New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-04

Sir Walter Sendall to the Colonial Office at Lon
don, but so far as the Colony of Barbados has been
| Informed, it was never received, Not the slight
est attention was paid to it. The Barbadians, as
have shown, are exceedingly sensitive and
spirited They waited month after month for d
reply to their petition, and when none came they
made up their minds u 90 ahead their
! account Privately. they had number Of con-
ferences here with the American consul. Dr.
Dimmick one of the most useful and accomplished
of our consular representatives. The Doctor dis
creetly said that his function was not diplomatic
and that he was not entrusted with any duty of
negotiation but he had read the reciprocity clause
of the Mckinley bill, and he did not suppose it
bad been passed for fun. Later it became noised
about that DR.. Dimmick had addressed letter
to Sir Walter Sendall pointing ont the respects
| in which the Barbadan tariffs might be considered
by the American Government reciprocally unfair
| and unequal. Rightly wrongly but rightly /
more than suspect, it inferred that this letter
contained the views of Secretary Blaine. The
Barbadans concluded that the time had come for
them to do something positive They voted an
appropriation TO send Commission to Washing
ton. named the Commission. and demanded of the
British Government that their representatives
thus appointed, hc recognized by Sir Julian
| Paunceiote and introduced formally and officially
| to Mr.. Blaine
| Their demand, presented thus for the third
| time was acceded TO. Lord Salisbury and Lord
knutsford had apparently been brought 10 con-
slider that reciprocity could not longer be safely
ignored. The colonies of British Guiana and
Trinidad and the West India Committee in Lon.
don had assisted in bringing the Government to
this view The West India Committee, of which Mr..
Neville Lubbock, whom you know the leading
British negotiator at Washington, is chairman is
- somewhat anomalous body, sclfconstituteI, I'M
official, but seemingly possessed of not n little
influence in Downing Street. 1t is composed of
persons who are known here, generally with dis
respect, the absentee propretorS that is, sugar
estate owners resident in England. These gem
tlemen are not liked by the colonists. Generally
indeed, they are cordially dislillcd and their in
| huencc with the British Government, frequently
exercised against the projects of the colonsis Is
profoundly resented The colonsts say, in the
first place that the absentee proprietorS are a
detrment and a lightweight upon the islands
| necessarily and the primary result Of their alb
sentccism that they take much and give
little they that their plantations incvi-
| taby run on niggardly plan, every
| effort being made to squeeze out of the land all
it can be made to give without any corresponding
effort TO improve it that they band together TO
oppose every scheme of colonial progress that can
I
and to force the islands all kinds of laws
eNempting that interest from its due share Of the
public burdens Holding these views substantially
10 man. it. is not surprising that the colonists
object TO the influence eXertcd by the committee
| upon the home officials.
Two singular illustrations of this influence are
now agitatng the Ieeward Islands One relates
to a proposed measure for the Improvement Of the
harbor of Antigua. Most of ther small islands
| are destitute Of harbors entirely. The towns are
| built hard the shores Of the sea and vessels
| bringing and taking csrgoes compelled 10
anchor in the open roadstead and load and unload
| by lighters. This takes a great deal Of time, and
| involves a heavy charge on commerce But
| Antigua possesses a beautiful harbor, long,
row and deep, which would require but little
| expenditure of money to satisfy every commercial
| necessity. The people Of Antigua, al their own
| expense, have had the harbor sounded and
| veycd. and drawings made for channel TO be
dredged. All engineering problems being solved,
| appropriations voted and loan authorized
to proceed with the work. At this point the
absentee proWetoH interfered. They didn't want
to be taxed. The West India Committee, not
! in ten Of whom was interested in Antigua.
| solved that the work was unnecessary and mex
| pedient and Lord knutsford prevailed upon
70 put Colonial Office veto on fic project. There
/
Of Antigua.
| No less irritating is tie second a'dir When
Barbados resolved TO send q Commission 10 Wash
| ington to treat about reciprocity, whether the
| British Government approved not, and when
| Trinidad and Demarara manifested signs Of a
! similar disposition, and when the West India
| Committee, which. in desiring access to the Ameri
can market, was at one with the colonies, took
up the matter at home. Lord knutsord found
| the pressure too much for him and concluded 10
allow the negotiation 10 he undertaken. Mr.
| Lubbock, the chairman Of the West India Com
| mittce, is of the five or SIX men who prac-
! tically own in fee simple the colony OF British
| Guiana I shall hereafter explain the curious
| Constitution Of that colony, from which II will
| appear that when he chose himself to serve as
it's representative he acted well within bis rights
| The British Government confirmed his choice, and
| appointed him also to represent Trinidad and the
| Windward group. But the Leeward group under
| the Presidency of Antigua, We're invited by d
| special communication from Lord knutsford To
\ name a commissioner Of their own. Their Federal
! Council assembled and selected by UNANIMOUS
vote ther Governor, Sir William F. Haynes
| Smith, an able and philosophical adinnis'ra-
tor, who has shown himself greatly concerned IN
the welfare Of the islands. The vote by which
| this was done is said TO he the first unanimous
| vote ever recorded in the history Of the Councils
deliberations or in other words the first occasion
| when the members elected by the people had
| found themselves able to agree with those equal
| in number appointed by the British Government
Naturally, they were quite pleased with hlem-
| selves You can imagine their feelings, then,
when upon reporting to Lord Knuteiord the ac-
tion they had taken his invitation, he ofhs4uey
| replied that it was disapproved, ana tiat Mr.
| Lubbock, by the appointment Of Her Majesty
| Government, would act in their interest. Nj
| Lubbock has undoubtedly done his work wei
| Tic % 600 which he has induced Govern
ment 70 accept as the sum to I've RENTED from
| the duties now charged by the Leeward group
Tlaine would have been justified in demanding,