Considerations on the present peace, as far as it is relative to the colonies, and the African trade

by Robert Vaughan; Thomas Carney

But that cannot be done, when we consider in what manner the money granted by parliament to the African committee, is appropriated in Africa, which the government never receives any account of.

The great argument made use of to the then ministers[4], to obtain a dissolution of the late African company, by the advocates for the present system, was, that 10,000l. was quite adequate and sufficient for the support and maintenance of the forts. This, we believe, was one of the strongest reasons for those ministers adopting their scheme, which had as much truth in it, as many other assertions at that time made use of.

The late company, from their experience, insisted that sum was very insufficient; which it really was, even to give in presents annually to the principal natives, to cultivate such an interest as is not only necessary, but absolutely essential to support and promote the honour, power, jurisdiction, and trade of Great Britain on the coast of Africa. However, there has been granted, since the forts were put under the care of the present Africa committee for their support, from 2d February, 1751, to 2d February, 1763, 136,000l. which is 11,333l. 6s. 8d. per annum, exclusive of what was expended in building the fort at Annamaboa. Notwithstanding said grants, the forts have not been kept even[5] as marks of possession and sovereignty; which undeniable truth the editors are ready to prove, if called upon.

Mourn! mourn! O Liverpool, for the loss of thy great hero and champion, who was at all times ready to enter the lists in defence of thy trade and commerce. But, Britain rejoice; for what may have been for the advantage of the town of Liverpool, might be greatly detrimental and prejudicial to the general trade and commerce of this country and its colonies; which surely must clearly appear from the beforementioned memorial. For we believe it will be allowed, if we were to encrease and extend the number of our colonies in North America, and the West Indies, it would be disadvantageous to Great Britain, unless they can be supplied with a sufficient number of people for their defence and cultivation, at as reasonable an expence as possible; without taking the hands that are useful and necessary in husbandry, and the several manufactures of the mother-country.

Then surely, as Guadaloupe was surrendered by capitulation to the British arms, no longer than since the 4th day of May, 1759; and as the merchants of Liverpool had imported 12,347 Negroes into that island some months ago, which must have been the case, or they could not have had so exact an account; we may well conclude that a great number of Negroes have also been carried to Guadaloupe, and the other conquered islands, by the merchants of London, Bristol, and other ports, that carry on a trade to Africa, and have been carrying negroes from the time they had the last accounts, which we may suppose to be at least six months preceding the merchants of Liverpool’s memorial being presented to lord Egremont.

This must be undoubtedly of great advantage to the French planters, and extremely detrimental to our North American and West India colonies, for want of the Negroes that have been sold to those conquered islands; which must consequently cause a scarcity, and enhance the price of those carried to the real colonies of Great Britain. Because the merchants of Liverpool, and others concerned in the African trade, must be truly sensible, that they can find beneficial markets in our colonies for treble the number of Negroes they can purchase with British manufactures. So that the consumption of those manufactures is not encreased, as they would insinuate, by their selling Negroes to the French islands ( for so we must call them while they have French inhabitants) when the selling such Negroes is so apparently disadvantageous to our colonies that are inhabited by British subjects; on which account we submit, whether as we are to give back to France Martinico, Guadaloupe, Marigalante, Deserade, and St. Lucia, orders should not be immediately sent to the governors of such islands, to prevent British subjects selling any Negroes to the French, which it would be impolitic to do, even were we to have kept possession of them.

The ships that have been fitted out, and are upon their voyages with an intention to sell Negroes on the French islands, may dispose of them in the adjacent British colonies, where they will meet with purchasers for any number, at such prices as will make their voyages profitable. Therefore such order will not be hurtful to the merchants, but of great advantage to the British planters, and consequently so to this country.

It is for that reason we insist it was our interest to return those islands to France, to whom (if proper steps are pursued by us) they must and will become a continual expence, burthen and incumbrance; nor would our retention of them have been an advantage to us: for as the inhabitants are French, we must always have kept a military force there at a very great expence, of which recruiting would be no small part. And one great consideration ought to be, the number of British subjects that would die in that unhealthy climate, if they were only the soldiers that must annually be sent to complete the regiments necessary to be kept on that service. That service alone would be productive of a great expence; and the loss of so many subjects would prove very detrimental to Great Britain.

Besides, for argument’s sake, let us suppose we had kept Martinico, Guadaloupe, St. Lucia, Marigalante and Deserade, it would have been highly disadvantageous to the British planters, and must prejudice them much in their circumstances, so as in a short time to reduce the old British sugar islands, now so populous and flourishing, to such a state, that it made us tremble to think of it; because the British African traders would supply those islands taken from the French with Negroes, in preference to the old British colonies; which fully appears by the number they have been supplied with already; and as those islands are now ceded to France, will be of great advantage to the planters therein, by their having been in our possession, on account of the Negroes they have purchased to cultivate their plantations. And had we kept said islands, as soon as they had been sufficiently stock’d, they would have carried on a trade for the redundant Negroes with their countrymen at St. Domingo. Hence it appears, that great care must be taken to prevent their having it in their power so to do after those islands are restored to France; as we do not in the least doubt, but from the intercourse our countrymen have had with them for the sake of profit, contracts will be made for such anti-national purpose. And such a commerce would enable them and the planters of St. Domingo to cultivate sugar and other plantation-produce sufficient to supply all Europe; and by such means prevent Great Britain’s reaping the advantage that she derives from the exportation of the produce of her colonies: which is so essential a benefit to her, and is one of the first causes of our receiving a balance of trade from foreign countries, and in which the landed interest, merchants and manufacturers of Great Britain and Ireland, as also the planters and merchants in our colonies, are so materially concerned and interested. For the lands in Britain must always rise and fall in proportion as our manufactures and navigation prosper or decline, and the national revenue encrease or diminish, as the trade of our colonies is in a more or less flourishing way.