X.

CANARIES.

CHAP. reign articles, are ultimately paid by the British consumers; not to mention the monopoly-price, often exorbitant, which West Indian produce cofls them. For it is well known that fugar, &c. is generally much dearer in Great Britain than in France, or any other country in Europe, even in those that have no fugar colonies. And all this, exclufive of the enormous and endless expense of defending her colonies, by which Great Britain has incurred a very great part of her national debt.-Lord Sheffield, indeed, in his Obfervations, affirms, that the expense of defending the sugar islands, by sea alone, during the American war, cost Great Britain more than the fee fimple of those Islands is worth. The only advantage which she ever derived, from her expense of blood and treafure, was the comparatively infignificant monopoly of the trade of her colonies. But the only effect of monopolies, even when reciprocal and apparently equal, is to enrich fpeculating individuals, at the expense of the nations and colonies which fland in this unnatural and impolitic connection. Of the truth of this obfervation, the Canary iflands, as well as thofe of Madeira and Cape Verd, appear to afford examples, which ought to be viewed as beacons to warn the undertakers of new colonies in Africa, of the dangers to be dreaded from what a great author calls," the mean and malignant expedients of the mercantile fyftem."Read Smith's Wealth of Nations, B. IV. C. VII.

ISLE DE
BOURBON.

FRENCH*

269. The Ifle de Bourbon, called originally Mascarenha, after it's Portuguese discoverer, lies about 120 leagues to the

* From Geographie naturelle, &c. de M. Robert, 1777. Tableau de Commerce, 1787, and Walter's Neufte Erdkunde, &c. New Account of Afia, Africa, &c. 1785.

eaft

X.

ISLE DE

BOURBON.

eaft of Madagascar, in the 21ft and 22d degrees of South CHA P. latitude. In circumference, it measures about 40 leagues. M. de Flacourt, Governor of Fort Dauphin and the other French fettlements in Madagascar, took poffeffion of this island, for his king, in 1654, and gave it the name of Bourbon. But his nation made no confiderable settlement upon it till 1672. The Isle de Bourbon and the adjacent Isle de France have fince been fortified, as ftations of refreshment for the French Eaft India fhips *.

270. The air of Bourbon is falubrious, and the foil very fertile, and well watered with fprings and fmall rivers, abounding with fish; so that, upon the whole, it is a charming habitation. Besides supplying it's inhabitants and the shipping with provisions, this island exports tobacco, coffee, Exports. white pepper, aloes, ebony, filk, coral, tortoife-fhell, Benzoin and fome other gums.

271. But of all it's productions, the most valuable is it's cotton, which of late, since the spinning Machines, and particularly those called mules, were invented and improved; has been spun at Manchester as far as to 300 hanks, (each 840 yards) and even more, in the pound, when common Surat cotton was only brought to 20 hanks. This ftriking dif proportion arifes chiefly from a difference in quality; but is also much owing to the Bourbon cotton being very clean, and that of Surat fo full of motes and dirt, (fometimes to half the weight) that it's ftaple is broken in the violent operations neceffary to clean it . In short, I have

*Colonel Bolts, who revifed this fketch of the Ifle de Bourbon, and the Ifle de France, fays that at the former there is only a road-flcad; but that the Ile de France contains two good harbours.

Bourbon and

com. Surat

cotton com

pared.

This prodigious difference, as far as it depends on the firft preparation, might

be

X.

CHA P. have known the price of Bourbon cotton as high as 9 fhillings per pound, when that of Surat was felling at 9 pence. (See § 64.)

ISLE DE
FRANCE.

Rats.

272. This ifland, called also the Mauritius, is confiderably lefs than Bourbon. Their air and climate are very fimilar. The foil of both is equally well watered; but that of the Ifle of France is the moft ftony, though by no means infer tile. There is no noxious animal in either, unless we reckon rats fuch; but with them both iflands are fo much infested, that the foldiers in the garrifons are fometimes turned out to hunt them*. The ftation for the French Indiamen

is

be avoided, if the cotton were cleaned by the producer, before the hard packing has incorporated the dirt and motes with it. I have indeed repeatedly proposed to the cotton merchants to send out cleaning machines to several places, and particularly to Surat, from whence fo much dirt is imported at so very dear a rate, and the cotton fo much injured by cleaning. But I could never get them to listen to this propofal. Indeed I have been well informed that cotton has been thoroughly cleaned in the West Indies, by hand-picking, which though a tedious operation, was done at about 2d. a pound; but that, in England, it brought not one farthing more, than if it had not been hand-picked. This is far from being the only inftance in which merchants discourage producers from attempting improvements. (See§ 138.)

I have not mentioned health, that being a matter of little confideration among most manufacturers. I never understood that the operations on cotton, previous to it's being shipped for Europe, are injurious to health, as they are all performed in the open air, or in fheds, and the people are not, as in Europe, conftantly confined to any one of the operations. It is, indeed, allowed that even thofe negroes, in the West Indies who plant, weed, gather, ginn, clean (partially, by beating it with rods, on wooden frames) and fteeve, or pack, the cotton, are generally very healthy.-It is, however, a melancholy truth, that the poor people employed in cleaning and carding cotton in Manchester, seldom live to above 30 years of age. The method of fpinning certain coarse numbers, (or forts) of cotton yarn, in damp cellars, has alfo proved to be extremely injurious to health.

*The garrifons in fome of the Weft Indian Islands might find fimilar employment. But premiums are there given for killing rats and monkies, both which are very deftructive to the fugar-canes. In Barbadoes, they give 2d. a piece for rats' heads,

X.

is Fort Louis, which is well fortified. According to an CHAP. enumeration, in 1776, the Ifle de Bourbon contained 6340 whites, and 26,175 black flaves, chiefly employed in agri- FRANCE. culture. The population of the Ifle de France then amount- Population. ed to pretty nearly the fame numbers of whites and blacks

refpectively.

ISLE DE

273. The productions of these two iflands are much the Spices. fame. But I have great reason to believe, that a very material improvement has, by this time, taken firm root in both. For, during my stay at Paris, in 1787, I was informed that M. Ceré procured from Ceylon, and planted in the Ifle de France, of which he was governor, 3000 cinnamon trees, and 10,416 clove trees, 18 of which laft foon advanced in growth; alfo 18 nutmeg trees, 10 of which have fince produced 1088 fine nutmegs, fo ripe that the wind. fhook them down. From these plants, 60 others have been produced, befides 20 which were partly distributed in the Island, and partly fent to the neighbouring Island of Bourbon, and to Cayenne, in S. America. In 1784 there were in the nursery 124 more young plants, of which 20 were ready to be sent abroad. In June 1785, 10 young trees, in the Ifle de France, yielded 800 nutmegs, and 9 others had about 500 far advanced. The fame year 24 were sent to Bourbon and 260 were planted in the nursery.-In 1786, the Dutch, in the true spirit of monopoly (see § 112 note) sent a vagabond to the Isle de France, to destroy these plantations, by corrupting the nursery men. But prudence, or rather cunning, is not always combined with villainy. The plot was timely difcovered, and doubtlefs

heads, and 5 fhillings for those of monkeys. A friend of mine tells me he once received, in behalf of a black watchman, 15 fhillings cur. for rat's heads.

X.

CHAP. would have drawn a deferved punishment on the fellow who was charged with it's execution, if he had not made his escape. It is no wonder, however, that the Dutch are jealous of their monopoly of fpices; for, when I received the foregoing information, I was affured that their trade in these articles brings them in 18,000,000 of livres Tournois, or about £750,000 fter. annually.

MADAGAS

CAR.

Former flou

rishing eflablishments there.

Colony attempted in

1767.

274. "The French," fays the compiler of the Atlas maritimus et commercialis*, "have carried the discoveries in Madagascar to the highest perfection, both on the coast and in the inland parts. The following brief account, by one of their governors, feems the best yet published."-" Our people have had a fettlement on this island, ever since 1622, and we have now, not only a peaceable poffeffion, but feveral well fortified houses, on the coaft, and flourishing plantations within the land. Our principal strength is at the southernmost point of the east side of the island, called Fort Dauphin, with a good garrifon. It is fituated in lat. 25° 6' S. We have fince reduced a confiderable part of the ifland, the natives being, at peace with us, and very much pleased with our religion also; so that several of them are converted to the Chriftian faith."

275. About the year 1654, the chief feat of their power was transferred from Fort Dauphin to the Ifle de France and Bourbon. But they have ftill retained poffeffion of the former; and have made feveral attempts to extend, or to regain, their acquifitions in Madagascar. In 1767, a colony was attempted on that island, under M. de Maudave.

* Printed, London 1728.