JET. 26.]

LETTERS.

129

TO LORD SYD.VEY, SECRETARY OF STATE.

[Copy,in Captain Nelson’s Narrative, vide p. 176 postea.]

Boreas, Basseterre Road, St. Christopher’s,20th March, 1785.

My Lord,

It is not to criminate any individual, but to vindicate mycharacter as an Officer from the aspersions that are thrown onit by the inhabitants in general of this Island and Nevis, —Ibeg this may be my apology for troubling your Lordship. Thecharacter of an Officer is his greatest treasure: to lower that,is to wound him irreparably. But I trust as it is only by doingmy duty that has caused these aspersions, the approbation ofmy Sovereign will make ample amends for the calumnies of theinvidious.

In November last, I was appointed by the Commander-in-Chief to the Station at these Islands to protect the Commerceof Great Britain, which I have endeavoured to do by everymeans in my power. Americans at this time, I am very sorryto say, filled our Ports; but as I did not think it was a legalCommerce, I have constantly endeavoured to suppress it, thedoing of which has so much hurt the feelings of the people ingeneral, from the highest to the lowest, that they have notonly neglected paying me that attention my rank might havemade me expect, but reprobated my character, by saying thatI am the injurer of this Colony, and that the Minister neverintended to hinder Americans from coming into our Portswith any trifling excuse, only that the Trade was not be madefree from all restraint. This did not appear to me to be themeaning of his Majesty’s proclamation, or anything tendingthat way: consequently I have ever excluded all Vessels be-longing to the United States from having a free intercoursewith our Colonies, where the Ship under my command has beenstationed. But although these Foreigners have been orderedaway by me, yet, my Lord, astonishing to tell, these Vesselshave almost always gone into some Port in this Island, andunladed their cargoes. What reasons they give to the Officersof the Revenue I know not; but almost uniformly are theirreasons admitted to be good.

At times the King’s Ship is obliged to sail to the neighbour-ing Islands to procure wood, water and provisions : constantly

VOL, I. K