TERCENTENARY OF BARBADOS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 16, 9 April 1927, Page 23

TERCENTENARY OF BARBADOS

TUST over three hundred years an > ” —on February 21, 1627—the good ship William and under the rommand of Henry Powell, with 30 English colonists on board, arrived off the island of Barbados, in the West Indies—an island slightly larger than the Isle of Wight, and then devoid of human habitation. Herds of swine roamed the silent woods of the island, having been introduced years before by a passing mariner. The island had had other callers, but the advent of these 30 settlers 300 years ago was the real foundation of what is to-day a prosperous British colony. Barbados is intensely proud that, unlike most of the other British West Indian islands, it has never passed out of British possession. It has had a varied history since it was first taken possession of by the English ship Olive Blossom in 1605. Men from this ship had no intention of settling on the island, but nailed to a tree a notice proclaiming "James, K. of E., and of this island." The James was. of course. James I. The settlement of Barbados was not until 22 years later, and it is that tercentenary which was recently celebrated. A grant of the island was made by James I. to the Earl of Marlborough, and an expedition for the colonisation of the island was fitted out under his protection by Sir William Courteen, a London merchant. Only one of the two ships, the William and John, reached Barbados, and the 30 settlers founded the town of Jamestown (now Holetown). From the Earl of Marlborough it passed into the possession of the Earl of Carlisle, then to the Earl of Pembroke, and later to the Earl of Carlisle again. His son transferred his interest to Lord Willoughby of Parham for 21 years. Lord Willoughby, on his arrival as Governor, caused an Act to be passed acknowTedging the King’s dominion over Barbados, and recognising his own position as Governor. He was compelled tc relinquish the Government when the Commonwealth was established. Many Royalist families found refuge in Barbados as a result of the Civil War. At the census of 1921, the population was 156,312. English is universally spoken. The Government consists of a nominated Legislative Council of nine members, and a House of Assembly elected annually by the people. Next to the House of Commons, and perhaps the House of Assembly in Bermuda, the Barbados House of Assembly is the most ancient legislative body in the Empire. The principal exports are sugar and molasses, and the British Union Oil Company have wells on the island. Education is well looked after brschools in each of the eleven parishes, by the Grammar Schools and by Codrington College. This was founded by General Christopher Codrington, who died in 1710, and in 1575, by the efforts of Bishop Mitchinson, it was affiliated to the University of Durham, and students of Codrington College are admissible to all degrees In the several faculties of that university.