310 Series III Volume IV- Serial 125 - Union Letters, Orders, Reports
Page 310 | CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. |
These two items of 41,596 negroes in the island in 1702, and of 360,722 imported from Africa from that time up to 1775-together, 402,318-give the number of negroes who would have been in the island in 1775 if the population had neither augmented by natural increase nor diminished by mortality in the previous seventy-four years. But, in point of fact, this population of 402,318 was represented in 1775 by only 192,787 survivors. a It had diminished in three-quarters of a century by 209,531; that is, to less than one-half.
A similar table to that above referred to for Jamaica is given for the British West Indian colony next in importance, namely, the island of Barbadoes. It extends, however, over seventeen years only, namely, from 1764 to 1780, both inclusive. b It indicates a rate of decrease in the slave population for greater even than that in Jamaica. It appears from the table that in 1764 there were in the island 70,706 negroes; that there were imported in the next seventeen years, namely, up to 1780, 38,843, no importations of negroes in the last seven years of the period nor any exportations of them throughout the period being recorded. To 70,706 (the number in 1764) add 38,843 (the number imported in seventeen years) and we have 109,549 as the number of negroes who, if there had been no natural increase or decrease of population, would have been alive in 1780, but in that year there were but 68,270 alive on the island. At this rate of decrease the population would have diminished to one-half in twenty-three years.
But, to obtain general results, we must look to more comprehensive estimates than these. Unfortunately there are to be found no full statistical details which might enable us to calculate with accuracy the number of negroes and their descendants of mixed blood now on the Western Hemisphere. We know that there were in 1860 4,435,709 in the United States. c
We know that in the West Indies, including Guiana, there were emancipated by England, France, Denmark, Sweden, and Holland about 915,000 slaves; d and the usual estimate is, that to these should be added one-fifth to obtain the present colored population of these colonies. This would give 1,098,000-or say, in round numbers, 1,100,000-as the entire colored population of the West Indian colonies
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a The Rev. Mr. Bridges, after quoting the table above given, and stating that after deducting the negroes exported from those imported, 360,722 were left for the supply of the island, adds that the number alive in 1775 was 192,787. (Work cited, Vol.2, p.456.)
A resident for years in Jamaica, Mr. Bridges had access, through the Duke of Manchester, Governor of the island, to all important official documents. An apologist of slavery, he may be trusted as to any evidence against it.
b Lords of Council Report, Part III, Barbadoes, Table A, No. 15.
c Preliminary Report of Eighth Census, p.7.
d The total number emancipated was as follows:
England.............................................. 770,390
France............................................... 248,560
Holland.............................................. 45,000
Denmark.............................................. 27,144
Sweden............................................... 531
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Total...............................................1,091,625
But of the slaves emancipated by England 102,363 were not in the Western Hemisphere, namely, at the Cape 35,700, and in the Mauritius 66,613. There were also among those liberated by France 74,501, in the Eastern Hemisphere, namely, in the island of Bourbon 60,651, in Senegal 10,350, and in Nossi-be 3,500. Deducting these two items of 102,363 and 74,501 from 1,091,625 we have 914,661 as the total of slaves emancipated in the West Indies, including Guiana.
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