Some Observations on the Assiento Trade, as has been Exercised by the South Sea Company; Proving the Damage which will accrue thereby to the British Commerce and Plantations in America, and Particularly in Jamaica…

Pamphlet, 8vo, modern full calf in the style of an 18th century “Cambridge” binding, 32 pp.Very slight aging; in excellent condition. This is a rare first edition of a work that presents a complaint by British planters in the West Indies concerning the Assiento, or “agreement’, with Spain that gave Britain a virtual monopoly on the African slave trade. This agreement came out of the Treaty of Utrecht, which ended the War of the Spanish Succession. This pamphlet indicates that the planters feared , as a result of this agreement, British slavers might be required to provide African slaves to the Spanish colonies, which could result in insufficient numbers available for the West India plantations. The Assiento with Spain would mark the beginning of the Atlantic slave trade as a very powerful economic growth engine. Unfortunately this would translate into millions of Africans being taken from their homes.