Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1839-05-30
MORNING, MAY so, 1889.

IL. What commodities are there OF the
production, growth and manufacture OF
your plantation !; and particularly, what
materials are there already growing, or
may be produced for shipping in the
same?
Ansrcr. Commodities of the growth
of our country, we never had any but to-
bacco, which in this yet is considerable,
that il yields his majesty a great revenues;
but OF late, we have begun TO make silk,
and so many mulberry trees are planted,
and planting, that il we had skiifull men
from Naples or Sicily to teach US the art
OF making il perfectly, in less than half
an age, we should make as much silk in
an year as England did yearly expend
three score years since; but now we
hear il is grown TO a greater excess, and
more common and vulgar usage. Now,
for shipping, we have admirable masts
and very good oaks but for iron ore, |
dare not say there is sufficient to keep
one iron mill going for seven years.
ID. Whether s~alt-peire is or may be
produced within your plantation, and if
so, at what rate may it be delivered in
England?
Answer. Sal'-petre, we know ofnone
in the country.
IA. What rivers, harbours or roads are
there in or about your plantation and go.
vernment, and of what depth and SCUM.
dings are they?
Ansmer. Rivers, We have four, as |
named before, all able, safely and sever
ally to bear in harbour a thousand ships
of t. . greatest burthen.
Is. What number OF planters, servants
and slaves and how many parishes are
there in your plantation
Ansver. We suppose, and | am very
sure we do not much miscount, that there
is in Virginia above forty thousand per.
sons, men, women and children, and Of
which there are two thousand black slapes,
six thousand christian servants, Tor a short
time, the rest ure born in the country or
have come in TO settle and seat, in better
ing their condition IN a growing cOun.
try.
16. What number OF English, Scots,
or Irish have for these seven yeares last
past come yearly to plant and inhablte
within your government ; as also what
blacks or slares have been brought in
within the said time
Answer. Yearly, we suppose there
comes in, of servants, about fifteen hun.
dred, Of which, most are English, few
Scotch, and fewer Irish, and not above
two or three ships of negroes in seven
years.
IL. What number ofpeople have year.
~ died, within your plantation nnd go.
verpment for these seven years last past,
both whites and blacks7
Answer. All new plantations are, for
m age or two, unhealthy, I'LL they are
thoroughly cleared Of wood but unless
we had a particular register office, for the
denoting Of all that died, | cannot give a
particular answer to this query, only this
| can say, that there is mo- often unsea.
soned hands (as we term them) that die
now, whereas heretofore not n Of five
escaped the first year.
Is. What number of ships do trade
yearly TO and from your plantation, and
Of what bur.hen are they7
Answer. English ships, nearly eighty
come out Of England and Ireland every
year for tobacco; few New England
ketches but Of our own, we never yet
bad more than two at one time, and those
not more than twenty tons burihen.
10. What distractions do you find TO
the improvement ofthe trade and naviga-
ton ofthe plantations within your govern
menta
Anspcr. Mighty and destructive, by
that severe act of parliament which ex-
cludes US the having any m with
any nation in Europe but our own, so
that we cannot add to our plantation any
commodity that grows out Of it, as olive
trees, cotton or vines. Besides this, VT
cannot procure any skilfull men for one
now hopeful commodity, silk ; for 1t is
not lawful for us to carry a pipe staye,
or a barrel ofcorn to any place in Europe
out of the kings dominions. lfthls were.
for his majesty's service or the good Of
his subjects, we should not repine, what
ever our sufferings are for it but on my
soul, it is the contrary for both. And
this is the cause why no small or great
vessels are built here for we are most
obedient TO all laws, whilst tho New
England men break through, and men
trade to any place that their interest lead
them.
90. What advantages or Improvements
do you observe that may BIO gained to
your trade and navigation
Answer. None, unless we had liberty
to transport our pipe slaves, timber and
corn, TO other places besides the kings
dominions.
81. What rates and duties are charged
and payable upon any goods exported
out of your plantation, whether of your