, 1885-12-26
Saturday, Goth December, 1885.

OF a discussion which took place on Monday
in the Colonial Council concerning the
abatement of duty on goods imported
from ST, Thomas, and expressed the opln-
ion that it was not unlikely that the Com.
mittee appointed to consider the question
would recommend that the abatement
should be abolished, in which case a strong
pressure would be put OH dry goods mer-
chants, in particular, to get their goods
imported by vessels coming direct from
Britain. We mentioned the dry goods
merchants 1--WE might have aided hard
ware and liquor merchalltS) because the
provision business, done almost entirely
with the States, seems likely now to have
no lack of opportunities for getting what
is required direct from the sources of sup
ply. It is direct and regular cOmmllnlct-
ton with Britain that is now wanted, AMI
in this connection we heard d suggestion
made the other day which struck us as a
remarkably good one, and wlricl we think
we'll worth public attention and discussion.
It appears that the GLaSg0V steamers,
which callel here for u short time, are not
likely to call regularly, even if they do
again call here at all. Now there is a line,
whose steamers pass by here every week,
and which, being heavily subSidlsett 10y u
great commercial Power under stringent
conditions, maintains q regularity which
cannot be excelled. Barring accidents AMI
bad weather, the steamers of the Royal
Mail Company may be looked for to the
day. The question is, could not some
arrangement be come to with the Royal
Mail Company, which would induce them
to call here Although it wOu'd be
scarcely at all out Of their road and would
cause but Il very short delay, yet they can
hardly be expected to call without some
sDaoio1 inlupamnnk an iu0upnmant that il.
over and above what our small trade
could offer them. What the amount would
be which would satisfy the Company we,
of course, have no idea of, but the way III
which a small amount could be met IS
pretty clear. If the whole import duty Is
to be paid, there will be an addition to the
revenue of 1t per cent. on articles now
brought from st. Thomas, amounting, accord
ing to the Governments calculation 70
$4,000. 1t is true that if this additional
revenue were spent in the way minated,
it would appear at first sight that the
colony would gain nothing, but there
would be a gain nevertheless, not directly
to the public treasury, but to the importers,
who would save landing expenses and for
warding charges nov paid i'll st. Thomas,
and would moreover get their goods / or
days earlier, and gain 2 CT days Ill the
time for making up their remlttance9 ana
preparing their orders. 1t is needless to
say that the arrangement would be greatly
appreciated by many others besides the
merchants. 1t would be very pleasant to
receive letters and papers at least a day
earlier than now and to gain 3 whole days
for replying, aud it would also be very con-
venient to persons visiting Europe or the
English West Indian islands to be able to
embark on the steamers here and thus
avoid the schooner voyage across AMI the
delay in ST. Thomas. On the whole we
think such a plan would be greatly condn'
Give to the interests Of the island, and,
although, as we have already said, there
might be no direct gain to the Colonial
Treasury, such gain would ultimately ac-
crue, as everything that tends to increase
the public prosperity tends also to the
enrichment of the public chest.
The 8. s. Orinoco of the Quebec Steam
ship Company's New York & West Indian
Line, arrived III Frederiksted Tuesday
morning, 81 days out from New York. She
brought 1854 packages, chiefly for Messrs'
Bartram Bros. whose vessel, the Chas. "A.
Hoard is not able to come out at present,
owing to damages received on her last
voyage to New York. Two passengers were