The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-05-31

interesting stateInert Respecting Jamaica,
by the West India Association of GiasgOw.

Chilly 0IUILIHtHt
the highway of nations, and already rcsorted 10 oy
British ana American steamers trading towards the
Isthmus well the natural resources OF TINS
splendid island, must ever constitute 1t an object OF
commanding interest TO the political no less than TO
the trading world. To use the words OF the present
Governor, Sir Charles Grey, The fertility OF It's SOL
and fitness both for tillage and pasturage; the
richness and variety OF its vegetable prodacts; the
alterations of mountain and valley; the numerous
bot springs and medicinal waters; the known ex-
istenee of various and valuable minerals; the tim
hers and ornamental woods OF its forests; the
abundance and variety Of hsh on its coasts and
neighborng reefs, indicate peculiar facilities for the
promotion of the future welfare and prosperity OF its
inhabitants" and warrant the hope that, low as il
has now fallen it will not be permitted to relapse
into utter barbarism.
Its productions are sugar, coffee cotton, fustlc
logwood, mahogany, great variety OF yegelaoes
and fruits, ginger sarsaparilla beeswax ana money;
also, the pimento spice, of which nature mas as
signed to it monopoly Ii possesses great laciities
for rearing horses, cattle, sheep, pigs &c, ana lis
copper mines contain rich deposits
Jamaica as naval station, has always heiu pro-
minent place, and must become Of paramount i'm,
portance when the traffic between the Atlantic and
Pacific Is opened up across the lsthmus and IL pos
sesses the advantage of having the elements, at
Ieast of British institutions both civil and religious.
The difference of temperature arising from the
mountain range which runs east and west, dividing
ali Jamaica into its north and south sides OF fertile
and sultry low lands, and OF intermediate hills OF
moderate elevation, afford climates OF almost every
description known in the tropical or in the warmer
portions of the temperate zones, any OF which may
be exchanged for another by ride of fifteen or
twenty miles so that there is part of the globe
where an African, colored Creole, and a Euro
pean population have naturally means severally in
the enioyment Of an atmosphere adapted to sustain
the healthy condition and the energy OF each.'*
These advantages, commercial and POLITICAL
connected with this great island, must ere long be
turned into account and the direction OF It's affairs
will certainly pass into the hands of those parties
whatever their color numbers or origin may be, who
possess the largest share of those great prnces Of
onward progress and indomitable energy which
characterize the Western World
The depressed and critical state in which this
island now stands is universally admitted that il is
unnecessary to enter into details but merely requ
site to draw attention to the alarming facts that,
with the exports and value of its staple produc-
zion diminishing, the expenditure of the island, in
the face OF increased taxation, is annually exceeding
the revenue by average Of f45 900; and also to
the statement of the present Governor, in his de-
spatch of 3lst December, 1851, wherein he writes
1.-The finances OF the colony have gone and are still
going on from bad to worse"
In consequence the island is in a state of bank
ruptcy, and the taxation is falling more heavily
on an impoverished community daily becoming less
able to bear such burdens, there is every prospect
of government being brought to imme date stand
from the impossibiity Of raising the necessary ex
penditure tor the admi nistraon Of Justice and the
civil and religion institutions Of government.
It is unnecessary now to enter into the causes
which have reduced this once Furnishing island to
such position and which threaten with ruin those
great branches of industry in which the laboring
population, not less than the propretors, are so
deeply interested but rather to bring under notice,
what, consistently with the public feeling in this
country, might restore its prosperity, or at least
avert further ruin.
The greatest evil against which the planters Of ia
maica have to contend ia o short supply OF labor.
which exists throughout the island generally and
has caused an extensive dismanting and abandon
ment OF properties, as shown in appendix A. This
complaint applies as well to the expense of unsklN
labor, from the small amount OF work done during
IN INN ifu 0f vVO
continuously, and at seasons when it is most re
CURED The first and most obvious remedy for this
deficiency appears to lie in an increase to the popu-
lation being obtained by encouraging good system
of immigration from the coast Of Africa China India,
Madeira, the Azores and Europe itself by means Of
loans granted for that purpose by the British govern
ment 1t is unnecessary to date upon the advantages
Ofimmigration to any thiny peoped country further
than 10 point to the United States of America and
Australia, and to state, what is to the purpose
that the improving condition Of all classes in British
Guiana and Trinidad, as well as the Increased pro-
duction of sugar is due to the steady immigration
which has been going on for some years back.
But while immigration may be looked upon as the
speediest remedy for this state Of matters it is not
the only to which attention should be direct
ed The import duties, "a at present levied, have o
direct tendency to discourage the laboring popula
ton from working in the cane fields, and induce
them to prefer cultvating their own grounds, by ar
tically increasing the value Of provisions grown in
the colony, and essening the amount Of food which
can be purchased by given wage. The labor at pre-
sent existing in the island might be made much more
available were change to take place in the mode Of
raising the revenue and the heavy duties on the ne
cessaries of life, amounting to upwards of clos, 900
sterling reduced to mere registration rates, to assist
in meeting the expense OF maintaining the customs;
80 that all duties tending to divert labor from the
cultivation Of the staple productions, or, however
indirectly, to increase the expense Of cultivation,
might be reduced to nominal amounts.
There is every reason to believe that great advan-
tage would result to the island generally were re-
duction made the existing tonnage and other
dues vessels amounting at present to As. I'D per
ton, a stronger inducement would then be afforded
TO ships to frequent its ports Sir Charles Grey Of
IT, mo British colony and scarcely any spot earth,
is well adapted to be made one large free port from
its central position in relation to other countries and
to the paths of commerce-from its whole coast being
inhabited and peopled, and from its numerous and
admirable harbors, all abundanty supplied with pure
water and fresh vegetabes.''f
The island being practically in state of nsolven-
cy, complete alteration must be made in
its financial position and the present heavy ex-
penditure reduced, before any lasting benefit can be
effected A portion Of the debt OF the island bears
six per cent interest," were the mother country to
guarantee the existing debt and what further
advance may be required to compensate the
individuals holding appointments that may
be abolished the total sum could then be borrowed
at the rate Of three per cent, and the balance of
revenue in addition to the import and excise duties,
might be raised by direct taxation, levied in such .
manner to press in just proportions on every class
While it is necessary that oil possible reductions
should take place there are items IN the expenditure
Of the colony for which ample provision should at all
: times be made The degraded position Of the lower
classes is too well known, and is pointed to by the
shareholders of America, as an argument against
the success of abolition. There can be little doubt
that the want Of sufficient arrangements for edaca-
tion and the indolent habits contracted from the
absence of all motives and inducements to work,
have tended greatly 10 retard the improvement Of the
emancipated peasantry. In any estimate of the ex-
penditure Of Jamaica, extensive provision should be
made for the establishment of effective system Of
adm md Ebara uuUnd Tn
nance of schools throughout Che island 1t seems per-
fectly fair, and measure calculated TO promote
feeling OF independence among the lower classes
that for parochal and other necessary and useful in
stitutions such the public schools medical dispen
sares &c, which peculiarly for the benefit Of the
laboring population, they should be made TO contn-
butte some portion Of the expense through the me