In 1733 a bill was passed “for appointing a proper plan for building a church.” This church was probably built, but all traces of it are now lost. In 1738 barracks were built, and were supplied by the churchwardens with a pack of hounds, to be used in defence and offence against revolted slaves. In that year Montego Bay was made a free port. In March 1738–39 articles of pacification were signed at Trelawny Town by Cudjoe, the Maroon chief. In 1795 the Legislature passed an Act incorporating a company to be formed by subscription under the title of “The President, Directors and Company of the Close Harbour of Montego Bay,” with power to raise £10,000 capital, and to make a harbour at “Meagre Bay, being a part of Montego Bay,” for the protection of shipping and to create rules and regulations for its management; which company, said to have been the first formed in the West Indies for the execution of any public undertaking, existed for about half a century, and for a time paid dividends. In January 1800 (to quote from the “Columbian Magazine,” Kingston, 1800): one of those dreadful swells of the sea from the N.W. did much damage, although the misfortune has been greatly decreased, by the extent of the Moles erected, yet it has been very considerable. Of the two channels through the reef, which were intended to be filled up by the Moles, the largest only is made, and the other is hardly, as yet, commenced. Vessels lying immediately behind the Mole, and not near to the Southern channel, which is still open, lie secure and easy; but the vessels moored near the South channel into which an immense sea poured, and the small craft near the shore, round which the waves coming in at the South channel washed, were, and still are in the greatest danger. There were twenty-four vessels of all sizes in the Close Harbour; of these the ship _Clyde_, belonging to Kingston, which was anchored near the Southern channel, is totally lost; but a brig still nearer, fortunately escaped the first day, and has since been able to shift to a safer birth (_sic_). Five small vessels from the great action of the swell near the shore, or from bad tackling are also lost. In the Outer Harbour were two vessels, one a Spanish schooner, prise to the _Experiment_ lugger, is lost; and the other, an American brig, after losing an anchor, and driving some hundred yards, has got into a situation where the undertow gives her a more easy birth.