SCOTTISH TRADE & SETTLEMENT IN THE CARIBBEAN: 1795 (Dec.8) entire headed "St.Vincent", written by D. Macfarlin to his correspondent at the Bank of the Meadows in Edinburgh. The initial postage assessed at 2/2 has been amended to 3/2 (with a large crown mark in red alongside, authenticating the alteration; Edinburgh "FE/4" Bishop Mark in red and black double-ring arrival mark on the reverse alongside a straight-line ST.VINCENT. Macfarlin refers to the departure of General Irving, the arrival of General Stewart and expresses frustration that the new commander "is tied down to act on the defensive untill the reinforcement arrives, the forerunner of which, an arm'd brig is arrived at Bado's [Barbados] and the fleet may be expected daily..." He also refers to problems on Rattan Island on the Mosquito Coast.The Second Carib War begun in March 1795 by the Caribs, who harboured long-standing grievances against the British colonial administration, and were supported by French Revolutionary advisors including the radical Victor Hugues. The Caribs successfully gained control of most of the island except for the immediate area around Kingstown, which was saved from direct assault on several occasions by the timely arrival of British reinforcements. British efforts to penetrate and control the interior and windward areas of the island were repeatedly frustrated by incompetence, disease, and effective Carib defences, which were eventually supplemented by the arrival of some French troops from Martinique. British settlement of the Mosquito (or Miskito) Coast concentrated especially in the Black River area, Cape Gracias a Dios, and Bluefields. The British plantation owners used their estates to grow some export crops and as bases for the exploitation of timber resources, especially mahogany. Most of the labour on the estates was supplied by African slaves and by indigenous slaves captured in Miskito and British raids into Spanish territory. By 1786, there were several hundred British residents on the shore and several thousand slaves, mostly African. (Image)

Estimate AU$500-750
Min. Bid. AU$380