, 1869-06-18

pAS ~ NHA ~ boO NOAt ph&S ~ VIVIAN 10
a wrong conception if any one were to suppose
that the $4,000 have been granted for a fixed
purpose as compensation to the sufferers by the
Earthquakes, because the amount has been ex-
pressly granted as a subsidy to the st. Croix
Colonial Treasury and in the motives to the
draft reference IS made not only to the outlay
of $7,S85 which the Colonial Treasury had al
ready had in consequence of the disasters, but
more particularly to the depressed state of the
sugar-production from the want of sufficient
labor and the Instrumentation in the Mother
country. 1t is especially in view of this extra
ordinary subsidy from the finances of the mo-
thercountry on account of the depressed state
of the Island, that he could consider himself
warranted in temporarily applying the neces-
sary amount required of the Colonial Treasury's
means for the advances in question, provided
the Extra-Grant be adopted by the Council,
until His Majesty's sanction can be had. By
such a temporary use of the subsidy, no deter
mination as to the final application of the
amount will thereby have been anticipated; and
as regards the future application thereof, he's
would merely remark now, that the present
prospects for the export-duty this year give
cause to fear, that the revenue a~ccruing from
that source may amount to considerably less
than calculated in the Budget, Notwithstanding
the estimated amount $34,8 500 has been based
on the very small amount of revenue collected
in 1S64-65, and that the Import-D Duties may,
as a consequence thereof, also give much less
in revenue, in which case a deficiency could not
be avoided. AS regards the means disposable
at present for defraying the advances, he stated
that the Cash in the Colonial Treasury on the
25th ultimo amounted to about $72,0 600, in
Guiding the amount of deposits for dealings
about $41 200 and the money belonging to
special funds calculated at about S. $4,000, leav2
ing a balance of about 1927, 800. To this must
be added the Colonial Treasury's claim against.
the Immigrationfund, amounting to about
$1,000 (Which sum may be taken from the
$4,000 deposited in the Colonial Bank, on 3
months notice for withdrawal being given), and
the balance due by the st. Thom@ Colonial
Treasury for 186S-69, estimated at $4,000,
besides which the Colonial Treasury is supposed
at present to have about $15,5 500 due in running
account with the Financial Treasury in Copen-
hagen, and the aforesaid contribution of $2S, 600.
These sums give about 1914, 800, wherein is in
cluded the balance of the Statetreasury's cash
left in the Colonial Treasury on the 1st April
1865, about 3 $4,000, which amount may Ger
tainly be used for the current expenses of the
in Christiansted. The Fort at Frederiksted sus-
tanned no other injury than that the walls around
the garden were thrown down, but the walls of the
C~ustomhouse there were rent and the piers, the
Customhouse-boa and the boathouse had all dis
appeared.
In the financial year 1867-65 the Colonial Treas
ury of St. Croix has betrayed an extraordinary
outlay of $1,000 for assisting the sufferers from
the hurricane at St. Thomas and St. Johns, and
$2,685 for assisting the sufferers from the earth
quake and food in st. Croix on the 18th November
last year. The Item for Building Expenses for
l868-69 comprises, as stated by the Governor in
the Councils meeting on the 9th of July this year,
an amount of $4,000 for repairs of buildings, in
consequence of the food and earthquakes.