The jealousy and competition between foreigners and our ship owners, which exists in the trade of the southern states, derives no encouragement from the annexation of the peninsula, in forming the arrondissement of the United States, and leaving no nucleus, or subsidiary, to foment those mercenaries who would barter the undivided moiety of the Union for a license to fish on the banks of Newfoundland, and then surrender (if they could) the remainder, for a participation of the India trade, or of that of the southern states; which last they might, by a more laudable policy, ensure exclusively to themselves.

The trade on the eastern side must be carried on by coasters, fitted out and owned in the north, from the nature of the coast, and other circumstances too obvious to need an enumeration, which that on the west cannot soon interfere with for want of population and settlement, since some time will be required to develope its vast importance in every point of view, by affording to its inhabitants all the necessaries and comforts of life, and yielding to the United States and the commercial world its superfluous produce, hitherto unknown as articles of trade.

Such was the languishing state of these Provinces (embracing a thousand miles of sea coast) in point of trade, as well as of agriculture, under the dominion of Spain, that neither were calculated to afford resources to individuals, or revenue to the crown; but, on the contrary, rendered them unproductive to the former, as they have been burdensome to the latter. Since, appropriations from the more wealthy possessions were required to defray the exigencies of govern

ment; which were formerly settled by bills, (liberansas) on the Havana, in default of dollars in that quarter, when they could be spared. The remittances required were about $150,000 per annum.

It is proper here to remark that the most efficient revenue afforded to the crown was derived from duties collected at Amelia, during the embargo of 1808, and the war of 1812; which, upon a very reduced scale, yielded, it is said, $100,000.

The articles of trade of which this country can boast may be condensed, with those of the southern states generally, viz, cotton, rice, Indian and Guinea corn, bees and myrtle wax, lumber of all descriptions, and of the best kind, particularly live oak, pine and cypress, peltries and naval stores, cedar and cabbage posts, bark for tanning, alligator skins, stone, lime, oranges, lemons, limes and citrons, in kind, and in juice and preserves, fish and turtle, bear's oil, honey, perfumes, pot and pearl ashes.

In enumerating the articles of trade promising great advantage, it is due to the traders to apprize them of the destructive character of the worms to all vessels trading to the ports where the salt water is predominant; they should guard against them by means of copper or zinc. Vessels of easy draft of water should be employed until the bars are improved, or become perfectly familiar to the American mariner.

POPULATION.

Heterogeneous as the people of this country may be considered, their neighbours, under present circumtances, will naturally be anxious to know who they are, and what they formerly were.

It may fairly be presumed, from the tumuli, and other vestiges, frequently discovered in the Peninsula, that there formerly was an extensive population in this country, whose origin appears to be very uncertain.

In 1763, at the evacuation by the Spaniards, there were, in St. Augustine, three thousand inhabitants. In 1768, it is stated there were, in East Florida, six thousand, not including Indians or troops; and, in 1778, an increase, by emigration from the Carolinas and Georgia, of near seven thousand loyalists, with their slaves.

The Minorcans, brought into the Province by Dr. Turnbull, have in general remained in it, and served, from their regular mode of life, and industrious habits, to increase the population. The families introduced by Mr. Rolle, about four hundred in number, became dissatisfied, and took refuge in the Carolinas; so, also, did the Highlanders, who arrived in 1772, having been prevailed upon by the M'Intosh's to settle in Georgia.

Romans states the population of St. Augustine, in 1775, to have been only one thousand.

The remainder of the Province was always thinly peopled. Among the population of this country, may be fairly rated the Indians, as the immediate descendants of its aborigines; who have been much diminished by frequent wars. Yet it is very certain, that in the statements or estimates of the population of the country, they have not been fairly brought into calculation.

After the evacuation by the British, in 1784, few of the old settlers remained in the province, most of them having emigrated to the neighbouring states, and to the Bahamas and other British possessions in the West Indies; thus leaving the Spaniards to occupy the towns, beyond which they did not venture, except to keep up a semblance of occupancy.— Very shortly after the departure of the English, the Indians came into the neighbourhood of St. Augustine, burnt Bella Vista, the country-seat of Governor Moultrie, and created so much alarm among the Spaniards, as to impede, if not annihilate, the farther progress of cultivation.

Attempts were made, by the governors of the Province, to encourage settlers, by offering lands, but these were fruitless, until some of the inhabitants of the Bahamas, having failed in their efforts to reap even a bare subsistence from those barren rocks which were assigned to them by the British, as an asylum in return for their loyalty, availed themselves of the opportunity of returning, as a dernier resort, to avoid total ruin and starvation, and settled near the Mosquito. But the want of protection from the Spanish government rendered

their settlements alike temporary and unproductive; and those whose property was free from incumbrances removed to the United States, from which, in turn, some of embarrassed circumstances, as well as others, withdrew to Florida, and did much in improving the country, when the revolution in 1812 caused their removal.

The militia in East Florida was about six hundred and fifty strong, in 1817.

The whole population has been variously rated at from eight to ten thousand in the provinces, of which about three thousand are in St. Augustine.

The number of Indians cannot be well ascertained, owing to their distracted and dispersed state. It has been estimated that they have 3,000 warriors, which will be thought inconsiderable by many; but, as they are without leaders, even this calculation cannot be considered accurate.

The present population of the Floridas cannot be rated at more than six thousand of all descriptions, in East Florida, and five thousand in West Florida, according to the best information.

No doubt remains in my mind, that when the population of this country shall have increased by the emigration of our Eastern neighbours, (which there is no doubt it will in a short time,) accompanied by their industry, talents, and economy, the country will be improved to such a degree as to be scarcely recognizable.

The perfidious policy of the regal government of Spain has always been marked by its fixed determination to keep the Americans from its colonies, owing to their great dread