CHAPTER IV

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THE WEST INDIES, 1793-1810.

Present importance of the West India islands 109

Their value at the end of the eighteenth century 109

Control of a maritime region dependent upon the navy 110

Interests of Great Britain in the Caribbean Sea 110

Condition of Haïti 111

Relation of Haïti to the routes of commerce 112

Mistaken policy of the British in Haïti 113

Military and commercial value of the Lesser Antilles 114

Their political distribution in 1793 114

Naval weakness of Great Britain in that region 115

Expedition of Jervis and Grey in 1794 115

Capture of the French islands 115

The French retake Guadaloupe 116

Disastrous results to British possessions and commerce 117

Expedition of Christian and Abercromby, 1796 117

Its successes 118

Criticism of British military policy in 1794 119

Injury to Great Britain of Spanish and Dutch alliance with France 120

Capture of Trinidad by the British 121

Subsequent events in the West Indies 121

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