Military consensus, page 40
Young demonstrates in this passage that he has consulted with nautical experts, giving his arguments increased credibility.[page 40]
- for the Harbour cannot be blockaded.
Repeating this assertion, I should candidly state,-‘ that one
Respectable officer commanding a sloop of war, with the Gloire
and two other H.M. Ships, in August 1810, examining the Coasts
and Soundings,- told me, -“that good anchorage had been found
“under shelter of the st Giles’s Rocks;- and that He thought, Guard
“Boats, might thence row during the night to watch the entrance
“of the Bay”:- The worthy Captain was not aware of the occasional
force of our Currents,- or He would justly have apprehended,-‘ that
He might never again see,- or Boat or Men!- it is but lately
that a Boat with nine able negroe sailors, belonging to Dr Warner
drifted to, and was first again heard of from, the Isle of Margarita:
The Currents have at times a force, which cannot be stemmd
by the Oar, and their occasional Eddies make a short, and
breaking wave, dangerous to boats:- as to the anchorage reported
I doubt not that the Ground is, as reported, good; and the
shelter, at the time taken,- sufficient;- But often the Trade
wind from ye open Ocean, blows a very gale, and the swell
round St Giles’s: Rock becomes tremendous;- The safety of the station
can be only occasional;- and I must yet retain the Opinion,
-“That Manowar Bay cannot be blockaded to effect.”
In this exhibition
- Background information
- Gallery and transcription
- Introducing the Essay
- Natural resources of the island
- Tobago's relative position
- The Commercial & political importance of the island of Tobago
- The Commercial & political importance of the island, continued
- Port of enterprize and command, page 29
- Orinoco River, page 30
- Appeal to British merchants, page 31
- Historical political instability of the island, page 32
- The reach of the Orinoco River, page 33
- Potential trade agreements with Spain, page 34
- Further trade routes with South America, page 35
- Establishing the port of Courland, page 36
- Prospects of national advantage, page 37
- Conclusions
- Military significance of Man o' war Bay, page 38
- Further significances, page 39
- Military consensus, page 40
- French intentions for the island, page 41
- Suitability as a port for ships of war, page 42
- Relative safety of the island, page 43
- The necessity to prepare for conflict, page 44
- Revelations of an inside source, page 45
- Fas est, et ab hoste doceri, page 46
- Select bibliography