, 1872-07-27
TRE AVIS"
Striaiiaastfd, 81, Stui1,
SATURDAY 27TH JULY 1872,

P"A WANh Wiz OAOA - W ICUI6uCu uLu It,
duce our administrative apparatus, and linked
with them, as cause with effect, is the Islands
sugar crop, her only crop-we were almost in
clined to say her all.-The continuance of dry
weather, and the falling off Of last crop even
below what was expected at its opening Qast
year about $1,000 hhds. this year between 5
and $1,000 are matters of primary Importance
to st. Croix just now. The drought from which
we have been suffering some months seems to
have prevailed generally throughout the West
Indies and as usual, some islands, as st. Croix,
Antigua, Nevis and st. Kits have suffered more
than others. From the different Westindia pa
pers it will he noticed that the dry weather has
now broken up in some of the islands, and, let
us hope, our turn will soon come. Indeed,
during the last weeks we have already had a
few light showers, and the Northside of the
Island has been all along favoured with pretty
good rain for the season, while the Southside
and Eastend,hav suffered f"earfulIy, so much so
that old folks declare we have not had such bad
seasons since 1912. Strong winds continue to
prevail, and as yet there are no prospects of any
humidity in the air indicative of approaching
rainfall. Light and partial, however, as the
few past showers have been, they have been
sufficient to ~renovate in some degree the wells
and springs in some places and to give a little
in the %cisterns, enough to supply the most ne
cessary wants.
Although the crop may be said to be COM
pleted, there are still some few estates having
small portions of cane to grind of, and it will not
be long before we shall be able to give the exact
number ofhhds. But however great the falling off
from lastyearis, and we jamestown thatitis great,
there is still some consolation in knowing that
there will be a sort of compensation for the de-
fcienoy, by the profitable sales that have been
made of our produce in the Copenhagen and
foreign markets. We have not been able to
learn the exact rates of sales, but it is generally
known and believed that they have almost
throughout exceeded the prices obtained last
year, of course the finer sugars manufactured
Z by the aid Of vacuum pans and other improved
apparatuses have commanded higher prices
Nthan the other ordinary Muscovados. The
prices in the local produce-market have also
fetched as much as Sc or $65 per cwt.
But while the prospects Of the staple crop
claim our first attention, the very general
scarcity of growing provisions of every kind,
and the absence even Of preparation for planting
them, is greatly to be d~eplored, for although
the market is certain to be pretty we'll supplied
with American provisions, and therefore, there
is no fear of any thing like absolute scarcity,
the enhanced prices Of those supplies will be
felt all the more keenly in the absence of arti-
Giles of home growth. Certain ii is that a great
portion of the inhabitants must, lor a good part
of the year, depend almost exclusively on Com
meal, a monotony of diet which can scarcely
be conducive TO good health. In connection
with this minor production no less than with that
of our stable, the sugar cane, the question pre-
sents itself to thinking minds how TO go to
work and what cOntrivances to make in order
to have at least the consciousness that all has
been done that can be done to prevent some of
the apprehension, suffering and less resulting
from these constantly returning d~roughts if
the great amount of labour representing so
much capital expended during successive dry
seasons, in fetching water from great distances
or great depths, does not in itself constitute a
corresponding loss 10 the country, and if that
capital would not be better expended in exca-
waiting and building tanks. Thousands of square
miles of the most productive land of India would
beadreary desert without eseprovisions. Some
parts of our island are in that condition. In
other places arrangements could be made
whereby the springs, which undoubtedly
abound below the surface of the earth, could
be rendered available both for supplying drink
ing-water and for purposes of irrigation. In
other more favored places of the island the
water is not wanting but can not be utilized for
want of pumps and machinery for transporting
~ l. - - ----L I'll 49,