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In the Wars betweenHollandandPortugalinBrasil, aDutch-Manarrived here from thence, who taught them the way of Planting and making Sugars. They are setout betweenAugustandDecember, six Inches deep, and do not come to Maturity until one year and a quarter: when ripe, which is known by their Colour, they cut them up with a Bill, and send them to the Wind-mills, which presses out the Juice so clean, the Canes by being an hour or two in the Sun, become fit for Fuel.
The Liquor must not remain in the Cistern above a day, for fear of souring; it is therefore by a Gutter conveyed to the Copper or Boyler, and in the boiling, the Filth scummed off; thence it’s conveyed into the second and third, and in the last, called theTack, is boiled to a Consistency, and turned into a Grain by throwing in ofTemper, which is only the Infusion of Lime and Water made strong according to the Goodness of the Cane. Nine Pounds of Juice makes one of Muscovado, and one of Molossus.
From hence it is carried to the cooling Cistern, till fit to put in Pots, which have Holes at Bottom to drain off the Molossus.
Of these Molossus again, they sometimes make another worse Sugar, calledPaneels. Of the Scum, coarse Molossus, Washings of the Boilers and Pots, fermented together, is madeRum.
To refine Sugar, is to boil it over again, and clarify with the same Lime-Water and Eggs, reckoned better than the clayed Sugars of this Region, made by putting a clayeyEarth mixed with Water to the thickness of a Batter upon them, and repeated three or four times according to the degree of Whiteness design’d; both ways carry the Treacle and Molossus downwards, but the former most esteemed, as mixing less, and purging to better purpose. Lime refines from Impurities, and imparts a softer Taste, experienced in throwing it into Wells of hard Water; the best refin’d in Loaves comes back to the Sugar-Colonies fromEngland, sell at 50 or 100per Cent.Advance, and are of common Use; they must be kept dry, a hot and moist Air dissolving them.
From Molossus, Distillers make a clean Brandy, and it gives a pretty tasted Spirit to Malt Liquors, boiled and worked in the Tun.
Besides Rum and Sugars, they have Quantities of Ginger, Aloes, Tamarinds, Citron, Cassia, Coloquintida, Cassava, Limes, Oranges, Guavas, Pine-Apples, Mastick, Cedar, Cotton and Palmeto Trees, prickled Pear; but our Apples and Pears, nor any of our Shrub-Fruits, Goose-berry or Currant, will thrive. Of the Potato they make a brisk Small-beer, calledMobby.
About two or three years ago, the low Price of Sugars, that had reduced and beggar’d the Planters, brought on a Complaint, and Bill in Parliament in their favour. They urged, according to the best of my Remembrance, that the northern Colonies, especiallyNew-England, being suffered to trade with theFrenchIslands, was in a great part the Occasion of this, and a Loss to the Nation; for they took off all theFrenchMolossus, which before they had no use for, but sold it our Islands at very low Prices.
TheFrenchtherefore were helped by this Sale, to afford their Sugars cheaper, and still more enabled bya nearer Way of Living; by the Customs being taken off, allowing them to go thence to any Market, and other Encouragementsto undersell, and take the foreign Markets fromus, who were clogged with all those Inconveniencies.
TheNew-EnglandPeople alledged, their Trade seemed the least essential Article in the Injury complained of; for unless our Islands found means to take off the other Impediments, and bring their Sugars to as cheap, or cheaper Price than theFrenchandDutch, they would be the same in respect to foreign Markets; and if new Grounds are better, or more wanted in Plantations, there are enough atJamaica,St. Christopher’s, &c. to redress the Evil. But this is not in their View, say they; the more Lands are employed, the less will be the Value of the present Estates, an impolitick Reduction of all prodigal Expences; for every Island singly, reckon their Happiness in part, not from the flourishing Condition of another, but from Casualties, and badSeasons;the less quantity there is to answer the Demand, the higher the Price.
Barbadosformerly used to buy theFrenchandDutchSugars, making all that Trade go through their own hands, till in 1715, laying a Duty turned the Channel, and they would now make up that oversight by imposing their own Price on us.
The Northern Colonies deserve Favour, they think, as vastly superior in Number and Trade, take off more of the Manufactures ofEnglandfor themselves, and their Trade with theIndians, who exchange Furrs and Pelfry to make Hats; for the same Reason, they want more Molossus to manufacture among themselves, than our Islands can sell, or if they could, cannot take off one quarter of the Lumber, Horses, and refuse Fish, with which we trade with theFrench, not only for Rum and Molossus (which may as well come to us this way, as through their hands) but sometimes also Money; and without which we have no means of purchasing, nor could get rid of our Produce and Industry, which is very unreasonable.
To lay a Tax of six-pence a Gallon onFrenchMolossus, is the same as a Prohibition, which their Country cannot so easily bear. They take 20000 Hogsheads a year (each 100 Gallons) from theDutchandFrench, which is 50000l.whereas they have no Specie to pay it, their Currency being allPaper, and that but 30000l. Besides, it would be the first Tax on a charter’d Colony fromEngland, where they have no Representatives.
Lastly, it was said, theFrenchbuy their Negroes, and Sugar-Materials (Mills, Coppers, &c.) 40per Cent.dearer than us; therefore for our Islands to say they cannot afford as cheap, is to say, they will not abate of their Pride and Luxury, but help to maintain it by a Tax on our more humble Industry.