, 1866-08-17
NTER-COEONEAL.
MARTINIQUE.

''In 1865" says the antilles, "from
LIST to 30th June, the colony exported
~18,694,653 kilogs. Of sugar or 37,38S
casks, 30,031 litres molasseS, 2,16O, 697
litres rum, and the exports rose in value
TO 10, G, 299 francs, including the small
quantity of imported articles which we
spared the neighbouriug colonies and sent
to other places The produce and mer-
chandize was carried away by 365 vessels.
In 1866, during the first six months, the
results of expectation have been as fol-
lows Sugar, 2,232, 287 kilogs., or 44,464
casks; molasses, 119,7S5 ~litres; rum,
3,419,724 I~itres, valued at 1851 77
francs, and which formed the cargoes of
341 ships. The actual difference on 1866
has therefore, been 3,537,63 kilogs., or
7,075 casks sugar, 1854 litres molasses,
and 1,239,027 litres rum, in value shew-
ing an augmentation of LOAF, ATS francs.
There has been, it is true, a lesser num-
Der of ships employed, but this is easily
accounted for, in the fact of ships of very
large tonnage having been used to take
away the increased crop. We have, in
this comparison, neglected, as may be
remarked, other articles of produce, not
because we do not consider them to be
important branches in our agriculture
and of our commerce, nor that they are
unworthy of our commerce, nor that they
are unworthy Of our serious attention,
but because their shipments this year
show SO slight a difference on last years,
as TO render it almost useless our giving
q statistical explanation of the matter.
Hence, as regards cocoa and cotton, in
the fret six montho OF 1895, 100000
kilogs. of the first, and 30,427 kilogs. of
the second were exported, and in 1866,
during the like period, 29,459 kilogs. of
cotton, and 1856, 423 kilogs. of cocoa were
shipped. The deficit, as is observable, is
not considerable.
"Now, let us particularly notice coffee,
putting aside logwood and c%assia, pro-
ducts supplied by nature, not requiring
cultivation, and of very little value. Last
year, in the Customs statement to 3Oth
June, coffee Showed an export of 1928
kilogs., and this season, it has not reach
cd 5000 kilogs. This is disaster, which
takes the character ola settled case. In
1927, after the disastrous earthquake, the
soil absolutely refused to produce cocoa,
an article which had up to that time con-
tributed to the prosperity of the colony
and the general desolation amongst the
inhabitants, led them to accept with en-
thusiasm the new plan introduced by De-
clieux. Coffee was then received as the
remedial restorer of the effects of previ-
Gus hurricanes and volcanic eruptions;
Martinique became covered with the pre-
cious shrub, and the culture of cocoa
was almost entirely abandoned. But, the
low price of coffee, during the period Of
the continental blockade and the En-
glish occupation when the article sold for
five colonial sous, nearly three sous of
France, per pound-added to the ravages
of the cyclone of 1918, which destroyed a
large number of the plantations, brought
on disgust, and the substitution of cane
in place of coffee cultivation, in the same
way as cocoa was sacrificed before for coffee.
The high price of sugar, in 1914, com
pleted the work, the cofffee-tree was near
ly generally uprooted. and the sugar
cane, requiring only Is months to arrive
- x,,,c So. rs+u r,kn4:4,&od - 80 rlc,J fHE,or.