Re: Captain Hinton East

"Among the planters at Jamaica was one, Hinton East, whose gardens at Kingston are reputed to have been exceptionally fine.He was a constant correspondent of sir Joseph Banks, ina letter to whom, dated July 1784, he asserts that the transplatation of the bread-fruitt would be "of infinite Importance to the West Indian Islands, in affording a wholesome and pleasant food to our negroes, which would have the great advantage of being raised with infinitely less labour than the plantain, and not be subject to danger from excessively strong winds.The time is not very distant when measures will be taken by proper authority for bringing about this desirable event."

When Hinton East was in England in 1786, he was able personally to impress upon sir Joseph the value of the bread-fruit and the advantages of acclimatizing it in the West Indies.Many other request from West Indian planters followed, so that, when Sir Joseph took advantage of a suitable opportunity to propose the scheme to King George III, the latter at once took it up and gave orders for preliminary preparations for the despatch of an expedition.This was early in 1787.Sir Joseph himself undertook to plan and supervise the enterprise, and in this proposal received the support of Lord Sydney.The Royal Society for PromotingArts and Commerce had already offered among its premiums a gold medal to the first person who conveyed "from the islands in the South Sea to the islands in the West Indies, six plants of one or both species of the bread-fruit tree, in a growing state."this offer was repeated in succeeding years."

from the book:
The Life of VICE-ADMIRAL BLIGH
by George Mackaness

All part of the 'Bounty' saga.