, 1873-03-22

this undue complication Of characters
need be sought to account for general
backwardness of agriculture and inferiori-
ty of produce.
'54-It is true that great success has oc-
casionally been achieved under this system,
but must be taken to be in spite of it.
Great losses can be directly traced to it,
and the experience of Martinique goes to
show much greater profits might have
been without it. Moreover, on large
estates, as those of Demerara, the required
division of labour does, in fact, partially
take place. Though the supreme control
of cultivation and manufacture is centred
in a single person, the magnitude of opera
tions admits of the exclusive s~uperinten-
dence OF each by a responsible 8ubordi-
nate.
'55-Under the Martinique system, how
ever, the division of labour is complete.
The planter is merely a planter, and Sugar
making ali entirely separate occupation.
A central USiue' manufactures the canes
Of a number of nei2hbouring estates, and
pays for them by weight, Irrespective OIL
the qlantity of Sugar produced. SO thai
the planter, after delivering the raw pro.
duce, has no further concern with it, anC
he is enabled to devote his capital anc
energy exclusively to the improvement o
his cultivation.
56-The first factories were establish
ed under agreement as to full supplies O
material with the neighbouring planter
who also furnished a considerable portion
of the capital. But now others are il
operation, which have dispensed with {
part OF TIL security, and which partially
depend for supplies on the growers's self
interest. 1t was, in fact, taken for grant
ed by their projectors that the planters
would sell their canes rather than make
Sugar themselves. This calculation was
more than justified by the event. Canes
are, | am informed, now coming to these
factories from most unexpected sources
and from distances of eight and ten miles
57-Further proof than the above il
scarcely needed to show that the planters
are deriving benefit from the new system
Though the extent of that benefit cannot
of course, be known, a notion of it can be
formed from the price given for the canes
| am informed that the lowest price offer.
ed by the usines is the market value OF
5.bs. Of the best common-process Sugar
for every 100 lbs. of Canes and this is
only one per cent. less on the average
than is obtained by those planters who
incur the risk, anxiety and expense OIL
manufacture.
5S-There is, however, more definite
knowledge as to The profits of the manu-
facturer, who so far deserves them in that
he produces the best Sugar yet exported
from the West Indies. The Usinc de-
Francois established in 1866, has in the
last four years declared dividends as fol-
lows:-In 1867, 10 per cent. in 1868,
81 per cent; in 1869, As per cent. and in
1870, 30 per cent F.; the decrease in the
latter year being merely the result of the
disasters in France, which receives the
bulk of the Martinique Sugars
'59-The new system, besides its in.
trinsic merits, has in operation developed
a collateral advantage of no small i'm
portance 1t has proved a power
full promoter Of social order. The
capital required for the factories
being too large to be commonly furnished
by individual capitalists, or even exclusive
ly by the 'monied classes has in some
cases been divided into small shares, which
are largely held by negro laborers and pea
SAINT proprietors. Moreover, the factories
themselves, as supplying regular work at
good wages, are held in considerable re-