Map/Chart > The Caribbean

Martinico one of the Caribbee Islands, in the West Indies

Subject to The French according to the Observations of Mr Houl Engineer. By Thos Jeffreys, Geographer to his Royal Highness the Prince.

Further Information

The island was claimed by France in 1635.  It was attacked briefly by the British in 1759, and then (after this map was published) the British successfully invaded the island in 1762.  It is a mark of how financially valuable that Island was that after the war, in 1763, the French exchanged all of their territories on mainland America for Martinique (and Granada) on the basis that the American lands couldn't compare with the two islands in terms of yield and profit.  The British invaded again (twice), once in 1794 and once during the Napoleonic War(1799-1815), in 1809.

A full, contemporary, account of the failed British attack on Martinique in 1759, and subsequent invasion of Grenada written by Richard Gardiner, Captain of the Marines aboard HMS Rippon, employed upon the mission, makes for compelling reading*;  Rippon describes Martinique in 1759 as 'being well wooded and ..exceedingly well watered, Rivulets running everywhere through it.  The most beautiful part of the country is to the S.W.  It produces Sugar, rum, Molasses, Cotton, Ginger, Indigo &c like the other Leeward islands.  His comments on the failure of the 1759 invasion of Martinique are equally note-worthy!

A close examination of this beautiful map reveals an Island which is heavily defended with forts and batteries in every major town and port.  Jefferys includes other important information in his key at the bottom of the chart which shows the location of Buildings, Plantations, Sugar works & mills along with water mills.  Anchorages all around the island are shown as are all of the roads.  *'An account of the expedition to the West Indies, against Martinico : with the reduction of Guadelupe, and other the Leeward Islands, subject to the French King, 1759'.  Richard Gardiner; John Baskerville; Jay I. Kislak Collection (Library of Congress).  Printed in Birmingham [England] ; [London] : Printed by John Baskerville for G. Steidel, at the Crown and Bible, Maddox-Street, Hanover-Square, London, 1762.