, 1880-11-17

0Rs Va ASN0~NAe r. F
The 81. Thome Tsdende for the 18th
inst, contains the details of the 9Th
meeting in this session on the 10th
inst. of the Colonial Council for our
sister Islands. The discussion regard
ed the following letter from the Gen
eral Superintendent for the West India
and Panama Telegraph Company:
The West Indie. go = 3aidhn54ae qgagys fs$sqf$5Fph
General sappPsSfFjHse hh!apasnhs sph3sse,
His Excellency the GooGGeernnfoof.ae1q 81
Sir--I nave been requested by the
Chairman of this Company to convey to
Your Excellency the following communica-
ton, soliciting as early a reply as possible
The Company's financial position is very
critical, the Reserve Fund has been OK.
hausted, and are now indebted to the Bank
for the means of sending out a second Re.
pairing Ship, the last four months receipts
show a less of 1900, and as the Company
has expended all available funds, in doing
utmost to repair their system, appeal
strongly to all the West Indian Govern.
ments, to assist by the payment now, of
full subsidies to the 3lst of December, as
has already been granted by Martinique.
Unless the Colonies assist the Company
through present difficulty. by paying full
amount of subsidies, the existence of the
Company will be seriously imperilled.
have the honor 10 be Sir,
Your Obedient servant.
w. o. ROSS;
Genl. Supt.
On motion to that effect, made by the
Chairman. the Council resolved unanimous.
~ to subject this matter to one discussion.
The Governor said that he had only a
few remarks to make. From the tenor of
the letter from the Superintendent hon.
members will perceive. tliatb the financial
position of the Company oIS anila very
critical state, and that unlessi assistance is
promptly given, its 1Tery existence mag be
threatened. ASH far aS SsU ThoniasI isi,2on-
cerned he considered ip0ar GutyItddAaH we
can to keep up the Observation-Disclosures
ton, and therefOreahe emily ahOught. It fair
and in our own interest t01j pay9out,a at once
that part of the subsidy, $s5OO, which ac-
cOrding to the concession and the Ordinance
of 14th January 1876 is due on the 3lst De-
cember coming. With regard 20 the risk,
which We may expose ourselves 10 In SO
paying out the subsidy now. and the Com.
pany should stop it's work, His Excellen-
cy would beg to state, that he had received
q letter to day from the Superintendent,
wherein hi assures us. that we at nc
future time will be called upon TO pay said
subsidy for the six months ending 3ist
December 1880. In the same letter the
superintendent further mentions that
should the cable between st. Croix and
here, which he is at present endeavouring
to recover, prove unfit to relay, the Compa-
ny has decided to put down at once a new
cable from off ~Frenchman's Cap, where
they have the present cable buoyed, to st.
Croix; and in the opinion Of His Excellency
thisproves that the Con1panyy will do all in
its power to keep the csaBfesohM 1tg4o6t work
ing order,and as a lffhirtlfer eexsffdeneeVot the
C~ompany's exertionsl tt0lAe fts1 HHNftSSItH the
public, he would 6o4tSemm4mbSflhon-
members that, second qreppatrhgea: eaesse
having now arrived. Here, 9 iTat; hope
that all occurring amtteettfhutpt8aEs Wfll be
quickly repaired. IFS RfaSteeslfssH6cy would
therefore now beg to recommend. that the
hon. Council gives its consent to the here
proposed transaction.
The 7th Member for st. Thomas (Fidan.
que) said that in consideration of the
calculations given by His ::Excellency the