BRITISH WEST INDIES, Diplomatic Relations with. American interests in the West Indies, which began through trade before the Revolution, were increased later by acqui sitions bordering on the Gulf of Mexico in a period of the steadily increasing interests of Great Britain, which had the advantage of naval control. The first movement of the Revolution may be regarded as beginning with the Sugar Act of 1764, which suddenly threatened to cut off the important New England trade with the foreign West Indies, regarded by New England as necessary to satisfy the large demand for sugar which the British Islands could not en tirely supply.
In the Revolution, the Continental Congress contemplated the acquisition of the Bermudas, and the destiny of the United States was partly determined by naval strategy in the West In dies, which, during the war, were also the chief source of American foreign trade.
The British West Indies, which suffered their first commercial decline during the Revo lution, were again injured after the Revolution by British orders practically prohibiting trade in American ships —a policy which was against the best interests of the islands. An unratified provision of the Jay treaty of 1794 granted the right to direct trade in America'. ships of not over 70 tons, but forbade American ships to carry molasses, sugar, coffee, cocoa and cotton from either the West Indies or American ports to any part of the world except the United States — conditions to which the American Senate refused to agree.
In 1806, in the attempt to negotiate a treaty to replace the expired clauses of the Jay treaty, the American government made an unsuccess ful effort to induce the British government to reconsider its stricter policy and to restore the West India trade to a footing of 1801. The commerce treaty of 1815, although it opened to America the East India trade, did not men tion the question of the West Indies, but its provisions indirectly resulted in encouraging British ships to carry American products to the West Indies and thereby gave to British ships an advantage in the direct trade between England and the United States, causing Ameri can merchants and skippers to turn to the Ori ent — to China and the East Indies. The dec
ade which followed was characterized by ex tensive smuggling in the West Indies and retaliatory shipping legislation. In 1818, after commissioners failed to secure larger privileges in the West India trade Congress closed ri Amecan ports to all British ships from the West Indies and compelled all vessels leaving American ports to give bond not to unload their cargo in those islands—causing great injury to American industries and commerce. After the failure of new proposals, Congress retali ated again by act of 1820, excluding the United States from any intercourse whatever with the West Indies— an act which resulted in the opening of a continual and unrestricted trade of the West Indies with Canada and New Brunswick. In 1822, Parliament • by repeal of existing statutes opened certain West India ports to direct American trade, although sub ject to heavy duties and exclusion of certain important articles of export. The United States promptly opened its ports to goods of the Brit ish West Indies imported in British bottoms and allowed exports to the West Indies to be carried in British vessels.
In 1825, Parliament, although reserving the coasting trade, by a somewhat obscure act opened the ports of her colonies to nations without colonies on the same shipping terms as such nations gave to England and her pos sessions, but Congress neglected to pass the necessary legislation to accept the offer within the year stipulated by the act. In 1826, by an order in council, American vessels were defi nitely excluded from the West Indies. There upon President Adams, in 1827, revived the prohibitive provisions of the acts of 1818 and 1820. As a result of this battle of legislation and decree, neither British nor American ves sels could trade between the United States and the British West Indies (except as smugglers).