to Picton's despatches on the subject to Dundas and to Abercromby that, when peace was declared, Trinidad remained a British possession. At the end of 1799 Picton's salary was increased by 1,200l. per annum; and a malicious charge that he had, for his own advantage and to the injury of the British shipowner, exported the produce of the colony in foreign vessels, was clearly disproved by documentary evidence. His able administration of affairs led to his appointment in June 1801 to the civil government of the island, with such judicial powers as were formerly exercised by the Spanish governor. On 22 Oct. 1801 Picton was promoted to the rank of brigadier-general.
Picton made some enemies by the vigour of his rule, and his conduct was impugned at home on alleged humanitarian grounds. Colonel William Fullarton [q. v.], of the Indian army, seems to have led the attack on Picton, and, on Addington's accession to office, his view was adopted by the government. Accordingly, Addington informed Picton on 9 July 1802 that the island was to be henceforth under the control of three commissioners, of whom Fullarton was to be the first, Captain Samuel (afterwards Sir Samuel) Hood [q. v.] the second, and himself the third. Picton was indignant, but his sense of duty induced him to await the arrival of the other commissioners before tendering his resignation. Fullarton arrived at Trinidad on 4 Jan. 1803, and was hospitably received by Picton; but within a month he moved in council for certified statements of all the criminal proceedings which had taken place since the island became British territory. On the arrival of Hood, the second commissioner, Picton tendered to the government his resignation, remaining at his post until its acceptance was notified. On 23 April the inhabitants presented him with an address; and a sword of honour, purchased in England at their expense, was subsequently presented to him by the Duke of York. They also petitioned the king to reject Picton's resignation. Meanwhile, Fullarton pursued his investigations into Picton's administration so offensively that Hood resigned the second commissionership. On 31 May 1803 Picton learned that his resignation had been accepted, and on 11 June he was superseded in the military command by Brigadier-general Frederick Maitland [q. v.]
On Picton's arrival in Carlisle Bay, Barbados, Lieutenant-general Grinfield, the commander-in-chief in the West Indies, readily availed himself of his offer to join the expedition which was about to sail to recapture St. Lucia and Tobago from the French. At daylight on 21 June 1803 the expedition, under Grinfield and Commodore Hood, arrived off the north end of the island of St. Lucia, and in the course of the day the greater part of the troops were disembarked in Choc Bay. The town of Castries was at once taken; and, on the morning of the 22nd the Morne Fortuné was carried by storm and the island unconditionally restored to the British government. Picton commanded the reserves. After securing possession, the troops re-embarked, and on 30 June the expedition arrived off Tobago. The troops were landed, and the advanced column, under Picton, pushed on without delay. The French general (Berthier), apprised of the strength of the British force and of the capture of St. Lucia, agreed to capitulate. The advance of the first column, under Picton, was especially commended in general orders, and Grinfield appointed him commandant of Tobago.
Within a few weeks Picton learned that Fullarton had left Trinidad for England, after preferring against him before the council of Trinidad thirty-six criminal processes which affected his honour and humanity. He also learned that horrible tales of cruelty were being circulated in England concerning him, and that the public were exasperated against ‘the cruel governor who had been guilty of such excesses.’ Picton straightway proceeded to England, where he arrived in October. In December 1803 he was arrested by order of the privy council, and was confined in the house of Mr. Sparrow upon the oaths and depositions of Luise Calderon and three other persons of infamous character in Trinidad. He was bailed by his uncle in the enormous security of 40,000l. The indictment charged him with the unlawful application of torture to extort confession from Luise Calderon respecting a robbery. The woman was of loose character, and, with her paramour, had robbed her master. There was no doubt of their guilt, but the woman refused to give evidence. In accordance with Spanish law, which was at the time the law of the colony, the alcalde desired to have recourse to the ‘picket,’ and the permission of the governor was obtained as a matter of routine. The ‘picket’ consisted in making the prisoner stand on one leg on a flat-headed picket for any time not exceeding an hour. The woman under this punishment confessed; the man was convicted and punished; the woman was released in consideration of the imprisonment she had already undergone. After a delay of more than two years Picton's trial took place in the court of king's bench, before
