Dr Rita Pemberton

ALTHOUGH THE British recapture of Tobago in 1793 was humiliating for the French, it signalled neither the end of French ambitions for the island nor the ability of the British to keep the island from French grasp. Eight years later the French were back in Tobago. They landed on October 3 and with what appears to have been relative ease, they occupied Fort George and expelled the British troops.

After the Act of Occupation was signed by French Gen Sabuguet, who was made the French governor of Tobago, and Tobago's British lieutenant governor, Brig Gen Carmichael, the dejected British troops immediately left the island.

Gen Sabuguet wasted no time in getting himself acquainted with the economic state of the island. He reported to the French Minister of Colonies that cotton cultivation was virtually at an end since only100 bales had been produced for the year and was almost totally replaced by sugar cane. The main items which were produced on the island for that year were: sugar - 20,000 boucauds of 1200 pounds each; rum - 18,000 boucauds; and 900 pounds of turtle.

Sabuguet noted that the enslaved population, which numbered between 17,000 and 18,000, remained reasonably quiet after some 'trouble' at the beginning of the year. This was a reference to what was considered the best planned and most potentially dangerous insurrection on the island. It was planned for Christmas night when the enslaved across the island would set fire to the cane fields nearest the plantation houses so that plantation owners hurrying to put out the fires could be easily massacred.

Due to the intelligence efforts of Brig Gen Carmichael, the plot was discovered, the 30 ringleaders were seized and one was hanged. His body was raised several times, each with the firing of a gun to give the impression that all involved had been hanged. The intent was to demonstrate the impact of swift response to resistance and terrify the enslaved population into submission. For his efforts, the appreciative House of Assembly rewarded Brig Gen Carmichael with a sword worth 100 guineas.

The Tobago Council and Assembly, which, ironically, had been at odds with the French administration over the questions of taxation and mortgage payments during the last years of the French regime in 1792/3, gave a hearty welcome with assurances of loyalty and fidelity of the inhabitants to the French administration, in November 1802. In a swift change of sentiments, they expressed gratitude for French interest in the welfare of the island.

But in consideration of the need to secure their own concerns, they requested that the French administration give careful attention to the interest of agriculture and commerce and specifically requested that the freeport system which the French had instituted in some bays on the island be continued. In the interest of the prosperity of the island, they also made a plea to be allowed to continue with the laws and internal legislation to which they had become accustomed.

However, the French occupation wa