220 FLORIDA.

thorpe again invaded Florida, and offered battle under the


very walls of St. Augustine, but, having
the Spanish refusing to fight in the open,
to retire without accomplishing anything
1748 a treaty of peace between England
a suspension of these chronic hostilities
colonies. Upon the renewal of the war
fell into the hands of the English; and
Cuba and England wanted Florida, an


no ordnance, and
he was compelled
.Fortunately, in
and Spain caused
between the rival
in 1762, Havana
as Spain wanted
exchange was ef-


fected by which on the 10th of February, 1763, the prov-
inces of East and West Florida passed into the possession
of t British crown.
 SUnder British rule Florida enjoyed a period of peace
 dan growth and prosperity such as it had never before
 known. At the time of the cession, the Spaniards had held
 the country for upward of two hundred and fifty years, yet
 the interior was still almost wholly unexplored, the settle-
 ments were little more than forts, and the entire population
 amounted to only six or seven thousand, of whom many
 left the country on the change of flags. The first English
 Governor (General James Grant) took immediate steps to
 promote the settlement of the province and to develop its
 resources, and his efforts were cordially seconded by the
 public-spirited gentlemen who had been induced to settle
 there. Roads were laid out, bounties were offered for
 indigo and other productions, immigration was encouraged
 in every possible way, and peace was ma4e with the Ind-
 ians. Sir William Duncan and Dr. Turnbull brought out
 fifteen hundred Greeks and Minorcans and settled them at
 New Smyrna; and, though the enterprise ended disas-
 trously, it had a good effect in calling attention to the
 industrial opportunities afforded by the country.
 In the War of the Revolution Florida took no part, but
it afforded an asylum for many thousand loyalists from
Carolina and Georgia, and the British used it as the base