, 1881-02-16

CrOiX make sugar like that produced at
estate Annaly in the same island just
for the same reason that it is not all parts
OF France which can produce Champa gne
or Chateau la Rose.
In the calculation which was put forward
before the establishment of the Factory, |
therefore indicated the quality which we
might expect to reach by fixing it from st.
CrOix at a value of 81 and 4 cents (that is
20.6 and 10 Ore) for first and second pro-
ducts respectively, and | am so fortunate
as not to need documentary evidence for
the correctness of these estimates, for
every broker here in the town knows that
large parcels are sold here at 80 Ore per
pound. Hew much, Cor how little practice
they have been good enough to place TO
my credit, | could not have been unprac-
teal and sanguine enough to believe that
in st. Croix we should Immediately attain
to the Demerara standard, for it was well
known to me that none Of the French uSlneS,
which were patterns for us, could do it.
The old saying also that one cannot make
fine wine from common grapes fully APP
plies in st. OroiX, where bad cultivation
for q series of years has lowered the quail
ty of the canes. But I furthermore own
to the hope or rather the conviction that
in time we shall get a good way towards
the Demerara ideal, when we have secured
a good and constant supply of good, sound,
and ripe canes; for here at present lies
the chief difficulty, just the same difficulty
as had to be cOmbated when the beet fac.
tories were first started in this country.
But the smell ? somebody asks. Yes GER
tainly the factory sugar does smell, but
this is Just the chief reason why we can
not get the same p,ice as for Demerara
sugar, and this is the only fault which at
present clings to the sugar. 1t is III the
highest degree probable that this fault
arises from the treatment of the juice with
lime, since it also is produced III the cole-
brated Tait's Refinery in London where the
same method is used; but this method has
also given the product its ~undeniably
good qualities, cleanneSs, clearness and
brilliancy, exactly the advantages which
have made Mr.. Tait's sugars III demand.
And as the smell has year by year become
less, | do not doubt that it will be much
|, lessened in future, and perhaps disappear
altogether when the aforementioned con-
ditions are fully present. 1t does not
stand in connection with the tropical
climate, as has been frequently imagined,
or with the pipe-SyStem, and all persons
acquainted with the matter know or ought
to know that this system has been chosen
in full accordance with the views OF the
Danish government, not from any hobby,
but because the hilly land Of st. CrOix was
not adapted to tramWays.
On the whole it is remarkable how little
the various gentlemen who at different
times have spoken about the Factory have
troubled themselves to notice the not yet
extensive history Of this matter. Each
one rides his own hobby, managing it with
more or less skill, and from it makes
brave thruSts, usually at me personally,
without taking the least regard to the
calculations given at the general meetings,
in a whole legion of newspaper articles,
and first and foremost in reports to the
government. This produces something
in%consequent and a changing stand point
every time the discussion of this subject
is renewed, not to speak of the tedium for
the person attacked in having to begin
each time alb Ouo, if he would wish to
awaken a little interest in the public, who,
in spite Of their ignorance Of the matter in
hand, will yet settle themselves in an
opinion concerning it.
| will therefore, partly to show the rela-
ton of outsiders to the establishment
and partly to put the price ques-
ton once for all beyond dispute, adj
duce what has been said, both as to the
factory itself and also the estimates If
prices, by men who under the circumstances
must be regarded as acquainted with the
matter, namely Colonel Drummer and
Engineer Andersen. After having observ.
ed the working Of the factory from the
26th April to the 25th July 1879 they say