or **BARRIBADOES**, is one of the West India islands belonging to Britain, and the oldest of her settlements in that part of the world. The exact date of its discovery is unknown, but it was probably not later than the early part of the sixteenth century. The Portuguese are supposed to have been the first Europeans that visited this island, as it lay almost directly in their course to and from Brazil. They, however, had not regarded it as holding forth sufficient inducements for colonizing, as when first visited by the English in 1605 it was destitute of inhabitants, and covered with thick forests. The first English vessel that arrived there was the "Olive Blossom," the crew of which took possession of the island in the name of King James, by erecting a cross upon the spot where Jamestown was afterwards built, and cutting upon the bark of a tree that stood near, "James K. of E. and this island," James king of England and this island. The favourable accounts which Sir William Courteen, a London merchant, afterwards received of the island from one of his ships that had touched there, induced him to attempt a settlement. He accordingly fitted out two large vessels under the protection of Lord Ley, afterwards Earl of Marlborough, who had obtained a grant of this island from James I. One only of these ships arrived at its destination on 17th February 1625, and landed 40 English, and 7 or 8 negroes, who laid the foundation of a town, which, in honour of their sovereign, they called Jamestown.

The Earl of Carlisle, who had previously obtained from James I. a grant of all the Caribbean islands, disputed with Marlborough the possession of Barbadoes. This was at length settled by Carlisle agreeing to pay to Marlborough and his heirs an annuity of L300, on which the island was made over to him by patent, dated 2d June 1627. Courteen was displeased at this arrangement, and accordingly applied to the Earl of Pembroke, who, during the temporary absence of Carlisle, obtained a grant of the island from Charles I. in 1628. On his return, however, Carlisle obtained the revocation of Pembroke's patent, and his own reinstatement in the possession. The insecure nature of his tenure now induced the earl to offer his lands in Barbadoes for sale, stipulating that each settler should pay him 40 lb. of cotton annually. On this condition a company of nine London merchants obtained a grant of 10,000 acres. They accordingly nominated as governor Charles Wolferstone, a native of Bermuda, who, with 64 settlers, to each of whom Barbadoes were allotted 100 acres, set out for Barbadoes, where they arrived in July 1628. The new colonists settled to the windward of the former settlers, and founded Bridgetown. The Pembroke men refused to submit to the authority of Lord Carlisle, in consequence of which disputes arose between them, which at length had to be referred to the two earls. These appealed to the king, who issued a second patent, dated 7th April 1629, confirming Carlisle as proprietor of the island. During the civil war that raged in England, a great number of families attached to the royal cause took refuge in Barbadoes. About the year 1647, Lord Carlisle, son of the original patentee, entered into an agreement with Francis Lord Willoughby, in terms of which the latter was to receive all the profits arising from the colony for twenty-one years, upon condition of paying one-half to the earl. This agreement received the sanction of the king, and Lord Willoughby was appointed governor of Barbadoes, and the other Caribbean islands. He accordingly arrived in Barbadoes in May 1650, where his first step was to convene the legislature, and to proclaim His Majesty's right to the dominion of the island. Soon after this the parliament sent out a strong force against the colony, under the command of Sir George Ayscue, and prohibited all foreign vessels from trading with the English colonies. Several attempts were made to get possession of the island, but without success, until a part of the inhabitants declared for the commonwealth, on which Lord Willoughby was obliged to treat for peace. Upon the restoration of the king, Lord Willoughby was again appointed governor, but, from the number of claimants on the island, the planters were apprehensive that the validity of their rights might sooner or later be disputed, and accordingly applied to His Majesty to have the grant to the Earl of Carlisle declared void. Carlisle, who died about this time, had bequeathed his West India possessions to the Earl of Kinnoul. Besides Lord Willoughby's claim for the moiety of the revenue during the remaining years of his lease, the creditors of the Earl of Carlisle now put in claims to a large amount, and the heirs of the Earl of Marlborough claimed the arrears of their annuity of L300, which had never yet been paid. To satisfy these claims, Mr Kendall, in name of the planters, offered to consent to a tax of 4½ per cent. on all the exported produce of the island. An immediate settlement of the claims of the Earl of Kinnoul and the heirs of the Earl of Marlborough was proposed, and the division equally between Lord Willoughby and the earl's creditors of the net revenue during the remaining years of his lordship's lease, after which period, the remainder, after deducting as much as His Majesty should consider necessary for the support of the governor, was to be divided among the creditors. On the settlement of their claims, the whole revenue was to be at the disposal of the crown. The inhabitants of the island, however, denied the authority of Mr Kendall to offer the 4½ per cent., and at first refused to agree to it, but were at length induced to comply. This tax, for a long period, pressed heavily upon the planters of Barbadoes, and it was only repealed in the reign of Her present Majesty (1838). A fruitless attempt to get possession of this island was made in 1665 by the Dutch, under the command of Admiral De Ruyter. Bridgetown was nearly destroyed by fire in 1668, but was afterwards rebuilt in a more substantial manner. In 1669, the governor of Barbadoes was appointed governor-in-chief of all the Caribbean islands to the windward of Guadalupe. An awful hurricane devastated the island in 1675. The following year a plot among the negroes to take possession of the island, was discovered in time to prevent much bloodshed. Two great fires in 1766 and 1767 nearly reduced Bridgetown to ashes. A tremendous hurricane in October 1780 destroyed almost every building on the island, and killed many of the inhabitants. The loss of human life has been estimated at 4326 souls, and of property at According to Poyer, however, 3000 persons perished, and the loss of property amounted to L1,018,928. Between that and the last great hurricane of 1831, there were several others, the severest of which was that of October 1819, but these were less disastrous. The dreadful hurricane which desolated the island in August 1831 exceeded in violence any of the former. The number of persons who lost their lives is said to have amounted to upwards of 2000, and by some to upwards of 5000; and the loss of property to nearly L1,602,800. There was an insurrection of the negroes in 1816, which involved a great sacrifice of life, and much destruction of property.

Barbadoes is the most eastern of the Caribbee islands, lying 78 miles due E. of the island of St Vincent, between Lat. 13° 2' and 13° 19' N., and Long. 59° 26' and 59° 39' W. It presents almost the form of an irregular triangle; its greatest length in a direction N. by W. is nearly 21 miles, and its extreme breadth from E. to W. is 14½ miles. Its circumference, excluding the sinuosities of the bays, is 55 miles, and its area 106,470 acres, or about 166 square miles. In size, and in some measure in its outline, it bears a considerable resemblance to the Isle of Wight. It is almost encircled by coral reefs, which, in some parts, extend seaward for nearly three miles, and prove very dangerous to navigation.

Notwithstanding its small extent, Barbadoes presents considerable variety of surface, as valley, hill, table-land, &c. A deep valley running almost due E. from Bridgetown divides the island into two parts, of which the northern is by much the larger. Near the centre of the latter Mount Hillaby, the highest point of the island, rises to the height of 1147 feet. From the west coast the ground rises in distinct successive terraces, interrupted by ravines, to the central ridge; from which, and principally from Mount Hillaby, hills of a conical form radiate in a north-eastern direction toward the sea-shore; these are rugged and worn by the heavy rains and torrents which pour down their sides.

The north, west, and south parts of the island consist of rocks of coralline limestone, with beds of calcareous marl, containing numerous recent shells of various species: the east is composed of strata of siliceous sandstone, intermixed with ferruginous matter, calcareous sandstone passing into siliceous limestone, different kinds of clay, selenite, earthy marls, frequently containing minute fragments of pumice, strata of volcanic ashes, seams of bitumen, and springs of petroleum.

The rivers are all small, except during the rainy season, when they are much increased. There are several chalybeate springs, the principal of which are the Spa and the Cheltenham, so called from the fancied resemblance of their waters to the celebrated mineral springs of that name in Europe. These springs contain chiefly iron, carbonic acid, and fixed alkali, in different proportions. The "Boiling Spring" is a small spot where carburetted hydrogen escapes; and when the shallow excavation is filled with water, it has the appearance of being in a boiling state, though its temperature is not in the least changed. On the application of a flame, it burns with a whitish light.

Barbadoes is considered to be one of the healthiest islands of the West Indian archipelago. The climate, though warm, is very salubrious. In the forenoon, the mean temperature during the year is about 80°; and in the afternoon 82° Fahr.; the minimum being 75°, and the maximum 87°.

Soon after its first settlement in 1625, the accounts of its great fertility attracted many immigrants from the mother country; and during the civil war in England, great numbers took refuge there. The accounts of its progress, however, are so contradictory, that they cannot be relied upon. In the report of the privy council in 1788, the population of the preceding year is stated to have been 16,127 whites, 2229 free coloured, and 64,405 negroes. According to the census of 1844, it contained 122,198 inhabitants, of Barbadoes, whom 56,004 were males, and 66,194 females. This census, however, had been very carelessly taken, and the governor stated in his despatch, that the population was not less than 130,000. Even according to the census, there were 7348 persons to each square mile, a denseness of population exceeding that of China. According to a census taken on the 25th of June 1851, the population (exclusive of the troops) was 135,989, of whom 62,272 were males, and 73,667 females; 15,824 white, 30,059 coloured, and 90,056 black. This gives 8174 inhabitants to each square mile; yet notwithstanding this, it is stated in the government report, that so long as the seasons continue favourable, there is abundance for all its present population, and that "unless there should happen some material change for the worse, in the returns of property here, the demand for labour will always rather exceed the quantity offering in the market than the contrary."

The island is divided into eleven parishes or districts, the area and population of which, according to the last-mentioned census, were as follows:

| Area | Male | Female | Total | |------|------|--------|-------| | St Michael | 9,580 | 16,071 | 21,651 | | Christ Church | 14,310 | 7,259 | 8,516 | | St Philip | 15,040 | 6,550 | 7,348 | | St George | 10,795 | 5,384 | 5,876 | | St John | 8,600 | 4,235 | 4,665 | | St Thomas | 8,500 | 4,679 | 5,131 | | St Peter | 8,380 | 4,477 | 5,329 | | St Joseph | 6,010 | 3,321 | 3,687 | | St Lucy | 8,425 | 3,849 | 4,574 | | St James | 7,500 | 3,168 | 3,716 | | St Andrew | 8,780 | 3,279 | 3,438 |

Bridgetown the capital, in the parish of St Michael, contained 20,026 inhabitants.

The Church of England is the established form of religion. The bishop has an income of L4000; and in 1851 there were eleven rectors, who, besides a glebe and parsonage, and compensation in lieu of marriage and burial fees, had each a stipend of L320; 18 curates at L150; and two legislative chaplains. The dissenting bodies are not numerous, the Wesleyans and Moravians alone having missions here. The former have 8 churches, 4 preaching stations, with 3 missionaries, 14 local preachers, and about 2000 members; and the latter have 4 stations and 5 missionaries. There is a small Roman Catholic chapel, with one priest, principally for the soldiers of the garrison, the other adherents probably not exceeding 35 or 40. The Jews have a very handsome synagogue, erected in 1833; the congregation, however, numbers only about 70.

Attached to almost all the churches and chapels there are Sunday-schools. Connected with the Established church are about 60 day-schools, almost all primary, in several of which the children are both clothed and fed. Harrison's free school was established in 1733 for the education of 24 poor children. The central school of Bridgetown was founded in 1819 for the maintenance and education of poor white children; and in 1846 it had 80 boarders and 71 day-scholars. The private schools are very numerous. The island is indebted to the munificence of General Codrington for the grammar school and college which bear his name. The course of studies pursued there embraces the classics, logic, mathematics, physics, surgery, theology, &c.

A small public library has been formed, which seems to Public be fully appreciated by the people; and the trustees accordingly have been encouraged to make exertions for its enlargement. There are also a literary and several agricultural societies. A general hospital was opened in 1844, and is attended gratuitously by six medical practitioners of the first standing. There are also a leper and a lunatic asylum, an alms-house, and a number of charities for widows and orphans; and in Bridgetown a common jail, besides three houses of correction in the rural districts.

The chief staple articles produced in Barbadoes for export are sugar, arrow-root, aloes, and cotton. The following table gives the value of the imports and exports for the years 1849, 1850, and 1851:

| Year | Imports | Exports | |------|---------|---------| | 1849 | L.591,478 | L.791,740 | | 1850 | 734,355 | 831,634 | | 1851 | 789,977 | 887,627 |

Carlisle Bay, the port or harbour of Barbadoes, forms an open roadstead, which is much exposed to the wind when blowing from the S. and S.W. It is spacious, and capable of containing upwards of 500 vessels of all sizes. It affords, however, no protection during gales; and at such times vessels at anchor generally prefer putting to sea, to running the risk of being driven ashore.

The local government consists of a governor-in-chief, assisted by a council and a house of assembly. The council consists of twelve members, appointed by mandamus of the sovereign, generally upon the recommendation of the governor, and holding office during the royal pleasure. The house of assembly is composed of 24 delegates, elected annually by the body of the people, two for each parish and two for the city of Bridgetown. The courts for the administration of civil justice are, the court of chancery, the court of common pleas, the court of exchequer, the court of ordinary, the court of admiralty, the court of error, and the court of escheat. The criminal courts are the court of grand sessions and the court of admiralty sessions. For dealing summarily, both in civil and criminal cases, police magistrates are appointed.

See Poyer's History of Barbadoes; Schomburgk's History of Barbadoes, 1848; Colonial Reports, &c.