Page:The History of the Island of Dominica.djvu/14

 The dicovery of this Iland was claimed by the three kingdoms, of England, France, and Spain; but the right of poeion remained undecided, and Dominica was conidered as a neutral iland, by three Crowns; till the year 1759, when, by conquet, it fell under the dominion of Great Britain; and was afterwards ceded to England, by the treaty of peace concluded at Paris, in February 1763.

On the ceion of the iland to the Englih, Commiioners were appointed under the Great Seal, and ent out there with authority, to ell and dipoe of the lands by public ale, to Englilh ubjects, in allotments. "Of not more than one hundred acres of uch land as was cleared; and not exceeding three hundred acres in woods, to any one peron, who hould be the bet bidder for the ame." Thee allotments were dipoed of for the benefit of the Crown, and were confirmed to the purchaer, by grants, under the Great Seal of England;