degree of dependence of the French Islands on North America.

Q. Whether, if the Americans were prevented from trading with the French Islands, it would be advantageous to Great Britain?

A. A speculative opinion is asked; I speak only to facts.

Withdrew.

John Ellis, Esq. called in.

Q. What is your situation?

A. I am a Planter of Jamaica; have resided in that Island at different periods, from 1754 to 1773.

Q. Inform the Committee what you know of the present state of Jamaica in general, and of her dependence in particular on North America, in regard to the reciprocal exchange of commodities between them.

A. The Island of Jamaica being of great extent, the several parts of which differ from each other, from a variety of circumstances attending their respective situations, it is impossible to give any one general answer, that is not liable to many exceptions. The Island contains nearly four millions of acres, of which I compute one hundred and sixty thousand acres to be planted in Sugar-canes, and I suppose a little above double that quantity of land is kept as a necessary appendage to the Sugar estates, and employed in pasturage and grounds allotted to the Negroes for Provisions, and in furnishing Timbers, Fire-wood, Lime, &c., the whole of which makes five hundred thousand acres. In other settlements, such as Pimento, Cotton, Coffee, Ginger, and Penland, for breeding Cattle, and in Provision plantations in the neighbourhood of the Towns, I reckon as much more. The remaining three millions consist of a great wilderness, chiefly mountainous, in which it may be presumed there are many intermediate tracts capable of cultivation, but which, from difficulty of access, and the little prospect of profit adequate to the stock requisite for their settlement, continue in their present state; for however rich any lands may be in themselves, yet, if the circumstances attending their cultivation are such as to render it probable that the capital to be employed will not produce an adequate return, it cannot be supposed that any prudent person will adventure therein. In so large a tract the soil is various, and adapted to the production of different, commodities; the climate and seasons also differ greatly. On the South side, at the extremities of the Island, the Parishes of Westmoreland and St. Thomas, are seasonable, or supplied with refreshing showers, and the manurable lands are chiefly employed in the growth of the Cane. The, intermediate Parishes near the Sea, being St. David, Port Royal, St. Andrew, St. Catharine, St. Dorothy Vere, and St, Elizabeth, are subject to dry weather, insomuch that particular spots only are employed in the cultivation of Sugar. The flat lands are chiefly appropriated to the purposes of raising Cattle, and the mountainous lands in the vicinity of Spanishtown and Kingston, besides producing Coffee, Ginger, and a little Pimento, afford a partial supply of Provisions, such as Plantains, Roots, and Indian Corn. The inland, Parishes of the South side, St. John's, St. Thomas, in the vale, and some part of Clarendon, being more seasonable, raise, I believe, in plentiful years, a sufficiency of the above Provisions for their own support, and sometimes furnish relief to the neighbouring Parishes. The several Parishes on the North side, are fertile, and in general seasonable, excepting on some parts of the Sea-coast, where I have known the drought so excessive, as it was particularly in the year 1770, and the calls of distress so loud, that neither the back lands nor the neighbouring Parishes could afford sufficient relief; and had it not been for supplies from North America, many thousand Negroes must have perished for want. On the whole, though the Island of Jamaica has, in respect of internal supplies, greatly the advantage over Barbadoes and the other British Sugar Islands, yet from the circumstances of drought and gusts of wind which happen frequently, and are particularly destructive to the Plantain Trees, which yield the chief support of the Negroes, her dependence on North America in point of Provisions, is very great, and cannot, I think, be lessened in any considerable degree, without diminishing the growth of the staple commodities of Sugar arid Rum; for besides those articles which chiefly constitute or supply the place of Bread, such as Flour, Rice, Corn, and Peas, she receives from America great quantities of salted Fish; which, with Herrings from Europe, serve the Negroes as Meat. I confine myself in this state to matters of mere subsistence for our Negro Slaves, without taking into the estimate the great quantities of Pork and other salted Provisions imported from America for the use of the White inhabitants. In regard to Lumber, for that species which is called Staves and Heading, and of which we make the Packages for our Sugar and Ruin, the dependence which Jamaica has on North America, may be judged of from this circumstance. The Island at present yields about eighty thousand hogsheads of Sugar, and about thirty thousand puncheons of Rum, for exportation. Now I am positive that not three thousand of the Casks necessary to contain this great quantity of produce, are made from Jamaica Wood; a few Puncheons indeed are imported from England, and also some few Hambro Staves, the Puncheons being packages of Goods sent out; but all the rest we receive from the Middle Colonies of North America and from Georgia. With regard to the other species of Lumber, such as Scantling, Boards, and Shingles for Houses, the different Towns are chiefly built with these articles from North America; as are also the buildings of most of the settlements on the Sea-coast. The interiour parts of the country being in the neighbourhood of large woods, supply themselves from the growth of the country, or at least I think ought so to do.

To conclude, the supplies annually imported into Jamaica, chiefly from the associated Provinces of North America, consisting of Pitch, Tar, Turpentine, Lamp Oil, Boards, Joists, Plank, Hogshead and Puncheon Staves, Shingles, &c., Horses, and a great variety of Provisions, such as Flour, Indian Corn, Biscuit, Beef, Pork, salted Fish of different kinds, and Rice, amount by the most exact calculation I am able to make, to upwards of one hundred and fifty thousand Pounds sterling, in payment of which the Americans receive Sugar, Rum, Coffee, Ginger, and other articles of Jamaica produce. The North Americans have of late years imported also considerable quantities of Cash, which, with their cargoes, they lay out in the purchase of the above articles.

Q. In so vast a space as three millions of acres of un settled Land, do you not apprehend there are a great many tracts capable of cultivation, and of producing Provisions, and many other articles of those supplies, which at present are furnished from North America?

A. Doubtless there are; but the Planter must necessarily, and will irremediably suffer before those lands can be prepared for cultivation, and yield them a sufficient supply. He will even suffer by his dependence on the wisdom and interposition of Parliament; not perceiving, till it is too late, the absolute necessity of converting his distant lands, if he has any, into Provision settlements, before the calamities attending distress and want will overtake him. I speak now in regard to Provisions only; a failure in which may be attended with the most alarming consequences, from rebellions of the Slaves. As to Lumber, those plantations which are situated near considerable tracts of Woodland, may doubtless, at all times, obtain a partial supply, though very few species of Wood are fit for the purpose of making Staves for Sugar Casks; as to Casks for Rum, the Island affords no proper Wood; but I know not how the other estates are to be furnished, except from America. And after all, supposing the Island had resources within herself, and could, in time, actually supply both Lumber and Provision in sufficient quantity, it must be remembered that seven-eighths of the Planters are already deeply in debt to Great Britain, and cannot support the expense of great land carriage, which must unavoidably attend the cutting their own Wood, and bringing it to their estates; neither can they obtain credit to make new settlements for the purpose of raising Provisions. It follows, therefore, and the fact really is, however fortunate a few individuals may be in respect to the situation of their estates, that the Planters in general cannot submit to the necessity of cutting their own Lumber, and of raising greater quantities of Provisions than the Island at present affords, without neglecting, in a proportionate degree, the staple articles of Sugar and Rum; and I need not point out to the Committee how greatly