Le Cap. 115 ships in the roadstead

The Americans, who since the establishment of the new government had lost all the commercial advantages they had enjoyed under Toussaint Louverture, watched with despair the continuance of peace in Saint-Domingue. They flooded the colony with writings against the French administration. In the Moniteur, the official gazette of Philadelphia, of 26 July 1802, General Leclerc was painted as follows: “If you would form a true idea of him, you will see him blackened by crime, treason, murder and sacrilege.” This portrait was faithful, for Leclerc, yielding constantly to the demands of the colonial party and putting Bonaparte’s instructions into practice, had walked the road of crime since Toussaint was shipped away. Yet his only answer to these American writings was to have published the list of the French and foreign ships lying in the roadstead of Le Cap on 7 Fructidor, Year 10 (the end of August). One hundred and fifteen ships from the ports of Europe and the American continent filled the roadstead. The European and Creole whites alone profited from this commerce, which will soon be eclipsed and extinguished.