Ashley, John, attributed author Present state of the British sugar colonies consider'd London 1731
[Ashley, John, attributed author.] The present state of the British sugar colonies consider'd: in a letter from a gentleman of Barbadoes to his friend in London. London: printed for J. Wilford, 1731. 28 pp. 4to, disbound. Probably the first edition; another printing, possibly a piracy, has an imprint which reads simply "Printed in the year 1731." "The first in a series of three 'letters' by the same author [the others were in 1732 and 1733], a Barbadian planter who is concerned with the island's economic plight, its losses in the sugar trade, and the competitive advantage of French-produced sugar. In a detailed discussion, he uses Barbadian trade and production figures to illustrate his argument, concludes that the island has suffered economically as a result of a number of impositions on West Indian trade, and offers remedies to ameliorate this situation. A useful source for information on the island's commerce and economy." -- Handler. With statistics comparing Barbados and Martinique. A very good copy of a very scarce tract. The ESTC (03/01) lists eight copies (L, Oh; DLC, ICU, MH-BA, NNC, RPJCB, TxU); the other printing is similarly rare. Sabin 65328; European Americana, 731/13; Hanson 4234; Handler, p. 25.
£1250
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