titled to nominate, and of course remove, the officers of militia; the right, however, is seldom exercised beyond the choice of Colonels, who nominate their Lieutenant-Colonels, Majors, and Captains, who in turn appoint their subalterns. The Governor, with the consent of the Council, has power to dissolve the General Assembly, and to issue writs for a new election; with the concurrence of five members he may suspend any member of Council, unless it be an extraordinary occasion requiring secrecy, when his power is absolute, subject to explanation at home. If there be less than seven members of Council resident in the island, the Governor may fill up the number (to twelve) pro tempore, for the dispatch of business. As Chancellor, his Excellency has the custody of the great seal, and presides in the Courts of Error and Equity, in which Courts, the Judges being Council, he only sits primus inter pares, his vote or opinion being of no greater consequence than that of any other member. As Ordinary he takes probate of all testamentary writings; in case of litigation establishes or annuls the will; and in default of executors appointed by the testator, his Excellency issues letters of administration according to the rules of law. As Vice-Admiral he issues his warrant to the Judge of the Vice-Admiralty Court to grant commissions to privateers, &c. The militia force is strong and well appointed; there are six regiments of several battalions each, together with a corps of life guards, and a numerous and brilliant staff. In 1666 Barbadoes had an effective military force of 20,000 infantry and 3000 cavalry, composed of the colonists.

The Governor of Barbadoes has a controlling authority over the British windward islands and possessions, each of which has its Lieutenant-Go

vernor.

WINDWARD AND LEEWARD ISLANDS.

Return of the Numbers and Distribution of the Effective Force, Officers, Non-commissioned Officers, and Rank and File of the British Army, including Colonial Corps, in each year since 1815; including Artillery and Engineers :

OFFICERS PRESENT, OR ON DETACHED
DUTY AT THE STATIONS.

BOOK III.

ST. VINCENT'S.

CHAPTER I.

LOCALITY-AREA-HISTORY, &c.

LOCALITY.-This most beautiful of the Caribbee islands, about eighteen and a half miles long, and eleven broad, containing 84,286 acres, is situate 13° 10′ 15′′ north latitude; 60° 37′ 57′′ west longitude, nearly equidistant from Grenada and Barbadoes.

GENERAL HISTORY.-St. Vincent's, (thus called from the day of its discovery, being St. Vincent's day in the Spanish calendar), was descried by Columbus, during his third voyage, on the 22nd day of January, 1498, but it does not appear that he took any formal possession of it; the native inhabitants, the Caribs, being very numerous and warlike. In 1672, this island, with Barbados, St. Lucia, and Dominica, was included in one government by King Charles II., although no steps were taken to occupy St. Vincent, unless occasional visits, both by English and French, for the purpose of obtaining wood and water, may be deemed such. About 1675, a ship from Guinea, with a cargo of slaves, was wrecked either on this island or on Bequia, and a number of the negroes escaped into the woods; these intermingled with

EARLY HISTORY OF ST. VINCENT'S.

213

the natives, and hence originated the black Caribs. In 1719, the French sent over some settlers from Martinico, a few of whom succeeded in establishing themselves in the leeward part of the island. In 1723, George I. granted this island and St. Lucia to the Duke of Montague, who made a feeble attempt to take possession of it, but his expedition failed; and, by the treaty of Aix la Chapelle, in 1748, it was declared neutral, and the ancient proprietors left in unmolested possession. The French, however, continued in their settlements until 1762, when it was taken by General Monckton and Admiral Rodney ; and in 1763, by the peace of Paris, the island was ceded in perpetuity to Great Britain, without much consideration for the native proprietors. The lands were directed to be sold to defray the expenses of the war, and 20,538 acres produced 162,5847. sterling. In 1772, a war with the Caribs commenced, which was terminated by a treaty in 1773, when certain lands were allotted them. In 1779 the island was taken by a small body of troops from Martinico, who were joined by the Caribs, which circumstance, coupled with unfortunate political differences, caused the surrender to be made without a struggle. The conquerors, however, made no alteration in the government, probably contemplating only a temporary possession. In 1780 the dreadful hurricane occurred, which destroyed the church and a great proportion of the buildings in the island, besides occasioning serious loss to the planters. St. Vincent was restored to Great Britain at the general peace in 1783; at which time it contained sixty-one sugar

estates, besides other small plantations of cotton, coffee, and cocoa. In 1795 the misnamed doctrines of liberty and equality, which prevailed in France, were disseminated in the West India Islands, through the infernal agency of Victor Hughes, whose emissaries excited the Caribs, and some of the French inhabitants, into an insurrection, which continued for upwards of two years. Many sanguinary contests took place, with various success, which cannot be detailed within the limits of this work; but, ultimately, by the judicious measures of Sir Ralph Abercrombie and General Hunter, the French were subdued, and the Caribs removed to Ruattan, an island in the Bay of Honduras. The devastation occasioned by the enemy cost the proprietors at least, one-third of the value of their properties; but uninterrupted tranquillity has since prevailed, and the fine tract of land in Charlotte parish, called the Carib country, consisting of 5000 acres, has been put into cultivation, and greatly increased the prosperity of the island.

In 1812 the island suffered from an eruption of the Souffriere volcanic mountain, which had been tranquil for nearly a century (from 1718). It was about 3000 feet high, with a crater half a mile in diameter, and 500 feet in depth; in the centre was a conical hill, 200 feet in diameter, and 300 in height, the lower half skirted with luxuriant vegetation, the upper with pure virgin sulphur; various evergreens and aromatic shrubs, covered in exuberant fertility the sides of the capacious crater, the interior of which presented a scene of Alpine seclusion and peaceful