by Simon Black
Sovereign Man
When the infamous British smuggler Robert Jenkins sailed past Jamaica in April of 1731, he probably thought he was home free.
Jenkins had a ship full of contraband which he had picked up in the West Indies, and he was heading back to England to sell his goods in London’s premium markets.
But Jenkins wasn’t transporting drugs or alcohol, or even anything especially exotic. His ‘contraband’ was sugar. Big deal.
The West Indies at the time, though, were mainly under Spanish control. And Spain insisted that no one could export sugar from their territory without their express approval, along with paying heavy taxes and fees.