" MELIORATION ACT."
127
was held at St. Kitts ; and amongst other affairs discussed, it was determined to pass certain regulations which would tend to ameliorate the condition of slaves.* All owners of slaves were to furnish a certain quantity of provisions for each slave, under a penalty of 10s. per head weekly, which was to be distributed among the negroes at the discretion of the master, and old and infirm slaves were to receive their full allowance. Perhaps it may not be uninteresting to some of my readers to know what was the weekly allowance the law allowed for slaves, and consequently, will insert it :—" Nine pints of corn or beans, or eight pints of peas, or wheat or rye flour, or Indian corn flour, or nine pints of oatmeal, or eight pints of Cassava flour or Farine, or eight pounds of biscuit, or twenty pounds of yams or potatoes, or sixteen pounds of eddoes or tanias, or thirty pounds of plaintains or bananas ; and also one pound and a quarter of herrings, shads, mackarel, or other salted provision, or double the quantity of fresh fish or other fresh provisions," all of which were to be of good quality. Owners of slaves were not allowed to pay them in money, unless there was absolute necessity for' so doing, under a fine of 20l. ; but when circumstances obliged them to recompense their slaves by cash, each negro was to receive the sum of 4s.† weekly, and have two half days allowed them to come to market for the purpose of laying it out. The clothes allowed slaves for a year were, two jackets of woollen cloth, and two pair of trousers, made of Osnaburghs, for the men ; and two woollen wrappers, and two Osnaburgh petticoats, for the women. If preferred by the slave, and agreed to by the master, a blanket and a cap were given in place of one suit of these clothes. When employed in agricultural work, half an hour was allowed for breakfast, and two hours for dinner, and they were not to be called to work before * This has been known throughout the West Indies as the famous " Melioration Act." This appears to have been the last time the general council and assembly for the Leeward Islands met. † A shilling currency is equal to sixpence sterling. It must be borne in mind, that all these specified sums are Antigua currency.