, 1885-02-04

is not deserved. Independent of the use
OF the term, the charge against the system
itself is undoubtedly but too we'll founded,
and IL is perhaps not a mere illusion, but a
rational prospect, to entertain the hope,
that, the present crisis, having been over
come, reform may be effected also in this
respect.
That it is neither an illusion nor a delu-
sion, to look forward to a realization of a
change in the manufacture at a not very
remote day, must be admitted, when we
pay proper attention to two decisive facts,
tue one of which WE have before our eyes
as given, the other at little distance from
us, as only half given. By the first |
mean the change introduced aoih com
ptete success by Mr.. Carson on his es-
tateS Bethlehem, Kingshill and Jealou.
sy. AS the other | consider myself
justified to refer to the Espeut Eckman
Fry system, which, after having been tried
III the summer of 1888 in London as
an experiment in the presence Of a
numerous assembly of engineers chemists
and West India planters, who expressed
not only their approval but their admira-
ton OF the result, was brought in practice
on an Estate in Jamaica. The crop of this
Estate was partly taken off last year on the
new plan; and aS far as information has
reached us, with a success SURPRISING that
OF the experiment in London, which is not
to be wondered at, considering that the
latter was made with canes brought from a
a distance, viz. Madeira, while the practi-
cal Application WAS made on canes fresh
from the field. This system as far zoe hare
as get the means 0judging here, is so en-
tlrely radical, that SNppoSing it to come
into general practice, it must make an
QnH tn all Irar molripcr frDr, h,ot ~, = -,
competition with cane sugar. Mr.. Hage.
mann himself told me a few years ago that
the issue of the battle between the two
rivals would depend upon the success or
failure of the endeavourS already then
being made of owe! coming the resistance
OF the woody substances, IN particular the
rlnd, OF the cane, and this is the thing,
which, as far as we can infer from the
very incomplete light as yet known on
the after, forms the very essence aud
substance of the change. The important
question is Has a means been discovered
or is it on the road Of BEING discovered to re-
duco the hard body 0fthe can~etOaSoftmaSS,
so us to allow its being treated i'm a SINH
lar manner as the pulp of the beet-root,
III order to extract the Sacharine matter
from it ? and are there no essential 0bSta-
cies to the general application of this
means! Unfortunately, as just now observ-
ed, we know as yet SO little of the particu-
lars Of the new system, that none of us
can form an idea of the expense required,
how far the machinery and operations are
applicable only on a larger or also a small
scale like ours; whether they require more
water or not than we have at our disposal.
All the facts we know besides the meagre
information contained in one or two short
newSpaper-articleS, are, that our Govern
ment has granted the projectors q patent
for these islands, and that Immediately
after the result of the crop in Jamaica last
year a proprietor i'll Demerara took mea-
Sures for importing the necessary maChi-
merry for carrying out the system on a
large scale. One can however affirm pref
ty safely, that if the knowledge as yet OBJ
tanned is not sufficient for us to assert, that
the sy stem IS applicable to our condition,
as little can the contrary be positively
asserted. Some doubt certainly does arise
from our having not heard of more es-
Establishments on the new principle in
Jamaica itself and altogether from so lit
tie being heard on the subject for the last
nine or ten months, but, considering the
deadlock of the whole sugar industry in
consequence of the crisis, there is no cause
to look upon that circumstance as II proof
of unexpected flaws having been discover
ed in the plan. The crop now approaching
will probably give a decisive solution of
the question whether the key is found or