, 1889-04-17

ble increase of Customs dues would cause
an influx of goods to our ports before the
autumn session could raise the duties, and
when the satisfactory increase in the Gus
toms Revenue took place, peSSlmiStS con.
hdently asserted that the increase was
entirely due to the prospect of increased
duties. causing me- chants 10 buy as large
ly as possible before Council could legislate
on the subject. To a certain extent, no
doubt, there was an increase in impOrta.
tons arising from this cause, hut this is
not sufficient 10 account for the continuous
increase that has taken place from mouth
TO month. This can only be accounted for
by The growth of purchasing power, and
we have not far to seek for the true cause
of increased imports. On looking al the
returms OF collections VT find, as We might
" exprct, that cur exports have largely
III increased in value, and hat the increase
has not affected one article only, but all
our principal exports, except rum.
Thus it will be seen that our extra pur-
chases, during the year, from abroad, TO
the extent of $685. 69, have been amply
justified by the largely increased exports
of our principal staples. This is posi-.
lively the most encouraging, promising and
81 iefactOry portion of a report that fills us
with confident hope for The future OF the
colony. The figures for the export OF ls-
land produce show the value Of our export
trade to have been 81, 661,6 i, exclusive of
re. expectation Of foreign goods to the ex-
tent Of e166, $3.50. These figures prove an
increase in our export trade OF no less than
1921 1873, as compared with the previous
year. Mr.. Gillard states.-"Th exports
of island produce for The year just past
have been the highest Of the five III res
pect OF which ! have had the honor 10
report, az the head Of the department, with
which | have been SO long connected, the
increase in value Of the one year, IN com
parison with the average of the tour, being
no less than G424,1 6l, or more than "a
per cent
The articles of export which have shown
30 satisfactory an increase ~are-Cocoa, to
the extent of E2,326 in value; Cocoa
nuts, ell, 683: Coffee, GI12,295; Ban
.anas, G124. 639; Oranges, $500; Ginger,
g1:673; Horses and Mules, 92,036; Su-
gar, el3,863; CigaIs, 9l,378; LoSwood,
4l61, 623.
Exports in the following articles lave
diminished -BppSwax. Hides, Lakewood
Spars, Rum, FuStic and Vans. AnnaitO
and PimentO showed All increase in guam
ti,y, but q decrease in value.
Coffee shows M increase i'll quantity over
any period Of the last five years, of no less
than l8,30S Cwt., while prices have ruled
better than for many previous years.
The returns Of the expiration or
Bananas are most encouraging, an in
crease of more than 100 per cent, over the
previous year, and over any period during
the last five years.
One hundred horses and mules were
shipped during last year, as compared with
Is only in the previous twelve months.
The shipments of lockwood were Al
per cent in excess of the previous year,
and. the quantity of wood still coming
toward for shipment induces the Collector
General to look for a still greater increase
in this item for the present year.
It is pleasant 10 see that the staple, sl-
gar, has more than maintained its position,
Notwithstanding the difficulties and low
prices and general encouragement which
have met this industry at every turn.
Nearly 1900 tons were exported III excess
of the quantity shipped in the previous
year
AS thoug h still further to contradict the
absurd idea that the trade OF Jamaica
was almost exclusively with the United
States, all idea which found expression
in. q recent number Of the European Mai,
the present returns shew an increas-
ed proportion of our exports to the
Mother Country over the amounts record.
ed ia 1886-87. The figures stand thus
-. 1888 188687