e acquainted with Mr. Alexander
McCrea, brother to my kind host, and as soon as my health would permit,
visited him at his plantation, the Hope, 11 miles from Stabroke, the
capital of the colony of Demerary. In this society, and from other
quarters, I was favoured with various information upon the situation of the
colonies in Dutch Guiana, and their importance in a political and
commercial point of view.

The colonial produce of Demerary, Essequibo, and Berbice, chiefly consists
in sugar, coffee, cotton, rum, and molasses; but the richness and fertility
of the soil is capable of raising any tropical production; new sources
being daily unfolded, of the immense wealth derivable from these colonies,
and their great importance to Great Britain. The following example,
extracted from the Custom House reports, may elucidate this in a striking
degree.

In the June fleet of 1804, consisting of sixty sail of various burthen and
tonnage, there were exported, viz.

17,235 Casks of sugar. 203 Casks coffee.
442 Barrels do. 39,701 Barrels cotton.
3,399 Puncheons rum. 336 Hhds. molasses.
8,668,885 lbs. wt. coffee.

Calculating sugar at L20. per cask, and L3. per barrel; rum 150 guilders,
or L12. 10s. per puncheon; coffee 1s. per lb.; cotton L20. per bale of 3
cwt; and molasses a guilder, or 1s. 8d. per gallon, the total amount will
be upwards of L1,600,000.

This immense export has since progressively increased, and colonists are
only wanting to augment it to an inconceivable extent. How valuable then do
these colonies become, and of what importance are they, in any negociation
with the enemy.

Unquestionably under the fostering care and guidance of British
jurisprudence, they would produce an accumulated export infinitely beyond
the present computation, and be productive of increasing wealth to the
merchant, and revenue to the country.

The lands are still more fertile proceeding towards the interior, and being
thinly inhabited, are attainable with great facility, and are extremely
various in their productions.

At this period these valuable possessions were nearly in a defenceless
state, having a very inadequate and feeble military force to defend them,
and being almost without naval protection; they had literally only an armed
brig and schooner, built and set a float by the colony of Demerary, to
guard an extensive coast, and an immense property.

In addition to th