A AVISE GOVERNOR.
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CHAPTER V. Governor Col. R. Williams—Biographical remarks—Towns of trade appointed—Antigua divided into parishes—Sir Nathaniel Johnson appointed captain-general and governor-in-chief—Colonel Codrington—Remarks upon this family—Invasion of Antigua by a French privateer—Attack upon Guadaloupe by the English—Expedition to St. Christopher's—Gallant conduct of Colonel Williams and Colonel Willoughby Byam— Sir Francis Wheeler's expedition—Wilmot and Lillingston's expedition—Death of the captain-general, General Codrington—Colonel John Yeamans, lieutenant-governor—Arrival of Admiral Benbow. IN 1G75, Colonel Rowland Williams was appointed lieutenant-governor (or, as the phrase then was, deputy-governor)
of Antigua.
This gentleman was possessed of eminent
qualifications, which honourably distinguished him anong;, his cotemporaries. He was alike conspicuous as a wise councillor and a skilful commander; whether in the senate or the field, he equally merited applause. The father of Colonel Williams (as will be seen in the genealogy of this family) was one of the earliest settlers in Antigua, and even in those times was famed for noble virtues—virtues which have descended from father to son, down to the present day, and centered themselves in the person of the Hon. Rowland E. Williams, the present possessor of " Claremont," the family mansion.* During the administration of Colonel Rowland Williams as governor of Antigua, six towns were appointed as places of trade, instead of two, as was the former custom. These towns were Falmouth, St. John's, Bridge Town, Carlisle Road, Parham Landing Place, and Bermudian Valley. In these different towns all business was to be transacted as relates to shipping, &c. ; and no vessel was allowed to unload or sell their cargo at any other place, under punishment of forfeiting their goods.
This, however, did not
* For the Genealogy of the Williams family, see Appendix, No. 7. VOL. I.
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