, 1874-08-22

ueSIeeS eau the SITUATION DC EeloTLlou by
energetic efforts, and to attain this end the
Central Factories should contribute. Also
IN that respect is the opinion of planters no
doubt wrong; for when they now take
such q lively interest in their introduction,
they act on the supposition that they will
be able to give a higher price for the canes
than they themselves can make out of them,
and that the factories, by increasing the
revenues OF the planter, will be a direct
aid to him.. This is, however, a mistake.
For the capitalists, who may invest money
IN q Central Factory in st. CroiX, it will
be a simple business matter, and it cannot
be expected from them, that they should
be willing to pay more for the canes than
necessary. Nor is the advantage to the
planter to be looked for as direct it is
the indirect advantage that will be the most
essential, the advantage derived from the
division OF labour, from the increased acti-
witty and stir called forth by a great enter
prise III the island, and from the rising va
Iue OF his estate. When q Central Factory
is erected, the planter will not, in the busy
crop-time, which engages all his labour-
force, be obliged to divide that between the
"works,' and the field, but he can employ
it exclusively in the latter, and that cir
cumstance alone will soon prove of such
advantage to him, that he will not regret
having been Jealous for the erection Of Cen
trail Factories.
In the foregoing the erection of Central
Factories has only been spoken of as the
means for procuring the necessary division
OF labOur it must not, however, be lett
unmentioned that other means to the same
end have been proposed. 1t has, I. In,
been under contemplation to convey the
canes, after being cut 10 pieces and dried,
to Denmark, where the extraction OF the
sugar should then take place. But, not to
mention that the transportation and the
process of drying would likely be q deci-
sive obstacle in the way OF the execution OF
such a plan, the island would thereby miss
that encouragement and that life, which
would be the result OF q great enterprise,
and for that reason alone, the erection of o
great establishment would be far preferable.
Experiments are, however, being made, in
order, if possible, to keep also that way
open but even if they should succeed, it
would certainly be rather hazardous to
base upon them the erection of q large eS'
adjustment mere, Wnen IL can DC dOuo WIN
greater advantage in st. CrOix.
A Central Sugar Factory is, as the word
signifies, an establishment erected for, and
adapted to, the manufacturing of the sugar
canes grown on several contributory estates.
If we imagine such an establishment erect
ed in st. Croix, We must first remember
that only about 4 months in the year are
allowed for working, as the cane must, as
soon as ripe, be subjected, the quicker the
better, to the process of extraction and ma
nufacture, as it looses in saccharine value
by being overripe. The whole crop of the
island must therefore be conveyed to the
factory in this comparatively short time;
but, as every acre produces about 10000
lbs. of canes, and consequently $4,000
acres $40. 900, 900 lbs, it will be perceived
what an enormous bulk is in question. In
St. Croix, the transportation of such masses
would, by ordinary means of conveyance,
be next to impossible, as, in 100 days, there
would be a daily transportation of $500
cart-loads of8OO lbs each We unjust there
fore be prepared for the procuring OF other
means Of transportation, such as tramways,
or the like; but even on the tramways the