The New York herald., 1871-03-11
Proposed Irrigation Of the Barren
Portions of Jamaica.
Great Inducements to Men Of Capital to
Come and Settle.
AFFAIRS I'm DEMERARA.
TELEGRAM TO THE new YORK HERALD.
KINGSTON, March 8, 1871.


England, leaving Major Munday administrator
in his absence. He takes with him to the
Colonial Office his celebrated scheme for the
confederation of the West Indies under Sir
Charles Peter Grant as Governor General,
with the capital at Jamaica.
BARBADOS.
The British Flying squadron has arrived al
Barbados, and grand ball has been given by
Governor Rawson in honor of Admiral Sey-
mour and the officials of the feet.
Our finances do not make very satisfac-
tory exhibit, the expenditures exceeding the
revenue some nineteen thousand pounds ster-
ling. The Governor proposes an extra tax of
five per cent on duties.
Two ships have arrived at the island of
Trinidad from Calcutta with 800 coolie laborers
for the plantations.
MARTINIQUE.
At Martinique an uneasy feeling prevails
and general desire is expressed that the
United States may acquire possession Of that
island, the French rule being detested. The
colored population have great admiration for
Jamaica and the manner in which it is ruled.
JAMAICA.
Mr.. Hutchins, the celebrated Indian irriga-
ton engineer, has arrived to superintend the
great irrigation projects of the Governor,
which have for their object the reclaiming of
'tacks" land, which, being over lime rock, is
useless for agriculture in consequence Of the
periodical drought to which the island is SUBJ
jected, the rain fall being greedily sucked
from the EARTH and the mountain streams
after rain are swallowed in subterranean
reservoirs. The Governor who contemplates
diverting the river courses, says that the coun-
try sees it's valuable gold rushing into the sea
when it could be turned amid the plains to
make fertile gardens of priceless value. The
Governor also contemplates, for the good Of
the colony, looking after the Jamaica railways
and extending them into the interior to the
base of the Manchester Mountains, with the
object of bringing produce to the seaboard
and opening up goods traffic to at present
inaccessible regions, but which contain bound
less natural wealth, and which only need
development and the means of going to and
fro. He the Governor) is anxious to see
American capitalists come forward and aid in
this enterprise there are fortunes to be made
in the large estates that will be offered if Anne
ricans will only come and settle. The govern
ment is willing to give the crown lands to
capitalists as an inducement to come and
locate plantations and improve them.
Such confidence is felt in the Governor and
his project for the Improvement of Jamaica,
that he is asked to receive capital for invest
ment in Jamaica securities. He this week
asked for $4,000 to invest it in the city
market, and 100000 were instantly offered,
the capitalists Offering, if their bids were ac-
cepted, to give premium Of seven per cent
for the chance Of placing their funds so Sc
curely.
The British government has consented to con-
slider the propriety of reducing the postal rates
between England and the West Indies in con-
sequence of the remonstrances Of the Governor
Of Jamaica against the present excessive rates.
He compared those now existing to those of
the United States and Australia and then asked
q reduction.
In order to give certain idea of the undis-
covered wealth of Jamaica will cite two
cases that have been brought to my notice
to-day. One gentleman purchased, for a
small sum of money, an estate in a deserted
locality, paying the money for it on the deli
very Of the deeds. He then turned in gangs
Of woodcutters to fell hard timber. In the
course of few days the ship timber alone
that had been cut returned him the amount of
the purchase money and he has still count
less forest before him, with house and land
all his own, and is now rapidly making for
tune. Another person arrived from Scotland
few years back, as ploughman for sugar
plantation. He saved money by working
industriously, bought few small pro-
perties, put them under cultivation
sold out, bought again and made
=. fortune, aud now Is aR9u