George Glas
Encyclopedia
George Glas was a Scottish
seaman
and merchant
adventurer in West Africa
.
The son of John Glas
, the divine, Glas was born at Dundee
in 1725, and is said to have been brought up as a surgeon. He obtained command of a ship which traded between Brazil
, the northwest coasts of Africa and the Canary Islands
. During his voyages he discovered on the Western Sahara
seaboard a river navigable for some distance inland, and here he proposed to found a trading station. The exact spot is not known with certainty, but it is plausibly identified with Gueder, possibly the haven where the Spaniards had in the 15th and 16th centuries a fort called Santa Cruz de Mar Pequena. Glas made an arrangement with the Lords of Trade whereby he was granted £15,000 if he obtained free cession of the port he had discovered to the British crown; the proposal was to be laid before Parliament
in the session of 1765. Having chartered a vessel, Glas, with his wife and daughter, sailed for Africa in 1764, reached his destination and made a treaty with the Moors
of the district. He named his settlement Port Hillsborough, after Wills Hill
, earl of Hillsborough (afterwards marquis of Downshire), president of the Board of Trade and Plantations (1763–1765). In November 1764, Glas and some companions, leaving his ship behind, went in the longboat to Lanzarote
, intending to buy a small barque
suitable for the navigation of the river on which was his settlement. From Lanzarote he forwarded to London the treaty he had concluded for the acquisition of Port Hillsborough. A few days later he was seized by the Spaniards, taken to Teneriffe
and imprisoned at Santa Cruz de Tenerife
. In a letter to the Lords of Trade from Teneriffe, dated the 15th of December 1764, Glas said he believed the reason for his detention was the jealousy of the Spaniards at the settlement at Port Hillsborough because in a time of war the English might ruin their fishery and effectually stop the whole commerce of the Canary Islands
.
The Spaniards further looked upon the settlement as a step towards the conquest of the islands. They therefore contrived how to make out a claim to the port and forged old manuscripts to prove their assertion (Calendar of Home Office Papers, 1760-1765). In March 1765 the ships company at Port Hillsborough was attacked by the natives and several members of it killed. The survivors, including Mrs and Miss Glas, escaped to Tenerife. In October following, through the representations of the British government, Glas was released from prison. With his wife and child he set sail for England on board the barque Earl of Sandwich. On the 30th of November Spanish and Portuguese members of the crew, who had learned that the ship contained much treasure, mutinied, killing the captain and passengers. Glas was stabbed to death, and his wife and daughter thrown overboard. (The murderers were afterwards captured and hanged at Dublin.) After the death of Glas the British Government appears to have taken no steps to carry out his project.
In 1764 Glas published in London The History of the Discovery and Conquest of the Canary Islands, which he had translated from the manuscript of an Andalusian
monk named Juan Abreu de Galindo, then recently discovered at Palma
. To this Glas added a description of the islands, a continuation of the history and an account of the manners, customs, trade, etc., of the inhabitants, displaying considerable knowledge of the archipelago
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
seaman
Seaman
Seaman is one of the lowest ranks in a Navy. In the Commonwealth it is the lowest rank in the Navy, followed by Able Seaman and Leading Seaman, and followed by the Petty Officer ranks....
and merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
adventurer in West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
.
The son of John Glas
John Glas
John Glas was a Scottish clergyman who started the Glasite church movement.He was born at Auchtermuchty, Fife, where his father was parish minister. He was educated at Kinclaven and Perth Grammar School, graduated from the University of St Andrews in 1713, and completed his education for the...
, the divine, Glas was born at Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
in 1725, and is said to have been brought up as a surgeon. He obtained command of a ship which traded between Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, the northwest coasts of Africa and the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
. During his voyages he discovered on the Western Sahara
Western Sahara
Western Sahara is a disputed territory in North Africa, bordered by Morocco to the north, Algeria to the northeast, Mauritania to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Its surface area amounts to . It is one of the most sparsely populated territories in the world, mainly...
seaboard a river navigable for some distance inland, and here he proposed to found a trading station. The exact spot is not known with certainty, but it is plausibly identified with Gueder, possibly the haven where the Spaniards had in the 15th and 16th centuries a fort called Santa Cruz de Mar Pequena. Glas made an arrangement with the Lords of Trade whereby he was granted £15,000 if he obtained free cession of the port he had discovered to the British crown; the proposal was to be laid before Parliament
Parliament of Great Britain
The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and Parliament of Scotland...
in the session of 1765. Having chartered a vessel, Glas, with his wife and daughter, sailed for Africa in 1764, reached his destination and made a treaty with the Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
of the district. He named his settlement Port Hillsborough, after Wills Hill
Wills Hill, 1st Marquess of Downshire
Wills Hill, 1st Marquess of Downshire PC , known as the Viscount Hillsborough from 1742 to 1751 and as the Earl of Hillsborough from 1751 to 1789, was a British politician of the Georgian era...
, earl of Hillsborough (afterwards marquis of Downshire), president of the Board of Trade and Plantations (1763–1765). In November 1764, Glas and some companions, leaving his ship behind, went in the longboat to Lanzarote
Lanzarote
Lanzarote , a Spanish island, is the easternmost of the autonomous Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 125 km off the coast of Africa and 1,000 km from the Iberian Peninsula. Covering 845.9 km2, it stands as the fourth largest of the islands...
, intending to buy a small barque
Barque
A barque, barc, or bark is a type of sailing vessel with three or more masts.- History of the term :The word barque appears to have come from the Greek word baris, a term for an Egyptian boat. This entered Latin as barca, which gave rise to the Italian barca, Spanish barco, and the French barge and...
suitable for the navigation of the river on which was his settlement. From Lanzarote he forwarded to London the treaty he had concluded for the acquisition of Port Hillsborough. A few days later he was seized by the Spaniards, taken to Teneriffe
Teneriffe
Teneriffe can refer to:* Tenerife, Spanish island in the Atlantic Ocean* Teneriffe, Queensland, suburb of Brisbane* Teneriffe lace, type of lace made in Tenerife...
and imprisoned at Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the capital , second-most populous city of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands and the 21st largest city in Spain, with a population of 222,417 in 2009...
. In a letter to the Lords of Trade from Teneriffe, dated the 15th of December 1764, Glas said he believed the reason for his detention was the jealousy of the Spaniards at the settlement at Port Hillsborough because in a time of war the English might ruin their fishery and effectually stop the whole commerce of the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
.
The Spaniards further looked upon the settlement as a step towards the conquest of the islands. They therefore contrived how to make out a claim to the port and forged old manuscripts to prove their assertion (Calendar of Home Office Papers, 1760-1765). In March 1765 the ships company at Port Hillsborough was attacked by the natives and several members of it killed. The survivors, including Mrs and Miss Glas, escaped to Tenerife. In October following, through the representations of the British government, Glas was released from prison. With his wife and child he set sail for England on board the barque Earl of Sandwich. On the 30th of November Spanish and Portuguese members of the crew, who had learned that the ship contained much treasure, mutinied, killing the captain and passengers. Glas was stabbed to death, and his wife and daughter thrown overboard. (The murderers were afterwards captured and hanged at Dublin.) After the death of Glas the British Government appears to have taken no steps to carry out his project.
In 1764 Glas published in London The History of the Discovery and Conquest of the Canary Islands, which he had translated from the manuscript of an Andalusian
Andalusian people
The Andalusians are the people of the southern region in Spain approximated by what is now called Andalusia. They are generally not considered an ethnically distinct people because they lack two of the most important markers of distinctiveness: their own language and an awareness of a presumed...
monk named Juan Abreu de Galindo, then recently discovered at Palma
Palma
Palma, La Palma, Palmas, or Las Palmas may refer to:- Africa :* Palma, Mozambique, city* La Palma, one of the Canary Islands, Spain* Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, city and capital of Canary Islands, Spain...
. To this Glas added a description of the islands, a continuation of the history and an account of the manners, customs, trade, etc., of the inhabitants, displaying considerable knowledge of the archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
.