, 1874-08-26

1aflldmGuk Ontd t"0
Governor Of Barbados, enclosing statements Of
the Commercial Hall of BridgetowD, suggest
;no imnrovements in the communication be-
tween barbados and the Northern and Southern
Islands. Sir Graham Briggs contributes q con-
else and clearly-stated memorandum upon the
same subject. These papers were submitted
to the Royal Mail Company, who stated in
reply that they saw no means at present OF
meeting the views therein expressed in respect
10 the Communication between Barbados and
the Northern Islands, but IN framing the tables
of routes. they profess to have endeayoured, as
far as possible, to carry out the wishes express
ed as regards the communication between Bar
bados and the Southern Islands. Whether the
arrangement finally adopted will be satisfactory
to the colonies concerned remains to be seen.
Admiral Whish and Mr.. Eden Colyile are the
sureties, in the sum Of 20,000k, for the proper
execution of the contract by the Mail Company.
In one of their letters tbs Mail Company state
that, if Montserrat can be called at without IN
terfering with other arrangements, the
Directors viii communicate with the Post
MASTER General on the subject. Tho papers
also contain the letter of the Postmaster-G General
in referring to the Royal Mail Company tho
objections against the new iuteroolonial route
as c|urtailing the time for answering letters 10
Dcmerara. The Directors promise to consider
this point, but the result is not given IN the
papers. The motion for confirming the con-
tract is to be made on Augusta.
On July 81 a large and influential deputation
waited upon the Earl Of Derby at the Foreign
Office to impress upon bis lordship the necessity
Of taking action with a view to stopping the
system Of bounties on foreign sugar. A num-
Der Of members of Parliament were present.
The West India Committee were represent,
ed by Mr.. Chambers, Mr.. i. M. Harvey, and
the secretary. The deputafion having been
introduced by Mr.. Grieve, Mr.. Chambers ad-
dressed bis lordship, and stated in clear and
forcible terms the vital interest which the
West India Colonies had in a satisfactory
settlement Of this question. He referred
to the petition TO Parliament which had
been presented from Barbados, and
the memorials to the Government which
had been forwarded from Demerara, and were
expected from Trinidad and Jamaica. He
pointed out the hard position OF the colonies
in having to struggle against the slaVe-labour
countries on the one hand, and this highly
protected beet industry on the other. Mr..
Gadesden. on behalf of the sugar refuers fol-
lowed, and gave a history of the convention of
1864, how it was France who first proposed
it with the object Of getting rid Of bountics in
England, and how it has been France who
has persistentIy evaded the treaty entered into
mainly at her desire, and created under It q
system Of bouuties which threaten the ruin OF
the English sugar refining interest. Lord
Derby asked a number Of questions he admit
ted that the deputation had good reason TO
complain of the manner in which France had
acted. He went over the different points in
which France had doviated from the Conyeu-
ton, and then asked the deputation what was
the exact course they wished him to take. Mr..
Gadesden said that France should be required
to conform to the terms Of the Convention, or
establish refining in bond at once. Lord
Derby, who seemed readily to appreciate the
different points as they were brought before
him, and to take a great interest in the gene
raj question, closed the interview by saying
that, if the deputation would put in writing
the substance Of their communication to him,
he would forward it to Lord Lyons, the
British Ambassador at Paris under cover of
a despatch. Mr.. Grieye, on behalf Of the
deputation, thanked bis lordship for the great
and courteous attention he had displayed.
The greater the attention given to the re-
solutions of the Combined Court on I~mmigra-
ton the more clearly does it appear that the
Court has taken the right view of the subject.
The resolutions insist upon the fact that the
colony is entirely dependent upon the produc-
ton Of sugar. Anything which tends to render
that nrodnotion unavoidable is clearly an in.