History of Saint Lucia - 18th Century

18th Century

The English, with their headquarters in Barbados, and the French, centered on Martinique, found St Lucia attractive after the sugar industry developed. The French assumed ownership again of Saint Lucia by the Treaty of Paris in 1763 and introduced the sugar cane industry in 1765. Colonists who came over were mostly indentured white servants serving a small percentage of wealthy merchants or nobles.

The Battle of the Saints, in which Admiral Rodney, who sailed out of his port in St. Lucia, defeated the French Admiral De Grasse, took place between the French and British navies during the American War of Independence on 12 April 1782. The British victory ensure their naval dominance of the Caribbean henceforth.

Near the end of the century, the French Revolution occurred. A revolutionary tribunal was sent to Saint Lucia, headed by captain La Crosse. However, prior to this, the slaves had simply walked off their jobs in 1790-1 to work for themselves. Bringing the ideas of the revolution to Saint Lucia, La Crosse set up a guillotine used to execute Royalists. In 1794, the French governor of the island declared that all slaves were free.

A short time later, the British invaded in response to the concerns of the wealthy plantation owners. After years of fighting, they restored slavery. Castries was burned in 1796 as part of that battle between the British and the slaves and French republicans.