The discovery of the Bermudas resulted from the shipwreck of Juan Bermudez, a Spaniard (whose name they now bear), when on a voyage from Spain to Cuba with a cargo of pigs, early in the 16th century. Henry May, an Englishman, suffered the same fate in 1593; and the, Sir George Sofners shared the same destiny of the two preceding navigators in 1609. Sir George, from whom the islands took the alternative name of Somers, was the first to establish a settlement on them, but he died before he had fully accomplished his design.
In 1612 the Bermudas were granted to an offshoot of the Virginia Company, which consisted of 120 persons, 60 of whom, under the command of Henry More, proceeded to the islands. The first source of colonial wealth was the growing of tobacco, but the curing industry ceased early in the 18th century. In 1726 Bishop George Berkeley chose the Bermudas as the seat of his projected missionary establishment. St George was the capital till the senate and courts of justice were removed by Sir James Cockburn to Hamilton, which being centrally situated, was more convenient.
The colony is still a British dependency.
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