, 1892-01-16
(St. Thome Tidende, 9th Januaru.l

IIHtCuUU. GIN OONNtH4tOHls uLlitC
command of Admiral WALKER, arrived here
from Hampton Roads en- route to the South
Atlantic. 1t will be remembered that the
ships only replenished their stock Of small
stores here, leaving the coaling to be done at
st. Lucia, not, however, on account OF any
question regarding the price Of fuel (coaj
haring been CBered here CHEAPER than it copId.
be procured ut the latter port but absolutely
because the ADMIRAL had instructions to
coal at the nearest port from Brazil. This
being the case, the advantageous offer Of
Messrs. w. BR0NDsTED & Co., the coal-dtp6t
proprietors, was regretfully declined but
some good may yet come of it, as the ApMI-
RAJ is now fully aware that this island is not
to be outdone by other contractors anywhere
in the West Indies, and that the requirements
of the ships Cf the United States OF Of any
other Navy can, as regards fuel, water, pro-
visions, or else, be amply met, not only at
cheap rates but full weight, pure, and sound.
Respecting the water furnished here it has
always stood the severest of analysis fact
of which the folks of Castries cannot beast,
Judging by the subjoined cutting from the
Barbados Herald, December 81, which says
1--WE venture to hope that Dir. Labouchere
will bring to tho notice Of the War Department
the following fact about St. Lucia Before
arriving at this Island the American Squad
ron NOW in our harbour) put into Saint Lucia
and took in a supply of water. The operation
of watering the squadron took four days and
four nights, and when it was completed the
squadron sailed en- route for Barbados. While
on the voyage it was found on analysis that
the water was quite unfit for use, and had to
be thrown away. On their arrival here the
squadron took in water and the surplyiug
took only one day and a night, and further,
the water has satisfied the %strictest analysis.
The Commander of the Americans has express
ed his satisfaction at the great save If time
and the excellent quality of the water"
This affair however, is not mentioned by.
the Foice of st. Lucia, which thus refers to
the islands scantiness of water -
ut is most disgraoeful to have to record
that the U. S. S. Philadelphia did not take in
Goals here because she could not be supplied
with fresh water; and that the Chicago, Atlanta
and Bennington left here AS hours earlier than
they intended doing in order to call at bar
bados for water. This will give the port a
very bad name. We can only with great
difficulty su pply the requirements Of merchant
shipping, and that in most instances very
inadequately. The supply of water iii the
reservoirs will, it IS greatly to be feared,
be insufficient to meet the requirements OF
the rapidly increasing population of Castles
during the dry months of next yeal. The
danger of a water famine has been impressed
upon the Government. Nevertheless, the
Director Of Public Works is absent from the
colony looking after another berth, it is
said. :"
Our ootem, does not, as a rule, choice words
when denouncing public abuses, and as he
aptly qualities it, this water business els not
only "disgraceful," but dangerous. That the
Philadelphia and Concord, under Admiral
GHERARD1's command, did leave Castries to
re-coal and refill with water here is true,
and, what is more, the accounts brought by
them were not at all f~attering to that port,
specially. A confederation of this is found
in the appended paragraph contributed to
the Neto York Herald, January End. and dated
from Port Castries, St. Lucia, December 10th,
the author being evidently one of the ships
officers - , as II was found impos slble
" to watg the 3.Philadelphia' here in a reason
Z" able length of time, it was decided to proceed
" to ST. THOMAS, phere both codl and m0ter
" ca be obtained NTH less delay than an any !.
3. other port in the West Indies" At the time
the ships entered they were on their way to
Hayti and took from the above named con-
tractors, in Il to IA hours, about the same
quantity Of water as the other squadron, be-
sides some 600 tons of coal. 1t is needless
to say that tie supplying was executed to the
utmost satisfa ,tion Of both tho Admiral and
N--~-- - -~ao~ l.--.-4