1788-May-11: Governor John Orde of Dominica reported to the British government on the persistent challenges of controlling “illicit trade” and the mobility o…

1788-May-11: Governor John Orde of Dominica reported to the British government on the persistent challenges of controlling “illicit trade” and the mobility of the enslaved in the eastern Caribbean. He noted that the island’s geography and its status as a free port made it a hub for smugglers and people who had escaped from neighboring French colonies. Orde expressed frustration that many residents were complicit in these activities, prioritizing profit over imperial security regulations. The report emphasized the need for better naval surveillance to prevent the island from becoming a staging ground for regional unrest. This document highlighted the limitations of colonial authority in a region defined by maritime “masterlessness.”