During the temporary absence of his excellency Major-General Ramsay, T. Norbury Kerby, Esq., the treasurer of the island, held the government. It was thought proper, about this period, (1817,) to restrict the existing privilege of exporting slaves, and make it punishable to sell or send a slave off the island. If any slaves were thus exported, they became forfeited to the king, as well as the vessel which was to convey them away, and any officers of H.M. Customs could seize such ship and slaves. This did not, however, prevent any owner from carrying their domestic slaves off the island with them, or from hiring or employing their slaves as mariners; but they were to have their name and description indorsed on the clearance of the vessel which carried them away, under penalty of 100l., to both owner of slave and the master of the vessel. In concluding this chapter, I must be allowed to remark, that, let Antigua be what she may, since she has seen her error, she has never withheld manumission from her slaves; and, as we have just noticed, was the first among the West Indian Islands which endeavoured to spare that class the further pang of transportation. ------ [54] This estate belonged to his excellency Lord Lavington, and until within this last few years went by his name. [55] For further particulars respecting Obeah, see Chapter XXXII. [56] In 1676, a similar law had been brought into force, but from some cause had fallen into disuse. The penalty for practising without a licence was, at that period, confined to a forfeit of 5000lbs. of sugar. CHAPTER XIII. Governors: Sir Benjamin D’Urban—Sir Patrick Ross—Sir Evan Murray McGregor—Mr. Light—Sir W. G. MacBean Colebrooke—Major McPhail—Sir Charles Augustus Fitzroy. After the death of Major General Ramsay in 1819, his gracious majesty George III. appointed Sir Benjamin D’Urban to the vacant government, who arrived at Antigua in the following year, 1820. During the administration of Sir Benjamin D’Urban, the census was taken, when the population was found to consist of 37,031 souls— viz., 4066 coloured, 1980 whites, and 30,985 negroes. A very efficient militia was also raised, consisting of 15 staff-officers, 87 commissioned-officers, and 843 noncommissioned-officers and privates; making in all, 945. The year 1825 is celebrated for the arrival of the first English bishop in the West Indies. During the preceding year, George the Fourth appointed, by letters patent, (bearing date 24th July, 1824,) two bishops for the cure of souls in the British West Indies; the one to be styled the Bishop of Jamaica, &c., the other, the Bishop of Barbados and the Leeward Islands, having in his diocese the islands of Barbados, St. Vincent’s, St. Lucia, Grenada, Dominica, Antigua, Monserrat, Nevis, St. Christopher’s, and the Virgin Isles—Trinidad and Tobago, with their respective dependances.