, 1892-05-14

first class Hotels in this and the neighbour
ing Leewara and Windward Islands and pro-
viding a Line of fast Steamers from New
York. The delay in carrying out the pro
posals submitted to and approved last year, by
the governments of the Windward and Lee.
ward Islands, has we understand been caused,
inter ALA, by the very peculiar state of the
money market in England and also because
the Syndicate was not satisfied with the man
ner in which affairs had been managed by
their former agent, who is not at present
connected with the enterprise. The above
named gentlemen were accompanied BY tho
Hon. j. ii. II. Berkeley as the representative
OF the capitalists who are prepared to furnish
capital to the extent Of from G950,0O0 to
E45O,oOO according to the magnitude into
which the undertaking may d~evelope when
the several subsidies and CONCESSIONS sought
for shall have been granted.
The plans of the Hotel for Antigua are, we
learn, substantially the same as those which
were approved last yeer-but with certain
additions and improvements
The steamers now proposed are of q deoi-
dcdly better class than those which were
thought so we'll of last year. They have been
designed by a firm of builders seoond to none
III Great Britain. who have very great ex-
perienee IN constructing fast passenger and
fruit ships and who have moreover the adyan-
tage while preparin. their designs Of being in
consultation with one who has had many years
experience in the American and West India
trade.
The accommodation provided is considerably
in excess of the amount which the Govern
ment expressed themselves as satisfied with
last year, and they will be fitted in Tho most
modern and luxurious manner.
The carriage Of fruit will be made a spe-
cial feature, and the space reserved for This
class OF freight in the Steamers is very ample
indeed, and we expect it will be two or three
years before the Colonies will be able to fill
the space which will be 1T their disposal.
1t may not be known to some Of orr
readers that SO far has the science of fruit
preservation been carried that apples and
pears are shipped from New Zealand TO
England and peaches from the Cape in
large quantit les and they reacl their desti-
nation In excellent condition. S imilar mr.
rangements for preserving all our tropical
fruits will be- provided hy these steamers,
and growers Of fruit may rest assured that
provided they put their tluit on board in
sound condition il will be delivered in New
York in equally good order.
We have before written on the very many
NdItdScS 10 dccIu 10 Antigua ana 10 the
Colony generally from the opening ofthesc
first class hotels and Il fast steam service and
we will therefore do no more now than wish
the scheme every success and hope
that a renewal of The contracts here and
IN the WindwaId Islands will be readily
granteG-nothing has occurred to alter The
circumstances Which made 1t advisable for
us to enter into the Contracts last year
except perhaps that the want Of both good
II otelS, and faster and more regular steam
communicated with New York has become
more manifest With egrry day that has since
passed.
There is one point Of Importance on This
SUBJECT to which VIZ would like to draw
attention viz: if we are to reap the hcnc-
lt "f these hotels and steamers ful the 1893
season ACTION must he taken at once by the
1ocal Council and an early session Of the
Federal Legislature Of The Leeward Is.
lands should be convened if necessary,