Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-10-14
REPORT.

hEftJk y.
The committee who were APPOINTED n
take into consideration the commercial
state of the West India colonies and to- re-
port their proceedings, from time to time.
to the House Of Commons and who were
empowered to report the minutes of evil
dence taken before them and 70 whom
ALL minutes of evidence which were taken
before the committee i'm the last session Of
Parliament, on the West India Planters
petitions, together with their proceedings,
were reierred--have, pursuant to the order
OF the itOu &, exam NJ en- ma rEto then.
referred-and have agreed to the follow.
ing report;-
Your committee have thought It their
duty, in the first place, to INQUIRE into the
situation of the West India planters at the
present moment, ard tor several wears pre-
ceding; and have examined various rc.
pcctable witnesses, proprietors of estates,
who have resided many years in the SYear
Indies, and who have had the proDe r,i,s Of
several ahsentees under thelr1nana cement.
and also many merchants Intimately acl
quaiDted wiyn the expenses and profits Of 2.
/ = feat v2riety o! ct teS. s, generally CONVEX.
SAINT with the West India commerce.. From
their testimony, it appears, that since the
year 1879, there has taken place a preerex.
I sive deterioration in the situation Gfitbs
planters resulting from aibropresSve di.
intuition of the price ,f SUGAR, although az
the same time tie dutv, and allitIe cxpt,h.
ses attending the cultivation, have bcouin-
creasng, TIL at length the depression or the
market has become such that the prices
obtained for the last years crop viii not
pay the expense of cultiyat ION, EXCEPT np1
ON estates OF very great scale, making SUI
gar OF very superior quality, or ENJOYING
l. of ,ysy pxf
tons have been laid before your committee.
from the accounts ofthe estates both !, Ia ,
maica and the other Islands, by which II
appears, that the British supplies and island
responses amount to 2OS. 1Od IL the fnrners
and to l9s. Cd. In the latter, on the eve IL
sugar, after accounting and giving credit
Tor the amount received FOR the sale of ,1irn
AS these calculations are formed tpon an
average of years, and upon estates be he
ordinary scale, and in no respects uDuqn-
ally ciTCumstanccd, IL appears TO yotir Am
mittee, that these sums per cSt. Of .,f,a,.
tmay be taken as the average eyncr,,. of
cultivation, Independent of interest rp6r
the capital; and your comm iLee are com
hrmed IN this opinion by finding similar
calculation in the report made BIZ tile SIN
gar Distillery Committee, in the last par.
! lament o this must me added an ek.
V1o'''~ vi 30 W. lo lo6s per eva. uCce5Fs
riiy incurred for freight, insurance and o..
= ther mercantile charges, between me hin.
q ping the goJdsiu the colonies and ,btir he.
/ ing offered to make; IN this ii gaom, rGrn,.
ing together IN amour of 35S. rs SOS e,hi.l
Z appears Hpon'tliis evidence tohe .he ,hsn
ID lufe cost % the plantsi per cwt y sugar p
r. tore my return OF capital can attach &. ~
" a TcseiChce ~ thy Hverage prices gu......
e I'D the Gazette, for the lpst eiylt fpl.....
! which vary from 5cs sis. giviue n,.at
q price OF $40. Sd. It appears .viiee,. ,..,
IS the planter must have cuityatlG ttetr r4
IS tates at q less.
,. The jntetest Which has beer g+.--3 E
i your committee IS what shou .,e ih. I'll
II profit upon the caPitai OF sueh 4 natSrs a