The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-04

10 euiihnieoereu was ny military oiueldn
sent from home, either with definite in
structions under which TO rule or with
autocratic powers Of government. There
was no intention OF founding a popular
State, as had been the case with Virginia.
In a word. the French and Spaniards have
been conquerors rather than colonizers.
and, even as regards white emigrants and
their descendants, the form Of colonial
administration was largely fashioned on
military lines.
Our author directs attention to another
fact brought out by his study Of the Latin
settlement in the New World. In Virginia,
although at first those who died outnum-
bered the surviving, yet the tide OF immigra-
ton was kept up until finally there was
seif-supporting community. "Measurably
the same thing is true of the other English
colonies; but with the French we find that
rev came, except at the beginning, and the
rate OF increase was smaller among those
that did come thnn !. was among English
settlers. What was true OF Louisiana VI as
even more true of the Spanish settle
ments in Texas and Florida, which were
looked upon us remote outposts OF the CO.
lonlal empire centred in the city OF Mexico.
There is abundant evidence moreover,
that even in the first half of the eighteenth
century we are confronted by the ethno-
logical fact that the rate of increase among
the Latin races was already smaller than
1t was among the Teutonic. Mr.. Hamilton
appreciates the consequences of this phe-
nomenon the beginnings of which he traces
back to the time Of Louis XIV. The French
race then expanded rapidly all over the
world, but it's weakness was soon apparent.
The birth rate was smaller, and France
could spare few emigrants" in comparison
with the outflow of the rabbit warren
across the English Channel. In respect
of the energy displayed by the respective
governments in promoting colonization
our author is inclined to think that oh,
comparison would be, perhaps, in favor
Of the French" but he is convinced that
whether from GENERALIZATION or other
causes, the natural increase Of the French,
both at home and abroad, was less than
that of their Teutonic rivals The import
ant effect Of this difference upon the his
, tory Of the world was not foreseen, for
even the fact was not then known
Ill.
1t is well known that by the Treaty OF
Paris, which brought to an end the Seven
Years War, the territory described as the
Floridas and East louisiana was trans
ferred by Spain-France, OF course had
to join in the transfer. so far as East Lou
isiana was concerned-to Great Britain in
exchange for Havana and Manila, both
OF which cities had become prizes of the
British arms. In August, 1853. British
officer was despatched from Havana to
Pensacola, where he received from the
Spanish commandant possession Of the
place. In October Of the same year a de-
tachment of Highlanders reached Mobile
and the town was formally surrendered
by a representative of France. About the
same time st. Augustine was similarly
occupied. Thenceforth 1t was assumed
that the British banner was TO wave over
the whole continent east OF the Mississippi
River, except the New Orleans district.
Spanish Florida and East Louisiana were
now nominally fused together and di-
vided anew. Peninsular Florida, that ia
to say the part of the coded territory lying
east OF Appalachicola River, was called
East Florida, and had for It's capital St.
Augustine: all that part extending from
the Chattahoochee and the Appalachicola
on the east to the Mississippi on the west
was erected into separate province, named
West Florida, the capital OF which was TO be
Pensacola. The northern boundary of
the latter province was first fixed at the
parallel of 81 degrees of north latitude.
but the line was soon perceived to be in
appropriate, as it made continental Florida
little more than strip of seacoast. de-
pendent, especially in the case of Mobile,
upon rivers whose sources and main courses |
were far outside. Next year the line was
pushed up TO 50 degrees % minutes, and thus
included the site OF Natchez, which had |
been important in the past, and for strategic /
reasons might become so again.
We are indebted, as we have said, 10 Mr.. :,
Hamilton for the first full and trustw orthy !
account Of the Floridas during the twenty !
years Of British rule. Under the French at !
Mobile, as under the Spaniards at st. Au- /
gustine and Pensacola, the government OF
the territory had been practically military. |
so far as there were civil or political func-
tons, they were carried on by the same /
persons under other titles This was not to |
be the case under the British regime, for !
George Johnstone came early on the scene ,
as civil Governor. Between him and the
military commanders there was a good |
deal OF friction Obeying the instructions
quarters at Boston acted as Commander
in Chief Of His Majesty's forces in America,
many of the military officers at Mobile OPP
posed Johnstones claim Of supremacy for
the civil power, and signed a memorial
against the Governor, which Gage for
warded to London. In other words, the
very opposite of the French system was
developed in British Florida: instead of
there being no distinction between civil
and military governments. they were not
only different, but at Odds the civil depart
ment claiming to control the other.
or the condition Of West Florida at the
time when the British occupation began,
some idea may be formed from the fact that
now made the capital, then con-
sisted of only forty matched huts and some
small barracks, all surrounded by stockade
of pine posts AS late as 1907. when some
had been made, Haldimand,
the military commandant, wrote to Gage,
the British Communicating Chief that the
place was in a wretched state, the forts
being decayed the huts merely Of bark and
the palisades OF wood, as were the hospital
and storehouse. The buildings were at the
mercy. of a spark, as well as Of hostile In
dams The streets of the town were mar
row as v az the case also in Mobile and the