1921 IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 387 discussed a matter connected with the trade with a committee of the Planters' Club ; * but this is the last reference that has been found. Within a few years of this the club either disappeared, or altered its character and name by the admission to its member- ship of merchants. 2 And in 1783 a notice was inserted in the press suggesting that planters should meet at a dinner to discuss the formation of a club, ' to consist of planters only 3 For some years, then, the planters left the main share in the organization, by which the interests of the islands were promoted, to the merchants. Yet they were by no means idle. In the minute books of the merchants' society there are recorded, besides the monthly meetings of the merchants, and the meetings of committees appointed for some special purpose, certain general meetings of planters and merchants. These general meetings were apparently regarded as necessary when any alteration in the freight homewards from the islands was considered desirable ; they met also when matters of particular interest or importance were afoot. There were other meetings of a similar character, which, for what reason we do not know, were not recorded in the minute books. An example of this occurred in the year 1775, when a series of meetings was held to consider what measures were necessary in view of the events that were taking place in North America. The history of these meetings is worth recording as illustrating the development of joint action by planters and merchants at this period. At a meeting of the merchants on 3 January 1775, Mr. Long reported that he had received a letter from a number of * Gentle- men of the West India Islands living in London ' asking that the Society of West India Merchants would join with them in calling a general meeting of planters and merchants. 4 The merchants agreed, and next month it was reported that several meetings had been held. A general meeting was advertised for 18 January at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate Street : 5 and apparently a preliminary meeting was held on the 5th inst., when it was resolved that the London merchants and planters would join with the ' merchants, traders, &c, in the West India business, residing at Bristol ' to concert what measures should be taken. 6 1 The nomenclature of all the societies dealt with is very varied. In the minutes of the merchants' society the same meeting is definitely referred to as having been requested by ' the British West India Society at the Thatched Tavern ', and held with the committee of the Planters' Club (ibid., meetings of 1 January and 5 February 1771). This looseness is indicative of their very gradual crystallization. 2 In 1779 Admiral Keppel was invited to a dinner by ' the Society of West India Planters and Merchants' (ibid., meeting of 23 February 1779). 3 Morning Herald and Daily Advertiser, Thursday, 13 March 1783. 4 Merchants' Minutes, vol. i, meeting of 3 January 1775. 5 Gazetteer and New Daily Advertiser, Thursday, 5 January 1775. • Morning Chronicle and London Advertiser, Friday, January 6, 1775. Statement CC 2
