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The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III. / From the Accession of George III. to the Twenty-Third Year of the Reign of Queen Victoria cover

The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III. / From the Accession of George III. to the Twenty-Third Year of the Reign of Queen Victoria

Chapter 836: STATE OF THE BRITISH COLONIES.
By Edward Farr
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About This Book

The volume traces British political, parliamentary, and military developments from the accession of George III through the early nineteenth century, chronicling changes of ministry and cabinet, debates over colonial taxation and the American conflict, parliamentary controversies involving figures such as Wilkes and Warren Hastings, questions of Catholic relief and slave-trade abolition, and responses to the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars, including major naval and continental campaigns, the union with Ireland, and domestic legislation on finance, civil liberties, and parliamentary reform.

STATE OF THE BRITISH COLONIES.

At this time our settlements at the Cape of Good Hope were greatly disturbed by the unpopularity of the governor, Lord Charles Somerset. Another part of the great African continent was also the scene of more tragical events. The administrators on the Gold Coast having taken part in the quarrels of the natives, and violated the terms of a treaty concluded some years before with the Ashantee monarch, he led a well-appointed army against them. Sir Charles Macarthy, Governor of Sierra Leone, advanced against him with a few Europeans and some thousands of barbarian allies; but the King of the Ashantees was victorious. Sir Charles Macarthy was slain, and his forces were defeated with dreadful carnage. Alarm was entertained for the safety of the principal settlements at Cape Coast Castle; but the “Thetis” frigate having arrived with a few troops, and the garrison being strengthened by some auxiliaries from Acra, the enemy were repulsed. They were afterwards overthrown in several engagements by Colonel Sutherland, and compelled to desist from hostilities. In North America our colonies were in the enjoyment of great commercial prosperity, though in Lower Canada dissensions had commenced, which portended future important consequences. From the continent of Australia, also, the most pleasing prospects continued to be unfolded. In New South Wales and Van Diemen’s Land the population, from emigration, had doubled itself; and important returning cargoes of wool, &c., began to compensate for the expenditure of the mother country. A brisk trade was also carried on from thence with India and the remotest regions of the world. Similar pleasing features were unfolded in the Society Islands and the Sandwich Isles; in the former of these Christianity was established. In New Zealand, also, there was a marked improvement in the manners of the natives: they began to eat potatoes, which they derived from trafficking with New South Wales, instead of human flesh. These improvements were the elements of a new order of things, to be developed fully in the lapse of time.