, 1892-04-02

" eRets, seven vacuum pans, 81 centrifugals,
-" and many other things" The depressing
and disheartnlng influence upon the minds
Of bus ness men connected with the colony,
csused ty the diemantling of Pin Belair, will
certainly not be intensified by these two items
Of cheerful Intelligence. The opinion is gaining
strength every day, amongst local planters,
that there really is no valid excuse for the
aba ndonment OF Belair 10 be foCnd in connec-
non wlthrts sea d~efences, although it iS upon
this question alone, that the proprietors in
the II communicative with the Government
res t the explanation Of the course they say
they are constrained to take. 1t does seem
strange that one of the richest london firms
connected with the sugar fields { this colo
ny should have to throw up the sponge when
others not one whit more fortunately situa-
ated are working their properties at a hand
some profit. Last year several of the largest
of our sugar estates cleared over &20,0 600
each and we mention this information upon
authority that we have reason to respect. In
the matter of land Belair can compare favour
ably with most plantations in any OF the thrse
counties; and in the matter OF its position
with regard to the harbour, it has an advan-
tage over nearly all others that can be esti-
mated by proprletors WHO have to meet the
charges for carrying stores from o to the
estates and produce from the estate to town
Its VIGOROUSLY weak point is its factory, the
confused arrangement Of which, the aecumus
Eatlon OF plant upon plant of machinery, the
extraordinary distance of the mill from the
rest Of the factory, the bewildering lengths of
steam piping, the loss of steam, the friction
that ought TO be necessary, the incompactness
and generally chaotic look of everything strike
professional and unprotessionaI men alike who
have visited the place. We are not overlook
ing the TACT that 1t might be said WI ale referr-
ing here to private factory. with the economy
Of which the general public have no %concsrn,
but as it happens the OWNERS of the factory
have themselves brought their affairs within
the range of legitimate public comment by
their memorandum TO the Government to
which We have already alluded, With the
factory remodelled and the mania for exprri.
ments therein suppressed for a lime there is
no reason why the plantation should not be-
come a property paying equally as we'll as
those that ale know to have done we'll dur.
ing the last year,-which was not in any way
exceptionally favourable either with regard TO
weather or prices; and 1t would be 8 gracious
act towards the colony if the rich firm to
whom the estate belongs were TO reconsider
their rider to crop it, and decid,. to foil w he
lead Of men like the owners of Diamond, Bath,
Cove and John, Emmore. Schoon Ord, LrsiE-
nan, Houston, UtvIugt, Port Morant and
many others We could name. 1t is an ungra.
cious matter to ~intefere with men in the con.
duet Of their AFT IT'S but in tie case Of Belair We
hunk a word of friendly remonstrance from
their West Indian c~onfreres in the sugar trade
10 the firm in in question would not he out Of
Piac'. Coming from men who are themselves
maintaining with most praiseworthy efforts
tie sugar cultivation of the colony together
with It's immigration system and other KIN
dred institutions, the remembrance would be
entitled to respect and might have a ~salutary
effect.