Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1859-01-15
CHE ]1olpnesiau.
From Hunts Merchants Magazine, Nov, ,Is5s. ]
Sugar its Production and CoHsumptio on.


Sugar its Production and Consumption.
This trade, from various causes, has received an
enormous development within the past few years,
and last year, from its peculiar relation to the
foreign exchanges of the United States, promi-
nent cause Of the arrangement of the finances
The consumption of sugar in Europe and the Uni.
ted States has, during the present century receiv
ed great development, and has in the last few
years exerted an increasing influence upon the
trade of the world. The taste for sugar spread in
Europe as a consequence of the crusades. 1t was
introduced In the ninth centu. by the Saracens
into Rhodes, Cyprus, Sicily, and the South of
Spain. The plant followed the conquests by
southern Europeans, passing with the Spanish
and Portuguese into the Canaries and Madeira ;
and when the Spaniards, established in America,
transplanted the cane thither, they became aston
ished at its great production in St. Domingo as
compared with Andalusia. The efforts of the POr-
tuguese in Brazil were, however, crowned with the
most marked success, and Lisbon drew great wealth
from that source. In the middle OF the seven
teenth century the Brazils gave $4,000 tons; hut
there were but three sugar works in Jamaica at
the same period, when England took it. The plant
from that time spread rapidly to all the w est In
dia Islands as well as to Mexico. The possession
of the sugar islands became the bone OF contention
between France, England, and Spain, and at tile
date of the French revolution st. Domingo was
the most successful of all in that respect. The
cane was introduced into Louisiana in 175l, and
NJ Dubreul established the first plantation IN 1853.
his success stimulated others. until, in 1903, the
number reached eighty-one; but In the last twen-
ty years it has there received greatest develop
ment. In Europe, latterly, cane sugar has en-
countered serious rival in the beet-ro"t sugar OF
Europe OF other sugars the success is not great
Chemistry distinguishes two sugars-One, that
furnished by the cane, is found to be identical with
that yielded by many other vegetables. of these,
certain trees of the palm family, the chetsnut, the
maple, the stalk of Indian corn, and roots, OF
which the beet is the most important. The other
sugar is contained in grapes, in pears, apples, and
most species of fruits. This species of sugar will
not granuate, crystalize like that of the cane,
but it is made in considerable quantities for certain
uses, particularly for mixing with grape juice, in
order to augment the quantity OF alcohol in wine.
This article does not, however, come under the
head OF sugars known to Commerce.
The production of the sugar from canes has un-
dergone great changes in the last fifty years.
Hayti, which produced 93,573 600 pounds in 1889,
produced but 1920 pounds in 1925, being the
effect of change of policy On the other hand,
the Mauritius, which produced | ,034 ga pounds
in 1874, exported 280.000 600 pounds in 1856.
The Island of Cuba has come to be the largest
source of supply. The quantity of cane sugar
produced in the world in average years, is as fol-
lows The total quantity given, IN 1898, was
73S 900 tons, showing increase OF ,OUO tons
in twenty wears -