King's College London
Exhibitions & Conferences
Young's Essay on Tobago

Relative safety of the island, page 43

[page 43]

to Buildings, ships, and People, in all other Islands of the
west Indies; even the general & spreading Hurricane of 
the year 1780,- which coverd the Land with ruins, and the
sea with wrecks, from the Bahamas, to Grenada & Barbadoes
-reachd no farther South, and spared Tobago;- It is not in
the memory of man, or on Record, or from Tradition, “That 
this favord Isle ever sufferd by Hurricane.”
         To avail of its advantages from Nature, and turn Tobago
to Imperial Account, undoubtedly Labor and Expense, must
in the first instance be employd, by the Government concernd:
-Docks and arsenals must be Built;- Batteries must be raisd;
-other works of service or defence be constructed;- and hospitals
and barracks be erected;- in brief,- to form a naval & military
establishment, the incidental charges must be incurrd.
        In the Present state of Europe, and Policy of warfare widely
extending to every Quarter of the Globe, whilst- “ships, Colonies,
& Commerce” are most strenuously contended for, as the Sources
of wealth, and means of sustaining the Contests of Gt Britain
and France, for immediate interests and safety, at risque on
The very thresholds of their respective seats of power & Governments

Young acknowledges Tobago as a relatively safe haven from hurricanes, but this positive benefit of settlement on the island is perhaps not emphasised enough, or effectively aligned with his other well-made arguments throughout the Essay.

In this exhibition


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