, 1874-08-08
THE WEST INDIAN IN LONDON.

IL IS uUu0ESGUOu IudG MI IL NIuSf dG pIOSCuN
Governor General of the Federated Leeward
Islands, has been appointed Governor of Trini-
dad, in the place of Mr.. Cairns. The appoint
ment is a valuable one, being worth 4,0OOI. a
year, or /, 000L. a-year more than the Governor
ship of the Islands. 1t will no doubt be a
matter of regret to many who are deeply In
terested in Trinidad that another gentleman
whose name was recently mentioned IN this
column, has not been appointed. 1t is most
essential that in the present position OF affairs a
Governor should be sent to Trinidad VINO
would command the fullest confidence, and
whose antecedents would imply a practical
acquaintance with those questions which affect
most nearly the prosperity of the colony. 1t is
not suggested for a moment that Mr.. Irving
will not win this confidence, but he enters an
entirely new sphere of duties, and is brought
suddenly to deal with matters upon which he
has had no real experience. Everyone, how
ever, will wish him success. His rise in the
service has been rapid. He began his official
career just twenty years ago as a clerk in the
Colonial Office. He was promoted to a second
class clerkship in 1868. He afterwards held
successfully the Colonial Secretaryship in
Jamaica and Ceylon, and became Governor of
the LeeWard Islands in 1878. This last APP
pointment was quite sufficient TO try his mettle,
for it involved duties of somewhat exceptional
RESPONSIBILITY dlu ulLLCIllys L udU ~ CdllS
out into practice the plan of federation which
had Just been settled. He has been, however,
so short a time in the Islands that an adequate
estimate can be scarcely formed of the success
Of his administration. That he has been ac-
tuated by an Earnest desire to do the best he
possibly could for the colony, no one who has
watched his career and read his official speech
es can doubt. 1t is even yet too soon to speak
of the wisdom of some of his plans, which have
III - "A. L., +6,;r ~,on1y1 TrDo+ ~
terest is felt in this country in the successful
accomplishment Of federation, and an opportu-
nifty will be taken at the proper time to review
the manner in which Mr.. Irving has helped on
the work. At the present moment nothing
further need be said except to wish him sue
cess in his new appointment.
1t is understood that Mr.. Robinson, who was
governor of Prince Edward Island at the time
that colony became part Of the Dominion of
Canada, in 1873, is to be Mr.. Irving'S success
sor in the Government of the Leeward Islands.
1t is said that the appointment is likely to
prove an excellent one, Mr. Robinson having
the reputation of being a thoroughly capable
man and we'll versed in the principles and
practice of federation.
The announcement is observed that a depu-
tation from the West India Committee, con-
sisting of Mr.. T. Daniel Hill, the chairman,
Mr.. Neville Lubbock, the deputy chairman,
and the secretary, have had an interview with
the Chancellor of the Exchequer upon the
question of bounties on the expectation of
foreign sugar. From inquiries which have been
made at the offices of the committee, it appears
that the result of the representation to the
Government is considered satisfactory. The
principal object was to impress upon the Co.
vernment the real and practical interest which
the sugar-producing colonies have in a ~satisfac-
tory settlement of the question. 1t was point
ed out that the antioip ton expressed by the
Chancellor of the ExcheQuer in submitting his
budget, that the abolition of the sugar duties
would make this country the great entrepot
of the sugar trade, could never be realised so
long as the European export trade was mono
polised by French and Belgian refners, who
exported their sugar under bounty. Of the
reality of this bounty there can be no doubt.
It is proved by many things and in many ways.
The English Government have formally admit
ted its. existence and propounded plans for its
removal at various International Conferences.
The French Assembly is fully alive to the def
Cit in the revenue occasioned by a large guam
tity of sugar going into consumption in France
entirely duty free. The existence of the boun-
ty is formally recognised by the. law establish
ing refining in bond in France in July 1875.