KINGSTON, a sea-port town, and the principal seat of commerce in the island of Jamaica, is situated on the south side of the island, in N. Lat. and on the north side of a bay or inlet of the sea, formed by the low neck of land, at the point of which the town of Port Royal stands. This neck of land is nine miles in length, and two miles in width, at the broadest part, fronting the city. The channel is deep enough to admit ships of any burden. A thousand may anchor in perfect safety ; and vessels of considerable bur den may lie alongside the wharfs to deliver their cargoes.
Kingston was founded in the year 1693, after the almost total destruction of Port Royal by an earthquake the preced ing year. The plan of it, drawn by Colonel Lilly, an ex perienced engineer, was a parallelogram, one mile in length, by half a mile in breadth, regularly traversed by streets and lanes, crossing each other at right angles, except at the upper part, where a large square was left ; but the town has extended considerably, within these few years, to the west, east, and north, so that this square is now nearly in the centre of the city. On the south side of the square stands the church, a large elegant building, with four aisles, and a fine organ. The tower, with a large clock, and the spire, are well constructed, and are a great orna ment to the city. On the north side of the square are bar racks of brick for 200 men and their officers. The theatre is likewise on this side of the square ; it was nearly thirty years without any performers, but it has lately undergone a thorough repair. It is neatly fitted up, and at present the inhabitants are amused by a tolerable company of per formers. A free school was established in May 1729. There is likewise a poor house and public hospital, and a very handsome church has been lately erected for those of the Presbyterian persuasion. The houses are in general built of brick, two stories high, the fronts being shaded by a piazza below, and a covered gallery above. Accidents from fire rarely occur here, the kitchens being detached build ings, and there are wells and pumps in the principal streets, and fire-engines and leather buckets in the court-house, and the inhabitants are obliged to keep a certain number of these buckets, according to the value of their house.
The well water in general is bad, a few wells being fed by sublerraneous drains from the Hope river or other mountain streams. The rest are brackish, and very apt to cause a dysentery in habits not much accustomed to it ; but the inhabitants of this town observe that the same effect is produced by the water of Spanish Town, which is taken from the Rio Cotese, and undergoes filtration.
In the lower part of the town is the market-place, which is plentifully supplied with butcher-meat, poultry, fish, fruits and vegetables. Of the latter, besides those usually found in a tropical country, are many American and European, such as pease, beans, cabbage, lettuce, cucumbers, arti chokes of the finest kind, carrots, turnips, radishes, onions, leeks, and other small sallads. These are brought from the Liguanea mountains. There are also great quantities of the finest pine apples, which grow on the Long Moun tain. Strawberries and apples likewise grow on the higher mountains, and grapes might be cultivated to any e. eat in the lower parts of the island.
Kingston was constituted a city in 1802. It is governed by a mayor, 12 aldermen, and 12 common councilmen, a recorder, two solicitors, and a treasurer.
The population of the town is nearly 7500 whites, with 2500 strangers, 2500 free people of colour, 2500 free ne groes ; 8054 male, and 9900 female slaves, total 17,954 ; but as all may not have been returned, the number of slaves may be rated at 20,000, so that the population cannot be less than 35,000.
Kingston returns three members to the House of Assem bly, and furnishes to the militia of the island two troops of horse, two companies of artillery, two battalions of infantry, nine companies in each, iz. six of whites, two of Jews, four of Mulattoes, three of quadroons, and three of free blacks, well appointed ; the batteaux, one captain, three lieuten ants. The Surrey assizes are held here three times in the year, January, April, and August.