III. The Crown: State and condition of the forts and settlements on the coast of Africa, belonging to Great Britain, and the soldiers therein [insert]

The Barrington Papers, Vol. 77. Originally published by Navy Record Society, London, 1937.

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'III. The Crown: State and condition of the forts and settlements on the coast of Africa, belonging to Great Britain, and the soldiers therein [insert]', in The Barrington Papers, Vol. 77, (London, 1937) pp. . British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/navy-record-soc/vol77/pt1/the-crown [accessed 25 April 2024]

III. The Crown

The State & Condition of the Forts & Settlements on the Coast of Africa, belonging to Great Britain, & the Number of Soldiers therein: As also the State & Condition of the Military Stores, Slaves, Canoes And other vessles & things belonging thereto. As inspected into by his Majesty's Ship the Crown. The Honble Samuel Barrington, Commander, Vizt.
Crown, Carlisle Bay. Barbedoes, 12th March 1754.

Names of the Fort or Settlement. By whom inspected into. Time when. No. of White Men. Of yt. No. Soldiers. Castle Slaves. Old Castle Slaves. No. of Guns & Wt. of Mettle. Cohotns. Shot of Sizes. Hand Granadoes. Powder. Military Stores and Small Arms. Vessels and Craft. State of the Fortification. State of the Guns.
Men. Women. Children. Men. Women. Children. Total No. 24 12 9 6 4 3 2 1 Saluting. Fixed. Unfixed. Pounds. Barrels. Half Barrels. Ram'ers wth Heads. Ram'er Staves. Spunges. Powder Horns. Formers. Worms. Priming Wires. Bitts. Brass Heights. Large Cheats Callopers, prs. Fd. Country Match. Brass Ladles. Muskets. Pistols. Bayonets. Swords. Cutlashes. Cartouch Boxes. Slings. Pikes. Partizans. Halberts. Snows. Schooners. Shallops. Long Boats. Ship Boats. Yauls. Canoes.
Pounders.
James Fort, River Gambia Lieut. Norbury Octr. 8th 1753 26 13 30 30 22 3 1 3 61 6 8 3 20 4 20 932 550 18 12 1 3 4 Very much out of repair. 5 Dismounted. All the rest fit for service.
Benn Island, Sevira Lione Lieut. Cony. Novr. 2d 22 22 16 6 34 10 1 17 6 1070 40 50 20 50 50 50 30 1 1 1 2 1 3 In pretty good repair. The guns are pretty good. But some of the Carriages very indifferent.
Dix Cove Honble Capt. Barrington Jany. 4th 1754 7 *4 6 7 2 26 10 9 7 300 Qty. unknown 6 6 6 2 In pretty good repair. Very bad, tho' all mounted.
*2 Whites and 2 Mallotoed.
Seccondee Lieut. Cony Jany. 8th 9 7 6 2 2 29 3 2 12 5 7 1 1 1000 70 500 But ill supply'd & those very bad 6 6 6 1 3 All the outer walls & Bastions in an exceeding ruinous condition almost every day some part or other falling down. 9 Pounders pretty good, but all the rest very bad, with large Vents and much hony-comb'd.
Commenda Lieut. Cony Jany. 11th 8 5 16 4 7 30 2 2 2 3 12 9 700 34 6 1 5 5 5 3 The outer Walls facing the Dutch ¾ths New built the rest of the walls and Flankers bad Conditioned and in want of much repair. Very much hony-comb'd with large Vents. Some of the Carriages intirely useless.
Cape Coast Castle Honble Capt. Barrington. Jany. 26th 41 25 97 106 40 62 12 11 14 3 11 1 10 4,360 5 1000 Damg'd 9 35 11 30 40 40 20 17 8 1 1 60 7 32 32 32 32 2 2 6 8 In very indifferent repair. 50 Good, 10 bad and two Unserviceable.
Anamaboe Honble Capt. Barrington Jany. 22nd 1754 The Foundation of teh S.E. Bastion laid: and a Wall rais'd 12 Feet above it, but which cannot be finish'd 'till a supply of Brick & Lyme arrives from England. The Foundation of the East Curtain laid, & a Wall rais'd upon it equal to that of the S.E. Bastion: but which also remains unfinish'd for want of Materials from Engld. The Foundation of teh N.E. Bastion laid and the greatest part of the wall rais'd 13 feet above it. This Bastion (it is supposed) will be finish'd by the latter end of this month. The Length of the Foundation (as far as it is now carried on) is 387 feet, being 8 feet thick and the Wall upon it 6.
The Artificers & Labourers employed on those Works are, 6 Bricklayers (a boy included) 3 Carpenters (with Boys included) Black Smith, 14 Labourers and 6 Women; together with 1 White Smith, & 4 Labourers, but those latter are & have been but of very little service by reason of sickness.		 Building but much retarded for want of Materils.
Saml. Barrington.		 None Mounted.
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