Enemies Bound by Trade: Jamaica, Cuba, and the Shared World of Contraband in Atlantic Empires, 1710-1760 by Andrew James Rutledge A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (History) in The University of Michigan 2018 Doctoral Committee: Professor David Hancock, Chair Professor Susan Juster Professor Susan Parrish Professor Rebecca Scott Andrew J. Rutledge [email protected] ORCID ID: 0000-0001-7474-1336 © Andrew J. Rutledge 2018 Dedication To my parents, for everything. ii Acknowledgements It wasn’t until I began planning these Acknowledgements that I began to realize just how many people made this dissertation possible. This realization has left me deeply humbled by the support, both financial and moral, shown to me over the last seven years. Truly, it takes a village to write a dissertation. Financially, support from the University of Michigan History Department and Rackham Graduate School made the bulk of my research and writing possible, particularly in the early phases when I was still trying to wrap my head around what I was attempting. A Fulbright Research Grant allowed me to spend six months in Jamaica, an opportunity that allowed me to mine the island’s rich archives and also to see firsthand many of the places I write about. There is no substitute for that experience and this dissertation would have been much the poorer for it. Additional support from the Eisenberg Institute for Historical Studies and an Alfredo Gutiérrez Dissertation Award from the Center for Latin America and Caribbean Studies allowed me to finish a draft without having to balance writing and teaching. I would be unforgivably remiss if I didn’t take this opportunity to also extend my deepest gratitude to the archive staffs I worked with. The staff at the William L. Clements Library in Ann Arbor not only provided an incredible collection, but also patiently helped me “get my feet wet” in conducting archival research. In Florida, the librarians at the Islamorada Public Library not only patiently answered lengthy emails from a strange graduate student, but also freely offered to send me copies of their manuscripts concerning a sunken Spanish treasure fleet. Their counterparts in London, particularly at Kew, the British Library and the Sheffield City Library, iii were invaluable to a young graduate student trying to navigate the vast riches of their holdings. In Seville, the staff at the Archivo General de Indias were infinitely patient with my rudimentary Spanish on my first research trip outside the United States. Even more invaluable were the staff at the Archivo Nacional in Havana and the National Archives in Spanish Town, who performed wonders of preservation and displays of knowledge of their holdings in the face of severe constraints in funding and resources. In all my archival wanderings I have been extremely fortunate to encounter scholars and new friends who made my research not only more productive, but also infinitely more enjoyable. In Spain, the wonderful community of scholars from around the world created an unparalleled research experience; leading to many an afternoon glass of wine along the Guadalquivir as we discussed our findings. Andrew Walker, Ana Silva, Andrés Pletch, and Guillermo Ruíz Stovel, I look forward to many more such afternoons in the future. In England my fellow residents of the Student Center—Barbara Boelmann, Uta Zwick, and Martin Acht—turned what could have been a foreboding sojourn in a strange city into a home. Tom Trainer and Professor James Robertson made my time in Jamaica go by more enjoyably and productively then I ever thought possible. James, in particular, displayed the kindness he is justly famous for, showing me how to navigate island bureaucracy and sharing his unparalleled knowledge of the island’s archives. In the United States, Georg Michels and Alec Haskell at the University of California, Riverside first began the process of shaping me as a historian, while Prasanta Pattanaik taught me to think about the moral and cultural elements behind commerce, not just the functioning of markets. At the University of Chicago, Albritton Fredrik Jonsson was everything one could ask for of a M.A thesis adviser. At Michigan, the History Department has proven to be an incredible font of kindness and intellectual stimulation. In the department office, Kathleen King, Terre iv Fisher, and Diana Denney were lifesavers in so many ways, while my committee has been a wellspring of advice and support. Sue Juster has been a thoughtful reader and a kind mentor, always willing to listen to students’ frustrations. Rebecca Scott showed me how to consider events from outside the Anglo-American perspective while always being full of cheer and enthusiasm. This dissertation would not exist, without my adviser—David Hancock—who has driven me intellectually, archivally, and grammatically to be a far better scholar than I ever would have dreamed. He even managed the feat, after seven long, hard years of often mutual frustration, of teaching me how to use a comma correctly. Most of the time at least. As important as all those institutions and individuals have been, the greatest source for my success has undoubtedly been my fellow graduate students and dear friends in Ann Arbor. I truly cannot see how I would have made it through this without them. My fellow Early Americanists, Joost van Eynde, Marie Stango, Benjamin Hicklin, Hunter Harris, and Alyssa Pennick have provided not only feedback, but also invaluable conversation (or perhaps venting would be more accurate) and comradery. To my fellow members of Team 52—Jacki Antonovich, Kathryne Bevilacqua, Stephanie Keough, and Katie Wroblewski—our weekly trivia sessions provided so many wonderful memories, and useless knowledge—as well as a much- needed gathering of good times and better people. I’d particularly like to acknowledge Sarah Mass and Noah Blan. You’ve been two of the best friends anyone could hope for, keeping me sane in good times and bad. I hope I’ve managed to repay my debt in some small way. Finally, I want to share my deepest thanks to my sister Marion and to my parents James and Margaret Rutledge who provided me with unending support in ways I can’t even begin to fully recognize. In truth, this is all their fault for taking me to all those National Landmarks and Historic Sites on our family vacations. Thank you all. v Table of Contents Dedication…...………………………………………………………………………...…………..ii Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………...………….iii List of Figures…….…………………………………………………………………...…………vii List of Appendices…….…………………………………………………...…………………......ix List of Abbreviations……….……………………………………………………………………..x Abstract………………………………………………………...………………………………....xi Introduction…………………………………………………………………………...…………...1 Chapter 1: The Caribbean and the Peace of Utrecht, 1713-1720……………………………..…28 Chapter 2: A Contraband World, 1710-1740………………………….…………….…………...81 Chapter 3: The South Sea Company and the Asiento, 1720-1740……………………………...135 Chapter 4: “Rumbos Sospechosos” and Guardacostas, 1710-1740……………..……………..181 Chapter 5: The Transformation of Inter-Imperial Trade during the War of Jenkins’ Ear, 1739-1748…...………………………….…………….………...,.......………...…...234 Chapter 6: The Continuing Revolution in Inter-Imperial Trade, 1748-1762………...…….…...287 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………...332 Appendices…………………………………………………………………...…………………341 Bibliography................................................................................................................................349 vi List of Figures Figure 1. Watson and the Shark, by John Singleton Copley……….………….……...……..…....2 Figure 2. Destinations of Jamaican Smuggling vessels, January-September, 1719…………..…75 Figure 3. Cloth Sample from the sloop Carolina, 1735………………………………..….…...101 Figure 4. Exchange Rate for Contrabandists……………………………………………….…..103 Figure 5. Value of Contraband Goods seized in Cuba, 1711-1739………………………….....111 Figure 6. Detail From A View of the City of Havana, 1762…………......………………….…..115 Figure 7. Spanish Piece of Eight, 1739…………………………………………………...….…122 Figure 8. Mule-powered Sugar Mill …………………..………..……………………………...127 Figure 9. Jamaican Livestock Imports, 1729-1749…………………………………………......131 Figure 10. Brand applied to slaves sold by the Havana Factory, ca.1730…………….………..143 Figure 11. State of the Havana Factory, January 1731-May 1736………………...……….…..146 Figure 12. The Asiento Trade, 1722-38……………...…………………………………………149 Figure 13. Acceptable Dutch Sailing Routes in the Caribbean, 1734……………………….…192 Figure 14. Cuban guardacosta, 1695………………………………………………………..….201 Figure 15. Destinations of Jamaican Smuggling Vessels, October 1742-December 1748…....264 Figure 16. Edward Manning Funeral Monument, Kingston……..………………...…………...293 Figure 17. Vice-Admiral Charles Knowles, by Thomas Hudson……...……….………………313 Figure 18. Value of Contraband Goods seized in the Jurisdiction of Havana, 1749-1759….….327 Figure A.1. The Caribbean in the Eighteenth Century……………...…………..……………...342 Figure A.2. Jamaica and Cuba in the Eighteenth Century..…………...……………..…………343 vii Figure B.1. Slaves Imported Into and Exported from Jamaica, 1702-1775……………………344 Figure C.1. British Ships seized by guardacostas and the Spanish Navy, 1713-60……...…….347 viii List of Appendices A. Maps…………………………………………………………………………………………341 B. Slaves Imported Into and Exported from Jamaica, 1702-1775……………………………...344 C. British Ships seized by guardacostas and the Spanish Navy, 1713-60……...……………...347 ix List