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Seven Years' War. Florida. Treaty Of Paris. Ltr Fr A Brit In Occupied Cuba, 1763 For Sale
Offered is a very nice letter from a British merchant in Havana during the brief period that city was occupied from August 1762 to July 1763 when it was again taken over by the Spaniards under the provisions of the Treaty of Paris. The letter measures 9 x 15 inches, four pages all of which are correspondence, and datelined "Havana in Cuba 27th April 1763." The letter is from Henry Yelloly to his brother who, from the text we conclude may have lived in Northumbria. The condition of the letter is at least fair, perhaps good, with most of the folds holding. Half of the center fold was split but has been repaired with tissue-thin archival tape. The writer had excellent penmanship so the letter is easy to read except for two or three lines along the folds. SEE SCANS for the text. The writer has some interesting comments about Pensacola and also the relationship between the British military in Cuba and the local clergy. Clearly Mr. Yelloly did not think much of the Spaniards, and even less of the Catholics. Again, see the scans. The letter is about 145 lines long, but we willquote a bit from it: "Our Affairs here have not be so; successful as I could wish.... We have sold to the amount of about L40,000 [pounds] Sterling but have still a large Quantity of Goods on hand, & if the Garrison does not stay Sometime here we are Apprehensive we must seek another market. We expect soon to have Directions in that head, & I believe one of us must go down to our New Acquisition Pensacola in Florida, it is a fine Country that we have got there tho but poorly inhabited, but Pensacola from its Contiguity to the French at Missisipi & to the Spaniards in the Bay of Mexico (a wealthy populous Coast) it is Generally thought will be the Center of a very Considerable Trade, while the Country round it is Capable of the greatest Cultivation. The Spaniards I believe are not aware of the Advantage they gave us in ceding us this Country, it is of little Value to them, but in the hands of an industrious people may prove a mine equal to any of their Boasted ones, besides by the possession of all Florida we entirely Command the Gulph of that name through which all their fleets from Vera Cruz & the Havana must pass to Europe, & in case of any future War may effectually prevent their having a single ship with Treasure. I hope our people at Home are fully apprised of the Value of this new Addition to the British Empire, & will take such measures for its Defence & Government as may render its natural Advantages Effectual, both as to Trade, & Superiority over our Enemys. I fear much that a Military government will for sometime Subsist there which is incompatible either with the Security or Success of Trade. We have suffered great hardships here from it, tho freeborn Englishmen, & have Suffered greatly by the Avarice & the Despotic Tyranny of our G.....l Alb..mle & his brother {this is a reference to George Keppel, 3rd Earl of Albemarle who was responsible for taking Havana in August 1762 and his brother Henry Keppel}, it is supposed that the impositions upon us will make some noise at home, but I am afraid Redress will be hard to come at.... The real case, however, is that those who ought to be our Protectors are Become our Oppressors, equally regardless of our Interest or Property, in this case we have paid to the Taxes Laid on us by the Gov't upwards of L2500 [pounds] Sterling, most Vilanous Extortion." He proceeds to write about the area around Havana: "...the Country adjacent isextreamly pleasant & a most noble Soil, fit almost for every natural production & that perhaps with a little Labour as any soil in the World, but little as it requires the Spaniards deny even that, & many Tracts of Land in the Neighbourhood of the City lye as much neglected as some of the Barren Heath in Northumberland...was this Country in the Hands of an English Government & People it would in 10 years timebecomeperhaps the finest place in the World." And then on to the Catholics - "Their Religion is a Disgrace not only to Christianity but to Common Sense & their Impious uncharitableness is really Shocking.... They will not allow our Good friends The French to be good Catholicks, I say this to the Honor of that Nation, as for us poor Hereticks we are all damned without the least Glimpse of hope. There is about 3000 priest & fryers in this place, the Bloodsuckers of the people." And towards the end he relates an episode involving the British authorities and the Bishop where finally the military governor had to use force, or at least the threatof force - see scans 6-8. And Yelloly approved noting : "There is nothing like Setting the Military to manage the Clergy." And that's about it. Payment via Paypal, though other forms of payment are usually accepted.
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Seven Years' War. Florida. Treaty Of Paris. Ltr Fr A Brit In Occupied Cuba, 1763: $1,281
