DRITISH SETTLEMENT


the subjects of Great Britain, w without ainv
previous information being given to them
on the part of the government of Spain,
of any misunderstanding having taken
place between the countries, were attack-
ed in their defenceless state by a strong
force, their properties materially injured,
their persons seized and treated in a way
of rather unusual severity. Many per-
sons were blindfolded and put closely in
irons, and all of them, of different sexes
and ages, marched from their homes to
Merida, the capital of Yucatan, after.
wards countermarched to the coast, thence
shipped to the Havannah, where they
were held in captivity until July, 1782,
when they were suffered to return to
Jamaica.
 The losses sustained by many indivi-
 dualsby this extraordinary event, amount-
 ed to a very considerable, sum; and al-
 though many respectful solicitations
 were made to the British ministry to ob-,