1792-Jun.: British naval authorities dispatched a dedicated warship to cruise the channel between Jamaica and Saint-Domingue with the explicit task of interc…

1792-Jun.: British naval authorities dispatched a dedicated warship to cruise the channel between Jamaica and Saint-Domingue with the explicit task of intercepting fugitive vessels. This maritime blockade targeted the “boat people” of the era—enslaved individuals navigating canoes and small open boats across the hundred-mile gap. Despite these patrols, informed and determined travelers continued to elude the navy, using prevailing winds to reach Jamaican shores. The mobilization of naval power against these small-scale migrations underscored the state’s fear of the “unmastered” black subject. This policy attempted to sever the physical links between the successful revolution in Hispaniola and the rest of the Caribbean.