PAMPHLETS & ESSAYS,

WRITTEN BY

Theobald Wolfe Tone,

IN HIS YOUTH,

AND BEFORE HE ENTERED ON THE CAREER OF

IRISH POLITICS.

PROPOSALS AND MEMORIALS

RELATIVE TO THE

Establishment of a Military Colony

IN THE

SANDWICH ISLANDS,

AND THE

LIBERATION OF SPANISH AMERICA.

BY THEOBALD WOLFE TONE.

On the 20th September, 1790, I wrote the following letter, with the memorial enclosed, to the Duke of Richmond.

"MY LORD DUKE: I take the liberty to enclose, for your “Grace's perusal, a project, to the length of which I will not "add by apologies for my presumption. I conceive it may prove "of important service to England, and, therefore, it has a claim "to your attention. It were easy to have swelled its bulk, by "going more into detail, but if what I have submitted, shall "set your Grace on thinking, there are many subordinate ad"vantages both in the means and end, which I shall have the "honor to explain. The best proof that I am myself at least

convinced of the advantage and feasibility of the scheme, "submitted to your Grace's perusal, is, that, if it be adopted, "I shall hope to be allowed to bear a part in the execution. "I have the honor to be,

"THEOBALD WOLFE TONE, "No. 5 Longford street, Dublin.

“To his Grace the Duke of Richmond, &c. London.”

VOL. I.-66

In this letter was enclosed the following Memorial:

Plan of a Settlement in the Sandwich Islands.

The voyages which have hitherto been made for discoveries in the Pacific Ocean, though conducted with the greatest nautical skill and success, do not appear to have been instituted so much on motives of political advantage, as from a philosophical curiosity, which, though very laudable, ought, perhaps, to be in such expeditions, but a secondary motive. The recent discovery of the Sandwich Isles, from their singularly fortunate situation, for several purposes hereafter mentioned, has, at length, however, opened an extensive prospect of public benefit.

The Sandwich Isles lie in the latitude of 21° 30′ N. and in the longitude of about 200° E.; the climate nearly resembling that of our West India Islands, lying under the same parallel; the soil, in general, uncommonly fruitful, well stocked with hogs, well watered and wooded, and adapted, as appears from experiment, to some, at least, of the modes of European culture; the harbors are numerous and excellent, the natives warlike and bold, and, notwithstanding the unhappy difference which terminated in the death of Cook, singularly attached to the English. The last words of that great navigator, are, The Sandwich Isles, from their situation and productions, bid fairer for becoming an object of consequence in the sys"tem of European navigation, than any other discovery in "the South Sea." Thus much being premised, the following considerations are humbly submitted:

First. In the first place, in every war with Spain, since the days of Queen Elizabeth, excepting the single instance of Anson, we appear to have totally overlooked her South American possessions, and this, perhaps, principally from the difficulty of maintaining, in health and condition, a force sufficient for her material annoyance in those seas. The weakness of Spain in South America, appears abundantly, from her extreme caution in excluding strangers from any information, but still more from the uniform success of every paltry privateer, or pirate, half armed, half manned, and half starved, in their various attempts on Lima, Panama, Guayaquil, Payta, &c. the last of which was twice taken and sacked, and ransomed by two different crews