GD/46/17/14
337
Draft memorandum to the Duke of Portland
Whatever may be the public consequences resulting from the occupation of Dutch Guiana by the British, its operation in creating very rapid and splendid fortunes to Individuals is very apparent, & some of these fortunes have been so very rapidly acquired as to furnish grounds to strong suspicions that there had been something foul in the mode of their accumulation – my attention was very early drawn towards this subject, from several Gentlemen in my neighbourhood being among the first speculators in Guiana. Of these, some never had any fortune, & others had exhausted what little fortune they were possessed of, yet, with very few exceptions . . . they all returned speedily with larger & some of them with immense fortunes.
Goes on to say he has studied two or three of these men and so has an insight into the general condition in Guiana . . . . progress of their coffee plantations has been a cause of alarm to our colonies for many years back . . . extension of cotton is of a very modern date, not beyond 1782, when Mr Porter discovered the superior fitness of the salt lands – before this the chief cultivation was up the Berbice River, above Fort Nassau, the then seat of government, now replaced as seat of government by New Amsterdam. Almost all of the coast from ? Creek to Devil’s Creek now occupied.
In 1782 Mr Porter, a ruined man from Tobago owing £10,000 more than he was worth, left to recover a debt for 20 Negroes sold to Mr Elliott of Demerary. Having been accustomed to cotton planting, he acquired Lot 27 on the east side of the Demerary. His Dutch friends thought him mad but he succeeded in producing cotton, and that of better quality, and made an immense fortune. Over the next ten years this changed the face of the country.
[NB Will of George Porter of Demerara, West Indies,19 October 1818.PROB 11/1609]
Migrations of Britons to Surinam and Demerary had been frequent under Dutch possession but ‘at the period of us taking possession, the influx of English, and still more of Scots, adventurers was truly astonishing’.
Dutch government gave great encouragement – low cost and easy transfer of land, but some confusion because no lawyers in the colony and later the Governor of Demerara and Essequibo refused to confirm grants of a considerable tract of land – many were afterwards confirmed with the provisos:
- 10 Negroes to be put on in 18 months
- a house built
- a road made
- a polder taken in
- if sold within 20 years, sum of own money to be paid
Mortgages easily procured because merchants at home eager to secure consignment of produce ‘of those Virgin Lands’. As a result those who could barely procure a mortgage at home on an unencumbered estate can immediately command money of they own a property in Guiana.
[Seaforth’s account of the advantages of Guiana are summarised in a letter by Edward S Fraser – p386 in the same volume:
- richness of soil
- requires little work to clear the land before cultivation
- health of Negroes in the climate is good [LS ‘uncommonly health and wonderfully prolific . . . deaths less that 2% per annum’]
- abundance of provision land
- prolific tendency of Negroes
- number of negroes required to manage land not above 1/10th of that in the Islands
- buildings seldom required and when they are they are cheaper
- cotton requires little expense in Buildings
- cotton trees perennial in Guiana, while they are annual in the Islands
- saline soil peculiarly suited to cotton – seed from Georgia used and quality of cotton improves as it ‘comes near the line’
- abundance of sea and river fish, sea and land fowl, and quadrupeds
- little clothing required for Negroes
- purchase of land is at note more than 5 years purchase [LS – usually ¼ in cash then ¾ in annual instalments over three years. ESF expresses this as ¼ ready money, which is a bill at 3 months, then 3 equal instalments.]
- Dutch government give encouragement
- Low taxes
- Negroes at 18 – 24 months credit
- Cotton blossoms in 3 months and gives crop in 6 months, so the negroes and instalments are paid by the crops
- Not subject to hurricanes
- Ease with which money and land provided]
These features explain the ‘sudden accumulation of fortunes’. Not built on dishonourable means but on ‘Energy of British Capital and British Industry’.
LS rejects criticism of hiring out of slaves as not wrong in principle and also as a feature of the first cultivation of the salt lands, when negroes could not be provided in sufficient numbers, so hired from the river planters’ coffee, sugar and provision plantations.
Example of Mr Blair who has, among many other properties, 9 or 10 lots on the east side of the BerbiceRiver. In 14 months a Negro gang of 50
- Impoldered 500 acres
- Planted 400 acres with cotton and 50 with plantains
- Dug a canal 2 miles long, 16 feet wide and 2 feet deep
- Removed stuff for a dam of between 10 and 12 feet
In return the master of the gang received one of Mr Blair’s lots on paying 20,000 florins (£1666).
Blair paid about 20,000 florins (£1666) for each lot and sells for 60,000 (£5000). Recently one of his uncultivated lots east of Devils Creek sold for £7000. So, lots bought by Mr Porter in 1782 for £500, worth £5000 in 1800 and £7000 in 1801 – all for uncultivated land. [ESF expresses as ‘vast fortunes made by land jobbing’]
Cultivated land varies in value but an example of a friend of mine: his land when fully cultivated will employ 250 – 300 negroes, now 150 who produce £4000 - £5000 of cotton per year. The total – poldered and uncultivated – is about 240/250 acres. Goes on the explain the term ‘polder’.
Concludes that any malpractices that have taken place arise more from the chicane and bad faith of the Dutch Government than the Adventurers.
Intricacies of administration: various companies – Berbice, Surinam etc – variously bound to Dutch Government for assistance of many troops. Suspended and control vested in ‘Council of the American Colonies and Possessions’ but without injury to the pecuniary or territorial rights of the Companies and without Dutch Government taking responsibility for the debts. Dutch Governors then claimed right of granting lands e.g. Mr Blair acquired 40 lots, half on east and half on west of Correntyne, part of 150 lots granted by the Governor.
Governor Frederici also attempted, with some British merchants, to monopolise the importation of negroes to Surinam, by enforcing regulations. LS doubts validity of Gov Frederici’s grants west of the Correntyne as not in Berbice. Urges the establishment of a commission to examine all such grants.
Argues strongly for British control – soon be able to supply the world with sugar, cotton and coffee.
Much more on frontiers etc
ESF’s letter of late 1800 (see above) also adds re development of Guiana:
What an asylum for those of broken fortunes from other colonies. What an opportunity to rival the French in Domingo. It can supply the deficiencies of our own ‘wearing out islands’. Can keep up population of negroes and more. If Cayenne taken, then all the coast could be protected at little cost and Guiana, Jamaica and Trinidad could supply the world with sugar, cotton and coffee.
If the Dutch colony is restored, our colonists will swarm thither with their negroes and we shall lose subjects, capital, industry, commerce, produce, shipping and manufactures. If not Dutch, the French will erect Guiana into ten Domingoes. ‘Which Mr Pitt, of his infinite mercy and goodness, avert!’
GD/46/17/14 p392
ESF to LS
1800
Offers to accompany LS if he is appointed to a Governorship in the area. If Guiana, would need only a small emolument as he has an estate by legacy which he might be better able to realise in person with a friend to procure justice. Would require more if Jamaica. ‘To go with you, I would not hesitate where I went.’ His friends Mr Cuthbert and Cllr Fraser can give good advice on how an honourable man may acquire a fortune.
GD/46/17/14
3 Sep 1800
Would go also to Barbados. Would require leave of absence from Customs
GD/46/17/14
29 Sep 1800
Leave of absence requires Treasury approval. He has gathered information on Guiana.
GD/46/17/14
1 Nov 1800 (from Princes Street)
Unhappy with LS’s offer. Now no reason to go to West Indies, having made a settlement with Mr James Fraser, other than his pride in serving LS. He has a large family and narrow resources.
GD/46/17/14 p372
Edward S Fraser to Lord Seaforth, written from Reelig
2 Nov 1800
Surinam has been in great danger; Victor Hughes has been embodying negroes in the back country
Mentions this to fortify Seaforth in enforcing the necessity of a Government in Guiana and of ‘sweeping out the vipers at Cayenne and curbing the maroons’.
‘Your speculation and mine can be of little value otherwise.’
Colonists will not grudge a handsome arrangement for a Governor General and very extensive patronage may be created.
GD/46/17/14
14 Nov 1800
re maps of Guiana, information on Cayenne and Berbice lands
GD/46/17/14
4 Dec 1800
Leave of absence impractical
GD46/17/20p37
Archibald Alves[1], Harley Street to LS
6 Mar 1801
Confirming conclusion of purchase of Berbice lands, with LS’s share to be £4000.
GD46/17/20
ESF to LS12 Mar 1801
Ruysack has effected the purchase of 8 lots on the west coast at 245,000 florins.
Explosion near Northern Rooms killed many poor people waiting for soup and a cousin of ESF also killed. Windows shattered in the town.
GD46/17/20
ESF to LS10 Apr 1801
Hears from a friend James Murdoch of LS’s safe arrival. Hopes his thoughts, and perhaps his feet, will turn to Berbice – Alves and Munro went out to Holland to complete the purchase. Mr Blair heard through ‘blabbing’ and expressed his disappointment at having missed the speculation, declaring it worth £100,000. If so, it is tolerably cheap at 20,400.
GD46/17/20
13 May 1801
Our friends returned from Holland – purchase on very easy terms indeed. Urges LS to dispatch some one valuable character to manage lands and slaves.
GD46/17/20
Proposals for lands in Berbice:
East Coast nos 1, 2, 3, 4 – reform as 3 lots rather than 4, each with 100 roods front to the sea
West Coast 11 & 12 – make into 3 lots
23 & 24 – make into 3 lots
35 & 36 – make into 3 lots
A&B, a tract of 3000 acres, make into 9 lots.
3 lots of the 9 of A&B, which fall to LS, Dr Munro and me will be drawn for as follows: 1 to LS, 1 to Dr Munro and me, 1 to LS
Of the 4 lots of the remaining 12 lots – the same with the fourth lot to be sold with 2/3 to LS and 1/3 to Dr Munro and me.
GD46/17/20
ESF to LS
18 Jun 1801
Chitchat – Geo Baillie has entered into business with Mr Jaffray in the West Indies [i.e. John Jaffray]
-William Alves marries Davison of Tulloch’s elder sister
-James Fraser is said to have made £40,000 by his last trip
GD46/17/20
23 Aug 1801
Refers to LS’s Mr Fairburn’s anxieties about the division.
Certain men in civil and military positions in Guiana have applied to the British Government for cancellation of our grant. Title might prove defective.
Impatient and half angry at not having heard from Munro and Alves
GD46/17/20
4 Sep 1801
Grant of A&B has been challenged
GD46/17/20
16 Oct 1801
The Peace has resolved out difficulties. Hopes LS will visit Berbice. Treaty allows for three years trade with shipping of goods in British bottoms, which will allow our property to come to perfection.
Geo Baillie has effected a very extensive and complete system of business in the West Indies, connected with his new House – he is likely to command the cream of the African trade in Guiana and the Leeward Islands – and is to receive large consignments of produce but advances no money.
GD46/17/20
28 Nov 1801
Peter Fairbairn from Demerary
Arrived from Berbice, lodging with Capt Farquhar Macrae, whose brother is a respected merchant here. Travelled with the brother by horse and chaise to Berbice on Sunday last – reached lot adjacent to A&B, now property of James Fraser, his brother Simon residing there. He has become son in law to Governor van Battenburg, who he met the next day. Legal affairs completed. Learns that Berbice is to be returned to the Dutch.
Arranging for the purchase of 20 Negroes.
Planters have a high opinion of the properties. They would prefer an English colony but see nothing injurious to their interests in falling under the Batavian Government.
Surveyor will finish in 2 weeks.
I have not seen Mr Macleod since my return – Mackenzie and he have the sale of a cargo of Negroes on hand just now, which do not go off rapidly
GD46/17/21
William Munro to LS
6 Jan 1802
Division and sub-division complete.
GD46/17/21Memorandum Feb 1802
Hector Mackenzie to undertake impolders and manage land for a season
Seaforth and Reelig drew the easter 1/3 of A&B, adjacent to Paradise. James Fraser drew middle and proposed an exchange.
GD46/17/21
23 Apr 1802
Peter Fairbairn to LS from Kingston, Demerara
Lodges with Mr Macleod – the prospect of a breach with Baillie is too true. Complaints to Baillie that Macleod to long absent in the islands and of uncivil usage of a shipmaster.
Incessant rain since December and roads impassable. Plantations have suffered. The little dry season in march and April has not set in.
Met Simon Fraser, on his way to Britain with his wife who is in bad health.
Sets off tomorrow for Berbice by sea, Colin Macrae’s boat.
Mr Macleod continues the management of the slave business and has sold several cargoes.
The 20 negroes are all alive and have seasoned freely – one woman has given birth to a boy. Paid by a £1000 draft on Colin Mackenzie and £741-13-4 by 1 Sep next by Bill at sight at Edinburgh (allow 2 months for the bill to reach Edinburgh).
Requires a further 20-30 negroes on 18 months credit.
Murdo Downie has arrived here as surveyor but prospects not good and has gone to Trinidad.
Pitlundy’s son, who came here 2 years ago, has died.
The Seamen fall in great numbers from fever.
GD46/17/21
1 May 1802
PF to LS, Demerary
Alves says delay in survey not the fault of the surveyor but the rains. Plantation walks have suffered and some difficulties in provisions for negroes. Coffee planters expect no crop for want of season in march and April. Sugar planters have done best.
Dr Chisholm takes farewell of the West Indies for Britain.
Sir James Colquhoun was in Berbice and died of fever.
Mr Walcott, a rich planter, survived fever but is in a state of lunacy. Hs fortune said to be £100,000.
Mr Mackenzie expected daily, when Mr Macleod’s doom will be determined. Macleod is selling a large cargo of Gold Coast Negroes - £85 a head in lots of 6 men, 2 women, a boy and a girl – on 12 or 15 months credit.
GD46/17/21
29 May 1802
PF to LS, from Kingston,
Arrived from Berbice. 20 negroes quite well. 7 seasoned negroes purchased and more bespoke – 2 drivers, 2 men, 2 women (the drivers’ wives) and a fine child.
Now 53 in all – 33 seasoned.
A&B will not be ready for possession until September by which time the plantation at 35&36 will be considerable – split negroes into 2 gangs and add 20 negroes to each – impolder A&B and cultivate crop in 1803.
The sale of 11&12 and 1,2,3,4 will set all right.
GD46/17/21
1 Jul 1802
General state of Berbice Concern
Paid down on purchase March 1801£3800
Misc legal costs£ 43 6s10d
Advances to William Mackenzie for expenses£ 300
53 negroes£4775 2s 1d
+ instalment due 1802£2266 13s 4d
Total £11,1852s4d
Paid by general Colin Mackenzie£2128 9s10d
Paid by Lord Seaforth£398110s 4d
Balances (due 1802-04)£5075 2s 1d
Even with projected sale of land balance still £801 4s 11d
Sale of land very important
GD46/17/21
28 Oct 1802
Colin Mackenzie to LS
Re LS’s financial affairs – selling more land at home is indispensable unless you trust to Berbice for at least assuring all the expenses of your family after you return.
LS has proposed:
£1200 claimed from Suddie and P Macleod – but this is doubtful, a regimental claim
Reelig to be offered British security for his £1800 – will this be accepted?
£2000 to be borrowed – can only secure £1400
Even with loan this will leave a deficiency at 1 May 1804 of £1050
Estimation for crop of 1803/04
Task gang£ 800
Provisions£ 280
Overseer’s fees£ 400
Clothing, doctors bills etc£ 300
£1780
Same for following year£1780
Shipping etc£ 940
Total£4500
Leaving £1500 net return on the first crop of 600 cwts, received @ 6 months credit in Dec 1804
Mr Fairbairn will deduct 3 years allowance @ £300
Further projections with more land cultivated might give a crop of 900 cwt – £9000
With costs of cultivation increased in proportion: £1780+1410 – £3190
After Fairbairn’s fee would leave a fund of £4000 - £4500
If you come home, you come to more distress and embarrassment than ever. If you remain abroad, you ease the situation.
Goes on to discuss the possible sale of Kintail.
GD46/17/21
Negroes purchased for the Berbice estate
1801
1 Dec 20 Prime Gold Coast Negroes£1741 13s 4d
(12 men, 2 boys, 5 women, 1 girl)
1802
12 Mar 3 seasoned negroes£ 304 3s 4d
29 Mar 4 seasoned negroes£ 441 13s 4d
19 May 4 men, 2 women, 1 child£ 570 18s 9d
24 May 20 prime Gold Coast Negroes£1666 13s 4d
Total 53 negroes, 2 children £4775
GD46/17/23
p34 Peter Fairbairn to Lord Seaforth 7 Jan 1803 from Kingston, Demerara
Rains have prevented him going out. Has had letter from Mr H Mackenzie who has Brahan in such a state of cultivation that he has been planting cotton for 3 weeks past, and plantains which will in 12/14 months ‘cut off a very important branch of Expense - Provisions’
Says Keith is well as are the negroes – two have escaped but he expects them back soon
1,2,3,4 is lotted but no offer made yet for our division
Mr Macleod has arrived and is well – Mr Mackenzie and he offer for such negroes as I may require 18 months credit to be paid by Bills at 6 months – in all 24 months credit.
Continuing difficulty with the division of A&B. Letter from Dr Munro. James Fraser, Alves and Spalding (who shares with Alves) have resolved to sell everything but A&B.
GD46/17/23p53
PF to LS 15 Feb 1803
Has been unwell but not dangerously so. Slave ships about to arrive and anxious to buy 20 negroes.
Has spent over £58 on carpenter work at Plantation Brahan.
The impolder contains 220 acres, 30 of which are planted with plantains. In 12 months ‘we shall cease to buy provisions’. c£1000 on task gang for impoldering.
GD46/17/23
ESF to LS Inverness 30 Apr 1803
Has been to Brahan and looks forward to LS’s return ‘as rich as a Demerary man’. Refers to his share in Union and comments on emigration from the Highlands.
Another letter of Jan? 1803 comments on excessive numbers of caterpillars on the cotton