, 1874-11-28

parties alter the expiration OF 10 years to fix
more favourable conditions than at first -
whereas it is necessary to guarantee the interest
for 20 years as it cannot be expected that any,
body would enter on the undertaking for less,
and it must be remembered that calculating at
fhe rate Off p. ct. interest and 2 p. CT. install
ment on capital, it would require about 1871
years to get back the capital.--At the 1st dis
cussion he mentioned having received a copy
of Mr.. Wulf's report, but he had omitted then
also to mention that he would cause it to be
translated and printed copies distributed to
parties interested in the matter. He would
further beg to repeat what he had stated on
former occasions, thathe believes he wouId be cable
to prove to any one who doubts it, that the culti-
walton and manufacture of Sugar here is at pre-
sent in a very dangerous position, so dangerous
that if we do not make a change, the whole
business must cease before long. And he
believed he would also be able to prove that
the benefits to be derived from Central Facto-
ries are so great, that it is beyond a doubt
that the Community will thereby not only be
saved from ruin, but would even become justi-
fed in entertaining hopes of becoming a pros
porous community again. lie was not at
liberty to express publicly all his views in this
respect, therefore he would confne himself to
state: that in consequence of the prevailing
difference of views and opinions here on this
matter, he had endeavoured to form for himself
a view of what the present state is, and what
expectations could, from the intelligences re-
ceived from Europe, reasonably be entertained
for the future; and through those Investigations
and they are in igures-he had come to the
result that, generally speaking, it would not
pay to continue Sugar manufacture here on the
present system On the other hand, knowing
what we obtain from the produce here, and com-
pairing that with the statements of produce
from other sugar-cultivating places, it appears
evident that we would be able, if we set about
it in right earnest, to more than double
our produce and to improve the quality OF the
sugars, and thus the returns to the sugar-grow-
er come up to those of past times. And he
would venture to assert that this ought to
inspire hopes and a belief in the scheme under
contemplation. He also felt sure that even
those Estates that have not as yet entered
obligations to deliver their canes,-tor which
he, Of course, did not mean to blame the par
ties, will, when we succeed in establishing
Factories on a sound principle and with a good
management, not be long in cOmbg forward;
and that those who at present defer taking an
active part in furthering the project, will ere
long change their opinions and become sup
polters oft.
1st Member for Frederiksted's Country Dis
trict (F2cming) felt delicate to express himself
on the matter, the more so as he did not nOId
exactly the same views on the subject as the
Public. He has been residing very long in the
Island; he had upwards of 80 years. expert
ence, and he did not think it could be denied
that he has an interest in the Island, where
all what he posses .es is invested; all what he
ever worked for or had inherited from those
who had worked here before him, is now in
vested in the soil here; therefore he must natu-
rally be connected with the prosperity and
advancement of the Island. But before this
Central Factory question came up, he had
formed another view and had another project
under contemplation for the Improvement of
the manufacture on his Estates. Still. he was
not opposed to Central Factories being estab-
lished here, bat he felt bound to say he did not
think they would be e~fecting the improve
ments to the extent calculated on. Last year
was a very bad year for the Island and the pro-
duce; hanc,, it could not be avoided that the
result of the researches made in regard to
our agricultural and manufacturing relations
would be unfavourable and could not fail to
have an influence on capitalists who would
be willing to invest means here. lie had In
the Local Press read a statement taken from
a Copenhagen Paper, the "Dagbladet," which
seemed to be based on information from Mr.:
Wulf and which could not fail to be injurl-
Gus to the Island the assertions there naGe