raharris1973
Well-known member
WI the Bourbons win the Battle of the Saintes in 1782 and capture Jamaica?
Can they hold Jamaica through the peace settlement?
Which Bourbon power would predominate in the landing/capture force, the French or the Spanish? And which would gain possession of Jamaica in the peace treaty (or possibly trade it for something else)?
Presuming Jamaica is held by a Bourbon power at the conclusion of the ARW, what type of regime is set up? Are the British plantation owners, merchants and the like expelled/repatriated to Britain and Canada or other West Indies, with the plantation estates auctioned off by the French or Spanish governments to French or Spanish planters, nobles, officials, naval, and military officers?
Or is there a possibility of a wild card scenario, where the dominating Bourbon power seeks to dominate trade and produce of the island while keeping continuity of plantation operations, and works with a 'puppet' 'Republic of Jamaica' run by Anglophone planters, allied to France or Spain with its own assembly? There could be questions about loyalty or a simple return or handback to Britain, but the idea may not be as outlandish as it sounds. The white planters of Jamaica were remarkably sympathetic to the rebelling 13 Colonies and may enjoy the prospect of independence and free choice of trade partners.
Before anybody tries to cut off discussion by saying the British would just take Jamaica back during the French Revolutionary Wars, true as that may be, if those wars happen on schedule, and France has Jamaica, Britain and France are not at war again for at least a decade between 1783 and 1793, and a decade is plenty of time to play with. If Spain has Jamaica, Britain and Spain are not at war until at least 1796 (barring butterflies), and 13 years is good chunk of time to consider.
Also, if France gains Jamaica and its wealth for itself, or trades it for possessions (likely other Lesser Antillean sugar islands and/or India trading posts) of near as much revenue-producing value, it may theoretically delay or avoid its own revolution and revolutionary wars.
Your thoughts?
Can they hold Jamaica through the peace settlement?
Which Bourbon power would predominate in the landing/capture force, the French or the Spanish? And which would gain possession of Jamaica in the peace treaty (or possibly trade it for something else)?
Presuming Jamaica is held by a Bourbon power at the conclusion of the ARW, what type of regime is set up? Are the British plantation owners, merchants and the like expelled/repatriated to Britain and Canada or other West Indies, with the plantation estates auctioned off by the French or Spanish governments to French or Spanish planters, nobles, officials, naval, and military officers?
Or is there a possibility of a wild card scenario, where the dominating Bourbon power seeks to dominate trade and produce of the island while keeping continuity of plantation operations, and works with a 'puppet' 'Republic of Jamaica' run by Anglophone planters, allied to France or Spain with its own assembly? There could be questions about loyalty or a simple return or handback to Britain, but the idea may not be as outlandish as it sounds. The white planters of Jamaica were remarkably sympathetic to the rebelling 13 Colonies and may enjoy the prospect of independence and free choice of trade partners.
Before anybody tries to cut off discussion by saying the British would just take Jamaica back during the French Revolutionary Wars, true as that may be, if those wars happen on schedule, and France has Jamaica, Britain and France are not at war again for at least a decade between 1783 and 1793, and a decade is plenty of time to play with. If Spain has Jamaica, Britain and Spain are not at war until at least 1796 (barring butterflies), and 13 years is good chunk of time to consider.
Also, if France gains Jamaica and its wealth for itself, or trades it for possessions (likely other Lesser Antillean sugar islands and/or India trading posts) of near as much revenue-producing value, it may theoretically delay or avoid its own revolution and revolutionary wars.
Your thoughts?