, 1866-11-27

goods, to 100000 and Of horses and mules, to 10000, besides minor
articles. The fact, then, that all the American imporadons have great
ly increased, that they are required by the masses, as their nature indi
Gates, and that they are obtained at much cheaper rates than if brought
from Europe, as they formerly were, are so many arguments in favor of
the prosperity of Barbados, and of the improved condition Of her laboring
population.
Before [ leave this subject, there is an existing anomaly in the trade
with the United States which requires explanation. 1t is matter of
complaint that American merchants, who export 50 largely to Barbados,
receive money, and not the staple of the country, in return. Their ships
have to leave the island in ballast and look elsewhere for a cargo on the
home voyage; and so true is this that, out of an average of 200 Ameri.
can vessels which annually enter the port of BndgetOWn, not more than
forty clear with cargoes for the United States. l have before me a dis
patch from The governor of these islands to the colonial secretary, in
which this anomaly is explained; and it is shown conclusively that the
for their goods, and to purchase their sugars in Porto Rico or Cuba.
Tho sugar producers in Barbados are divided into three classes First,
nonresident proprietors with unencumbered estates, who have sole con-
troll of their produce; second, resident and nonresident propnetors
whose estates are encumbered, and their produce shipped through mort
gagees and third, resident propretos whose estates are free. The first
class, which is very small never offer their sugars for sale in Barbados.
The produce is shipped to agents in England, and it is very clear that
these proprietors can not complain that Americans do not purchase what
largest of the three, can not sell in Barbados if they would, for their
crops must be delivered to the mortgages, and are also sold in England.
The third class, which is the smallest of all, are indeed at liberty to sell
to whom they please but even they are reluctant to offer their staple in
the Barbados market, especially when there is the slightest chance of a
rise in price. So far from Americans being indisposed to take Barbados
sugar, it is a fact that they uU take it, and do take it, whenever they
can get it. There is only one class Of proprietors from whom they can
possibly purchase-the. resident propHetors with unencumbered estates
and this class bears a small proportion to the whole. Yet a commence
ment has been made in this branch of trade with the United States.
Prior to 1855 the value of Barbadian sugar exported to the United States
was insignificant, but in that year it amounted to sfSS65 in 1856 it
amounted to 84 5000; in 1857 to 955O0O, and in 1858 to over 100000
sterling. -
There is very little doubt, and it can not be inteligently questioned,
that Barbados, under the regime of slavery, never approached her present
prosperous condition; and, in comparing the present with the past,
whether that comparison be made in her commercial mechanical, agri-
cultural, industrial or educational status. / can come to no other conclu-
sion than that the island offers a striking example of the superior eoono-
my of the free system. Ito be coninued1
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