 | BRITISH ISLANDS. The history of printing in America, with a biography of printers, and an account of newspapers ... |  |
BARBADOES.
Printing was introduced to this island as early as 1730,
and a newspaper was first published in 1731. There was
no other press in the Caribbee islands for several years
subsequent to that period.
David Harry. It is supposed that David Harry was the
first who opened a printing house on the island. He served
his apprenticeship, as we have elsewhere mentioned, with
Keimer at Philadelphia, and succeeded him in business;
but he left that city, and removed to Barbadoes with his press
and obtained his assistance in the printing house; so that,
as Dr. Franklin remarks, "the master became the journeyman
of his former apprentice."
Business, it seems, did not suit Harry better in Barbadoes
than in Philadelphia; on the contrary, he became
more dissipated, and his profits from printing were not
equal to his expenditures. In a few months he sold his
printing materials, and returned to Philadelphia.
[See vol. I, pp. 240–41.]
Samuel Keimer, to whom Benjamin Franklin was several
years a journeyman in Philadelphia, removed from that
city to this island. He sold his press and types to Harry
before he left Philadelphia. Harry then sold them to
Keimer, as has been stated, who resumed business, and
published a newspaper at Bridgetown in 1731, entitled,
This was the first newspaper published in the Caribbee
islands, and the first known to have been published twice
a week, for any considerable time, in any part of America.
This, however, finally became a weekly journal. It was
continued by Keimer until the end of 1738; and he soon
after died. The Gazette was published many years after
his death by those who succeeded to his business.
In 1733 Keimer was presented by the grand jury of the
island for publishing, in the Barbadoes Gazette, a defamatory
libel on Mr. Adams, one of the king's council. The
attorney general, on that occasion, declared that there was
not anything in the publication complained of, which could
justify a prosecution under the criminal law, yet Keimer
was bound to keep the peace during six months.[3]
A work was published in London in 1741, in two volumes
quarto, chiefly selected from this Gazette, entitled,
Caribbeana; a Collection of Essays, &c., "from a paper
carried on several years at Barbadoes."
Franklin has informed us that Keimer was a poet. I
have met with one of his poetical essays in the Barbadoes
Mercury, and insert it as a specimen of his poetical talents,
and for the information it contains respecting the encouragement
given in his time to the typographic art by the colonial
government on this continent. It is as follows:
From the Barbados Gazette of May 4, 1734.
"To those wou'd-be thought gentlemen, who have long
taken this paper, and never paid for it, and seem never
to design to pay for it.
"The Sorrowful Lamentation of Samuel Keimer, Printer of the
Barbados Gazette.
Who dub themselves Gentlemen here in Barbadoes,
Should, Time after Time, run in Debt to their Printer,
And care not to pay him in Summer or Winter!
A Saint by the Hairs of his Beard, had he got 'em,
Might be tempted to swear [instead of P—x rot 'em.]
He ne'er found before such a Parcel of Wretches,
With their Flams, and such Shuffles, Put-offs and odd Fetches.
If This is their Honesty, That be their Honour,
Amendment seize One; for the Last,—Fie upon her.
In Penn's[4] Wooden Country, Type feels no disaster,
Their Printer is rich, and is made their post-master;[5]
His Father,[6] a Printer, is paid for his Work,
And wallows in Plenty, just now at New-York,
Tho' quite past his Labour, and old as my Grannum,
The Government pays him Pounds Sixty per Annum.
In Maryland's Province, as well as Virginia
To Justice and Honour, I am, Sirs to win ye,
Each Province allows two Hundred a Year,
By Laws they have made for Typograph's Use,
He's paid 50 Thousand Weight Country Produce.
And if you inquire but at South Carolina,[8]
[O! Methinks in that Name, there is something-Divine-Ah!]
Like Patriots they've done what to Honor redounds,
They gave him (their Currency) 50 Score Pounds.
E'en Type at Jamaica, our Island's reproach,
Is able to ride in her Chariot or Coach;[9]
But alas your poor Type prints no Figure;—like Nullo,
Curs'd, cheated, abus'd by each pitiful Fellow.
Tho' working like Slave, with Zeal and true Courage,
He can scarce get as yet ev'n Salt to his Porridge.
The Reason is plain; Those act by just Rules—
But here knaves have bit him, all MAC-abite Fools.
George Esmand & Company. This firm in 1762 opened
a second Printing house at Bridgetown, and began the publication
of
It was published weekly, on Saturday; printed with
long primer types, on a crown sheet, folio. Imprint,
"Bridge-Town, Printed by George Esmand and Comp. at
the new Printing-Office, in Back-Church-Street. Price
one Pistole per Annum."
The memorable stamp act took effect in this island in
1765, and the Mercury was printed on stamped paper.
In 1771, the firm was Esmand & Walker.
George Esmand died in November, 1771, and William
Walker in February, 1773.
The Mercury was continued after the year, 1794.
| BRITISH ISLANDS. The history of printing in America, with a biography of printers, and an account of newspapers ... | |