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

Favourable ocean currents, page 24

[page 24]

the Island,- its natural strength of Country,- and the
magnificent Harbour on the Northern Coast of Tabago, which
no storms ever Trouble, and which No ennemy can either
attack, or Blockade.
         -Considering Manowar Bay, as a safe Place of Depôt,
It remains to show that “It is a convenient One”;- and to
Invite the making it a place of arms,- by the shewing
it by Nature,- to be a Port of Enterprize.
          The Tropical Winds being in this Latitude prevalent
from E.S.E.- a vessel from Tabago, may run direct for
Barbadoes, with the wind on the Beam;- and to all
other west India Islands, with the wind most favorable. 
Trinidad, lays due west, at only six Leagues distance,
and Tobago commands, and is the very Key of that
Important Island, as its Governor Picton well represented.
Currents and Eddies cooperate with the prevalent Trade
winds to favor the voyage to Trinidad;- and to Impede that
of Return:- From Courland, a vessel may run by the Boccas
to Port d’Espagne, in a few hours;- The vessel, for Return
must take a Northing,- and, as the sailors express it, “-go
“to sea to fetch Tobago,”- nor then make the landing in less days,
than it took hours for the Leeward Voyage.

In Young's Essay - and in some of his other works - he often hints at feeling jealous in regard to Trinidad's preferential treatment at the hands of the British colonial government. In this passage he is emphasising Trinidad's uselesssness without its neighbour Tobago.

In this exhibition


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