Cosmopolitan Networks in Commerce and Society 1660–1914

CAROLYN DOWNS
News from Eccleston’s friends in the West Indies was slow in
coming, and Eccleston was increasingly concerned by the end of
February 1781, when he wrote to his father: ‘I’m afraid I shall be a
considerable sufferer on Barbadoes, as I haven’t had a line from
thence since the hurricane.’ 86 While worries about Barbados were a
continuous theme in Eccleston’s letters early in 1781, so too were his
plans to settle in Lancaster. He appears to have finally decided to
move to the smaller, but rapidly expanding port during his
Christmas holiday. After settling his affairs in Liverpool, Eccleston
finally arrived in Lancaster on 25 March 1781. The progress of the
war continued to be of immense interest to him, especially the capture
and sacking of St Eustatia by Admiral Rodney and General
Vaughn in early February 1781. While the military success would
have been a huge morale boost for the British government, especially
because St Eustatia had been the first foreign territory to acknowledge
the legitimacy of the new independent America, Eccleston was
less than happy. He feared a diminution in trading possibilities
would be the immediate result of Rodney’s success:
Imagine the complete Reduction of St. Eustatia by the gallant
Rodney, with the Fleet and the immense quantity of provisions
of all sorts found there; which suppose will now be dispersed
amongst our Islands, must make a material alteration in your
Market and render it very precarious sending anything out to
the West Indies at this juncture. 87
However, his generally sanguine and optimistic nature never
allowed Eccleston to remain downcast for long, and he proceeded to
devise a scheme that might answer both his and Isaac’s purpose very
well:
I imagine their [sic] will be a good many vessels an[d] their cargoes,
in consequence of the above Capture, sold in Antigua,
and the rest of the Islands. And as you have the prospect of a
good Crop I think if self and any of thy Friends were to pur-
86 Ibid. Eccleston to William Eccleston, 28 Feb. 1781.
87 Ibid. Eccleston to Isaac Eccleston, Antigua, 30 Mar. 1781.
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