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History of New Caledonia

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Written by Administrator

Wednesday, November 08 2006

A little known fact about Panama is that the Scottish once tried to start a colony here on land that is now part of the Comarca de Kuna Yala in November of 1698. The scheme was dreamt up in 1695 when the Scottish Parliament passed an Act for the establishment of a ‘company of Scotland Trading to Africa and the Indies'. This name turned into the better and shorter ‘Darien Company.' It was a huge fundraising attempt with over 400,000 English Pounds raised in Scotland in six months, with the other half being raised in London. Scotland was having financial trouble due to hundreds of years of wars so they needed a new source of income.

They landed at Acla on the coast of the Darien and immediately went to work to build their encampment called Fort Andrews. They settled on a peninsula they named New Caledonia. The conditions were horrible. It was unsuited for agriculture and the Indians they met were uninterested in the trinkets they brought them. This is probably because they only brought useless things like wigs, combs, and mirrors. During the spring of 1699, torrential rain brought disease to the colony and many died from malaria and yellow fever. About 10 colonists were dying each day and the rest had to live on a pound of nasty, moldy flour per week.

The Spanish also paid them repeated visits and evidence that has been uncovered at excavation sites prove that they were not friendly visitations. Canon shot and other remnants of a battle have been found in the general vicinity. Because England and Spain were at peace, the colonists received no help from the English who had orders not to assist them. Fighting took place in February 1699 and one ship was taken. In 1700, the colony was abandoned with only a handful of settlers returning back to Scotland.

The Darien Adventure was a complete catastrophe. Over 1,200 people died and the Darien Company lost 232,884 Pounds of cash. Because of the huge debt incurred after the colony, Scotland had no choice but to join England and become part of the United Kingdom. As part of the deal, England paid off most of Scotland's debts. Many Scots felt that their chance for Independence was deliberately thwarted by England.

The little expedition into Panama had huge consequences for Scotland. As a result of the failed venture, Scotland was forced to join The United Kingdom. It can be said that the United Kingdom is what it is today because of events that happened in Panama.

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