, 1874-12-26
EXTRACTS FROM A REPORT MADE
BY RICHARD HENRY BURTON.
Commissioned from Porto Rlco to o'sH tie
"Usines' or Central Sugar Factories
Of Martinique 1872.

All. the other Usines except Gallon have
been established on the same principles as
Francois the Directors, as named in the
schedule, men of note in the Colony, have,
in each case, drawn up their Bye-Laws and
Rules of Association before q Notary Public,
stating in shares of five hundred francs each,
they required an amount specified to establish
a Factory in O given District they generally
start the Company by taking themselves a
certain number of shares. Further on is trans
lated q COPY of one of these documents; they
are generally published in small pamphlets
where all applicants for shares bind themselves
to abide by the articles therein contained. The
shares are made payable in instruments, the
first cash on application for share, the others
in intervals of three to six months: After the
payment of the last instaIment these shares
bear a fixed rate of interest per annuln, and
the shares are either personal, or to order;
the transfer of personal shares must be register
ed at the Office of the Company those to order
do not require this fofmalitys IN all cases a
certain per centage is dedicated 70 form a re-
served fund to provide against unforeseen acci-
dents and wear and tear of machinery, or to
increase the working power OF the Factory.
This fund is generally fixed as a third of capt.
tai employed the year this is attained, and
whilst it so exists, no further moneys are
deducted; the remainder is equally divided
among the shareholders, or is used to constitute
a new working capital to establish other
Usines. Each system decided on forms part
ofthe printed statutes OF the Company.
The Director has full authority TO make his
purchases of machinery, land, and other re-
%auisites, and appoint or discharge his employees
he generally proceeds to Europe and superin-
tends personally the construction of the machi-
merry bis travelling expenses are betrayed
hy the Company. Tue shareholders, at their
general meeting elect five of their number as a
Committee Of Vigilance, " Board Of Directors";
these have a right to inspect the books and
operations of the Acting Director, but not to
interfere with his dispositions otherwise than
render an account of them at the next general
meeting. Should it be deemed necessary,
these Directors are elected for twelve months,
and may be re. elected, or only one retires each
year, as the previous arrangements may be
made. Twice only has it occurred that the
Shareholders and Committee have had to inter
fere with the Acting Director. Uslne Robert
was not worked productivity, and they decided
on placing it under the administration OF Mon
sierr Bougenot, the Director of FRANCOIS. The
improvement was immediate.
Usine Dillon was projected for a sum of
1900, 900 francs after spending two millions
it was not finished, and the shareholders decid-
ed on placing it under the control OF Monsieur
Daniel Guillaud, the successful Acting Director
of Usine ha Riviere Salee.
The Usinesr do not make payments to cane
growers in produce they pay cash for ell canes
purchased, these accounts are settled every
fifteen days for instance, all canes received
IN the Usine from the 1st to the 18th of each
monthiare paid for on the Both; all those re-
ceived from the 10th to the 30th are paid for
ON the 18th of the following month. These
payments are regulated by the current market