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England, and accordingly embarked on board a vessel bound for that place, on the 3rd July, 1796, without permission from his majesty. At the departure of Major-General Leigh, there happened to be none of the lieutenant-governors of the Leeward Caribbee Islands in the West Indies ; and accordingly, Archibald Esdail, Esq., a counsellor of St. Christopher's,* claimed the administration of the government, and acted as such until his death, which happened about three months after; but he did not visit Antigua to take upon him the administration of the government, as he ought to have done by direction of the reigning monarch. Upon his decease, the lieutenantgovernors being still absent, John S. Thomas, Esq., another resident of St. Christopher's, represented himself as first counsellor, and exercised the office of governor until April, the following year, (1797.) Nothing of any consequence occurred during his short administration, and very little can be said about him in this place, for, like his predecessor, he never honoured Antigua with his presence. The Kittefonians appeared to have had it all their own way at that period, for no sooner had Mr. Thomas breathed his last sigh, than another member of that community, Robert Thomson, Esq., followed the example set before him, represented himself as the oldest counsellor, and, consequently, entitled to the vacant government ; in which office he continued until the arrival of the Right Honourable Lord Lavington, (who was formerly governor under the title of Sir Ralph Payne,) in 1801. During the three years Mr. Thomson was governor, he visited Antigua for about three days, in March, 1800, so that the Antiguans had not much of their commander-in-chief's society ; but the council and assembly appear to have gone on very well without him, and framed some very good laws. The first year of Mr. Thomson's government, Antigua had a visitor in the person of that indefatigable, but unfor* Perhaps it may be scarcely necessary to mention that St. Christopher's is as frequently called St. Kitt's as its real name.