In doing this he should apply his observations chiefly to Jamaica, which
contained more than half the slaves in the British West Indies; and if he
should succeed in proving that no material detriment could arise to the
population there, this would afford so strong a presumption with respect to
the other islands, that the House could no longer hesitate, whether they
should, or should not, put a stop to this most horrid trade.
In the twenty years ending in 1788, the annual loss of slaves in Jamaica
(that is, the excess of deaths above the births,) appeared to be one in the
hundred. In a preceding period the loss was greater; and, in a period
before that, greater still; there having been a continual gradation in the
decrease through the whole time. It might fairly be concluded, therefore,
that (the average loss of the last period being one per cent.) the loss in
the former part of it would be somewhat more, and in the latter part
somewhat less, than one per cent.; insomuch that it might be fairly
questioned, whether, by this time, the births and deaths in Jamaica might
not be stated as nearly equal. It was to be added, that a peculiar
calamity, which swept away fifteen thousand slaves, had occasioned a part
of the mortality in the last-mentioned period.
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