a new town, about half a league from the sea, which is now become the refidence of the French governor-general, the intendant, and other officers; and the feat of royal judicature, and of the fuperior council of this part of the ifland. They also erected a fort on the fea-fhore, to defend the shipping: it lies at the bottom of a bay called Cul de Sac de Leogane.-There are feveral defert islands in this fpacious bay; the largest of which is Gonave, about 7 or 8 leagues in length. It has a fertile foil, and a purer air than on the large ifland, but has not a drop of water in it, except what falls from the heavens. 6. Port Paix was formerly the refidence of the governor, and the most confiderable place in the French part of the island, before it was ruined in the reign of King William, by the Spaniards and English. This was the first place the French took, after they had settled in the island of Tortuga, which lies oppofite to it, and about 20 leagues diftant. The island of Tortuga is pretty large, abundantly fertile, and produces excellent wood. Columbus called it Tortuga, from the great number of tortoifes he found there. 7. Cape François (which the French often call The Cape, by way of emphafis) is fituated on the North fide of Hifpaniola. It was twice destroyed in the beginning of King William's reign, by the English and Spaniards in conjunction. This town is but very inconfiderable, neither well fortified nor defended. However, the adjacent country is very pleasant, the foil prolific, producing great quantities of fugar, &c. There is a remarkable high mountain to the E. of the cape, called Monte Chrifto, which ferves as a direction to find it out. The Eastern part of the island, in poffeffion of the Spaniards, is of greateft extent, and has many convenient harbours around its coafts; the chief of which is St. Domingo, the capital of the Spanish part of the island. It is fituated in the South fide, at the mouth of the river Hayna, in a delightful plain, which fhows it to great advan tage from fea. The town is said to have been founded by Bartholomew Columbus, the admiral's brother, anno 1594, and that he gave it the name of Domingo or Dominic, in honour of his father, who was of the fame name. This city was taken by Sir Francis Drake, who kept poffeffion of it a month, and then burnt a part of it, but fpared the rest for a ransom of 60,000 pieces of eight, or 13,500l. fterl. Notwithstanding this difafter, it foon recovered its luftre; but its trade, which confifted in fugar, hides, tallow, horfes, hogs, &c. has greatly decayed, fince the Spaniards by latter difcoveries were tempted to retire to the Havanna; nevertheless it ftill makes a confiderable figure. This city is large and well built, with a good harbour, and has feveral structures more magnificent than is ufual in the Weft-Indies. It is built of stone, after the Spanish manner, having a large fquare market-place in the middle of it, around which are the cathedral and other public buildings; its fituation is very charming, between a large navigable river on the West, the ocean on the South, and a delightful, fruitful country on the North and Eaft. There are many other towns and harbours all along the coaft, as alfo many fmall islands, but none very remarkable, and moftly defolate, fince the murders committed on them by the favage Spaniards, when they first came into thefe parts. In the year 1656, during the ufurpation of Oliver Cromwell, an expedition was fent against Hispaniola, in order to reduce it, if poffible, and annex it to the British territory; but the generals appointed for this expedition (viz. Penn and Venables) executed the plan The foil of this ifland (which is beautifully diverfified with wood, hills, vallies and plains) is extremely fertile, abounding with fine favannas, and well ftocked with cattle (which are of Spanish breed) goats, hogs, and sheep.-The pork here is excellent, as alfo the flesh of their kids; but their mutton is poor and dry. plan very badly, otherwife in all pro- 8 in the morning till 4 afternoon they bability it might have been then reduc- are favoured with a refreshing feaed; for they landed the troops at a very breeze. improper place, the army having to march 40 miles before they could come to action, and the foldiers without order, without heart, fainting and dying by the exceffive heat of the climate, and the want of neceffary provifions. They were alfo disheartened by the .animofities which fubfifted between the generals and the commiffioners; and the cowardice and difcontent of the officers afforded an eafy victory to a handful of Spaniards: fo that the Englith were obliged to retire with great ignominy and lofs. But the principal commanders being a little reconciled by their misfortunes, and fearing to return to England without effecting any thing, resolved to make a bold attempt upon Jamaica (though they had no orders to do fo from the Protector) which was crowned with fuccefs, and made, indeed, ample amends for the former misbehaviour. PORTO RICO. This island lies directly Eaft from Hifpaniola laft defcribed, in North lat. 18, and is feparated from it only by a narrow fea. Its length, from Eaft to Weft, is about 150 miles, its breadth 50.-The Indian name of this ifland was Borinquen, and Columbus, who discovered it in his fecond voyage to the new world, called it St. John's island. But the chief town being afterwards built upon a harbour called Rico, or rich, as is fupposed from its excellencies, the whole island foon obtained the name which it now bears, viz. Porto-Rico. The rains here, which render the feafon unhealthful, generally fall in June, July, and August, which months would otherwise be extremely hot, the fun being then nearest them, and the winds at South Eaft, whereas at other times they blow from the North Eaft. About midsummer they frequently have hurricanes, which do incredible mifchief. The mornings and evenings here are extremely scorching, but from [To be continued.] From the GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE. C ERTAIN advices having been received that the French and Spaniards had formed the design of furprizing Jamaica, in cafe their principal object of relieving Martinico fhould be found impracticable; it cannot be unseasonable to put the public in mind of the weak condition of this ifland, and of the little refiftance it could make, if attacked at a time when the ships of war in those feas fhould happen to be employed in any other service. Jamaica, is about 160 miles in length, and from 40 to 60 in breadth; it is thinly inhabited, and worse cultivated. One half and more of the people are of the old inhabitants, that have feparate privileges of their own, and think themfelves independent of the new settlers. Thefe inhabit the mountainous parts, live in idleness like other Indians, and are of no fervice to the government; and as they have frequent quarrels with the English, which generally terminate to their disadvantage, would be ready enough to join an enemy on their first landing; and as they are well acquainted with all the ftrong holds on the island, would enable a very small force to keep their ground, against all the ftrength that could be brought against them. In 1739, a confiderable number of Negroes, from different plantations, joined the antient inhabitants, and be |