Naval power and the Province of Senegambia, 1758–1779

Abstract

The Province of Senegambia, which existed from 1765 to 1779, was Britain's first formal colony in West Africa. It was created to administer the African territories conquered from the French during the Seven Years' War and maintain a British monopoly on the world trade in gum arabic, of which the region was the sole source. While Senegambia never succeeded as a settlement venture, it proved enormously profitable as a gum and slave-trading centre. It also became the major site of Franco–British rivalry in Africa, as the nearby French base on the island of Gorée posed a constant danger. This article takes up the role of naval power in the province, which became central to British efforts there. While the protection of the British gum monopoly was a major government aim in Senegambia, it was based on a coastal patrol scheme long known to be deficient. The entire project was undermined by dysfunctional local government and insufficient resources, problems compounded by inattention from London.