, 1880-06-30

interest is a long way of yet but the
thing 10 possible, aud the tendency Of that
to which I have referred is to produce this
result. In the ruin Of any great industry
although the community as o whole may
recover itself, there is necessarily inflicted
much suffering upon numbers whose capt.
tai or whose labour has been applied to
that occupation. Even if these should
find compensation 10 other directions, the
suppressed industry may be injured
beyond possibility of restoration, and the
British consumer be left 10 future almost
entirely dependent upon q foreign supply,
which by that time perhaps, will be heigh-
tened in price by 40 export duty. instead
of c~heapened by o bounty.
The point, however, to which I desire
to direct your attention 10 that. notwith-
standing all those adverse influences TO
which the production Of her chief staples
has been subjected, so far is Jamaica from
being ruined, up to the present time, that
her imports and exports generally have
increased ; and her export even OF sugar
and rum, after making allowance for those
fluctuations to which all agricultural pros
duce is liable from variations Of seasons,
has not sensibly diminished 10 the last
quarter OF q century. We may. for the
time, leave out of view the TACT. long ago
insisted upon by Adam Smith, that the
mounts of exports and imports are not
the chief indications of the wealth or pros
perity OF a community, which are Tor more
affected by the amount OF lis internal
trade. But, taking the test Of imports
and exports for az much as it is worth,
we find that in 1861 the value OF imports
was set down at f1,O12,s66, and that of
1s77-7S was 41,4S2. 1923 that of exports
in 1868 was Gl,091 1899, and that Of 1877.
IS was 9l.175,:45, though the crops in
that year were VIGOROUSLY short, and in
the previous year the value of exports bad
amounted to 4l.4l2.625-
As regards sugar and rum, 10 which
articles many persons seem to limit the
possibility of production in Jamaica.
the export of 1901 was the largest that
had been shipped for nineteen years pre-
%vious!y aud, although there has been q
great diminution 10 subsequent returns,
yet the exportof sugar. 1S76-77 was very
slightly less than that Of 1867, and the
quantity of rum, for which she island has
long enjoyed u special reputation. was
about IL per cent more than 10 the former
year.
Other products, however, have shown
decided increase. The export of coffee has
risen from 7,751,6s6lbs u, 1868 to
9,411,662lbs. in 1s77-78: Pimeuto has at
least held it's ground, for against 4,373.25O
lbs. 10 196s-which was however, a short
crop-we have 6,125,1O2 lbs. 10 1s77-78.
Coffee, however, has increased certainly,
and lie increasing, as the area of cultivation
is being extended. It seems to be little
known by the general public that. not
only 10 the production Of coffee 10 jamaica
increasing, but that some of that coffee 10 the
best 10 the world-that 10, commands q
higher price 10 the London market than any
other coffee, aud nearly double the price
of good Ceylon berries. I was much sur
prised, on seeing q very interesting paper
upon Jamsics which was read before the
Colonial Institute last year by MI. Rus.
sell. and the discussion which ensued up.
on it, to remark that scarcely any refer
ence was made to this fact. The fact is
important, however, and there 10 no reason
why Jamaica should not only maintain her
superiority to Ceylon or other places ia
the quality Of the produce grown on the
high mountain sides. but rival them in the
quantity Of the lower qualities, which
may be grown to any extent on the lower
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