"average of the laft three years) diftinguishing what proportion of those that died

were born within the fame, or had been imported more than three years before, " and what number of thofe that died had been imported within three years of the " time of their death, together with the Documents in which fuch accounts fhall be “founded, in order that the fame may be laid before the Houfe early in the next "Seffion of Parliament."

But it is neceffary for me to obferve to your Grace, that a portion of the period of time fpecified in the above inftructions (three years) within which the averaged number of births and deaths is to be ftated, followed fo immediately after the infurrection, in which fo large a proportion of the Slaves were engaged, that I fear it will be difficult to procure an accurate account on this head, nor can it, even if furnished, be confidered as a Document whereon to found any calculation refpecting the averaged increafe or decrease of the number of Slaves in this Colony at any other given period, when free from a calamity of the like nature.

A very confiderable proportion of the Slaves who had been out in the woods, perifhed in confequence of difeafes contracted during their abfence from the plantations, and very few births in proportion took place until fome time after good order was re-established.

I have the honour to be, &c.

Charles Green.

Copy. Triplicate.

My Lord Duke,

No. 12.

Copy of a Letter from Governor Green to his Grace the Duke of Portland; dated Grenada, 6th October 1799.

IN obedience to His Majefty's commands, fignified to me in your Grace's Dif
patch of the 12th July laft, I now do myfelf the honour to transmit a return,
(pecifying, as far as the fame could be made up, the total number of Negroes now in
this Government, and the total number of births and deaths (on an average for
the last three years) diftinguishing what proportion of thofe that died were born
within this Government, or had been imported more than three years before;
and what number of thofe that died have been imported within three years of the
time of their death, together with the Documents on which fuch return is
founded.

Having fubjoined to the Report fome remarks from myfelf on the fubject of it,
I apprehend it is unneceffary to trouble your Grace with a repetition of them.
I have the honour to be, &c.

His Grace the

Duke of Portland, K. G.

&c. &c. &c.

Cha' Green.

No. 13.-Extract of a Letter from his Grace the Duke
of Portland to Governor Green; dated Whitehall,
22d November 1799.

THE obfervation contained in your Letter of the 7th September, relative o the
period mentioned in the Refolution of the Houfe of Commons, which was tranf-
mitted in my circular Letter of the 12th of July last, is highly deferving attention,
and therefore, although it will be proper to comply with the Refolution of the
Houfe of Commons in the terms ftated, as far as it can be done; yet I defire you
will furnish me alfo with a further account, fimilar to that thereby required, for the
three years immediately preceding the infurrection in Grenada.

119.

6 E

The Enclo

fure referred to does not appear with

the corre

fpondence.

No. 14-Extract of a Letter from Governor Green to his Grace the Duke of Portland; dated Grenada, 21ft January 1800.

HAVING fome time ago tranfmitted a return of the Slaves, agrecable to the Refolutions of the Houfe of Commons, I have now only to obferve, in reply to your Grace's directions, refpecting my fending a further account of the fame nature for the three years preceding the infurrection, that I am apprehenfive fuch an account, drawn up with any degree of accuracy, cannot be procured, the Documents neceffary for the purpofe having been almost entirely deftroyed during the difturbances in this Ifland; I fhall not fail, however, to make immediate enquiry on the fubject, and inform your Grace further thereupon.

N° 1.-Letter fubfcribed Simon Taylor, Henry Shirley, George Murray, and Lewis
Cuthbert, dated Spanish Town, 12th December 1797; addreffed to

the Earl of Balcarres

- p. 3.G.

PP. 49. G.

N° 3.-Extract of a Letter from the Duke of Portland to the Earl of Balcarres ;

N° 4-Another;

No 5. Another;

10th May 1798.} - p.15.G. 25th May 1799 10th August 1799

- ibid.

- p.11.G.

(13.)-Naval Officer's Return of imported and exported Negroes
(14) Number of Negroes taxed in the Parish of St. Catherine -
(15.)-Number of Negroes in the Parish of St. Dorothy
(16.)-Number of Slaves in the Parish of Trelawney -

(17.)-Number of Negroes in the Parish of St. Thomas in the Vale
(18.)-Number of Negroes in the Parish and Island of St. Mary
(19.)-Another Return from the fame Parish -

N° 8.-Earl of Balcarres to the Duke of Portland; dated 23d March 1800(One Inclosure.)

Communication of the Committee of Council to his Honour the Governor, relative to the Increafe, &c. of Negroes

ibid. ibid.

- ibid.

- p. 18.G. - p.19.G.

p.23.G. - p.26.G. - p.28.G. - p.36.G.

P.39.G.

}

G.

JAMAICA.

(Copy.)

My Lord,

WE

No. 1.-Copy of a Letter from Simon Taylor, Henry Shirley, George Murray, and Lewis Cuthbert, Efquires, to the Earl of Balcarres; dated 12th December 1797; and tranfmitted in his Lordship's Letter to the Duke of Portland, of December 1797.

Spanish Town, 12th December 1797.

E beg leave to thank your Lordship for the confidential communication, to us, of his Grace the Duke of Portland's Letter of the 12th of September, and for your anxious defire to accord the expectations expreffed by that Minifter with the fentiments and interefts of the People of this Ifland.

We affure your Lordship that we entertain unfhaken loyalty to the KING'S Perfon and Government, and a moft affectionate attachment to Great Britain; both founded in principle; and we truft we may appeal to your Lordship's juftice, whether we have not on all occafions given fteady fupport to your Adminiftration, in the courfe of which circumstances occurred that rendered it neceffary to raife enormous taxes on the people; which must have been still heavier, had not your Lordship's activity and exertions for the fafety and protection of this Country been fo happily diftinguished.

We are fully convinced of the critical and dangerous fituation in which Great Britain and her Colonies are placed from the Enemy we have to contend with, formidable by its power, but ftill more by unremitting attempts against all order, good government, and virtue, eminently deftructive to Countries circumftanced as this is. We are moft anxious to join our efforts in common with thofe of our fellow Citizens to the exertions of the Mother Country, to repel a Foe from whom we have fo much to apprehend. While we make this folemn declaration of our fentiments to your Lordship, permit us to exprefs how much the Inhabitants of the Ifland at large feel themfelves injured and oppreffed by the fupport, given by fome of His Majefty's confidential fervants, to measures calculated in the first inftance not only to check but effectually to destroy improvements which are now rapidly carrying on in all parts of this valuable Colony, promifing the greateft advantages to the ftability of the Inland by increafing its population and affording thofe means from which alone revenue can flow, in a degree far beyond all former experience. Minifters well know that taxes cannot be borne but in proportion to the profperity of the Country in which they are laid, and that fuch profperity must be the effect of improvements. There are at this time many hundred thousand acres of land in this Ifland well calculated to increafe cur Staples, that only want Labourers (which can be fupplied no where but from Africa) to be made productive of immenfe revenue as well as ineftimable advantages to the commerce and navigation of the Parent State.

Should we be deprived of the only means of profperity arising from the importation of Negroes, which we are entitled to under the lantion and encouragement of many Acts of the British Parliament, and fhould our Staples continue to be taxed with heavy duties, payable on their arrival at the market to which they mult exclufively

119.