Page:The History of the Island of Dominica.djvu/152

 The importance of this iland to the Englih was o well known, and dreaded by the French at that time, that the taking it out of our poeion was the firt object in their attack on the Britih ettlements: and the Marquis de Bouillé actually ecured Dominica for his nation, before hotilities between the two Crowns were known in the Englih Wet Indies.

The forces under the command of the Marquis, on this expedition, conited of near three thouand regular troops, and near half that number of volunteers, compoed of white men, mulattos, and negros. The naval armament conited of three frigates, one a forty-gun hip, and upwards of thirty ail of armed loops and chooners.

For everal days after the urrender, the inhabitants from all parts of the iland came to the Government-houe, in order to ign the Articles