, 1866-11-27

and is now from 10 to Is and even II cwt. With this difference of
weight against her, Barbados exported, in 1852, 4661o hhds in 1858,
1886 hhds; in 1854, 44,492 hhdS. in 1855, 1862 hhds; in 1886,
1862 hhds; in 1857, 1855 hhds.; and in 1853, so, 77S hhds, or near
| find, upon examination, that the average of Barbadian sugar eXporta-
ton from 1885 to 1850, including the wretched ordeal of apprenticeship
was 10000 hhds, and from 1851 to 1858, $4,000 hhds, against 10000
hhds. of an inferior weight during the first thirty years of the present cen
tury. The expectations of molasses are in the same proportion, with this
difference, that while nine tenths of the sugar go to Great Britain, more
than one half Of the moasses now goes to the United States. 1t must be
remembered that this immense Sugar-crOp comes from about one fourth
of the land under cultivation. / have no statistics IN regard to other
productions, but the average expectation of miscellaneous articles of
native growth may be valued at 100000 sterling per annum, and the
inference is that a considerable portion of the island, and especially the
lots owned by the laborng population, are grown in articles OF 1000 tor
home consumption. l have seen large and promising fields of Guinea
and Indian corn, but the paSturage is necessarily poor, and Will not bear
comparison with ours. Sweet potatoes, eddces, vans. pgeon-peas' the
cassavaroot, and other vegetables are extensively cultivated.
Turning now to the imports, l find that their average annual value
from 1922 to 1882 was about 100000 sterling. In 1S45 the imports
amounted in value to e6S2,356, and in 1856 to gS4ObOOO, OF which about
se64OO 900 we're consumed in the island. But a comparison between the
value of imports now and their value when prices were very inherent
manifestlv an unjust one. A fairer test may be found in the shipping
returns. In the wear 1882 the largest number of vessels entered Barba-
dos under the slavery regime, and amounted in all to 6S9 vessels OF
$4,000 tons. In 1861 select the year at random-966 vessels, OF
ll4SG0 tons, were entered, and this may be taken a an average OF the
last eight wears. The character of the imports deserves special consider
alton. About one half are articles of food, including groceries, wines,
and liquors. The other half is composed of manufactured articles, lum-
Der, and guano. For the last century, with some slight exception, Bar
bados has imported food for her laborng classes from the United States,
and the course of trade in this respect remains unchanged. Such statis-
tics as re within our reach, and they are scanty enough, show a remark
able increase in the different branches of Barbadian commerce with Anne
RIGA. In 1854 Barbados imported 364l4 barrels OF Hour, 1000 OF beet
q43S of pork, and 49, 106 of meal. In 1858 she imported 1916 barrels
of -four. 2646 of beef IL, 1876 of pork, and 67053 of meal, Other articles
Of food imported from the United States bear the same proportonate in
crease. While under slavery American imporahons did not exceed in
value 100000 per annum, they now average i've and SIX times that
amount AS an illustration I select again the imports of the year 1856,
having the figures before me. The value of breadstufs and food i'm
ported that year from the United States amounted to more than
~se200000; of manufactured articles, to $4,000; OF lumber and wood