Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-01-17
BRITISH Guiana.
IN That Country Sugar Interests Are
Supreme.
The Coolies Are Practically Slaves
TO their Masters, Though 1t Or
tends the English to Say So-The
Interior Wholly Unsettled-Tne
Climate Not Agreeable-Hand-
. some CooHe Girls and Women.


The dispute over the boundary OIL
Venezuela and British Guiana has the
advantage at least of calling attention
to a region that IS Little known to the
civilized world, except through vague
and indefinite reports of travellers and
adyenturers, although the country Is
one of the oldes., historically, on the
hemisphere. The Dutch settled ii IN
the early days in defiance Of the Pope
and iha SDaniard, bw. it came under
English rule in 1914, who changed the
general scheme Of government adopted
by the Dutch Trading Company. Inc
gcverricr IS appointed by the crown, and
ne is practically ths ruler Of the col
ony. as h holds the controlling power
in the court of policy. This court is
composed Of sixteen persons, one-hSiI
Of waom are appointed by the crown
through the governor ana the 0th-I
nall by the electorate. Ile eI-ctOI@4
franchise IS 50 restricted by a propsTl!
qualification that the rule IS lodged IN
the hands of a fev Engllsnme1' VINO
are naturally in sympathy with the gov
ern0r. The elscteI memcers Oh the
court practically have 70 be the owners
of $4,000 worth OF real estate, and the
Larry planters thus have the letg-s.a-
ton placed into their Cwn hands ana
wen beyond the reach OF the natives
and poorer c0lOnis.s.
Guiana IS practically country OF I'M
mense landed estates. The sugar IN
terests are supreme here, and these are
owned by about a dozen wealthy plant
els. not more than three Of whom are
actual colon.ss. Their residence IS
abroad. but their money and Interests
are in Guiana. Thsy control the ldyiS-
laLon through their agents and Factors,
and besides owning most Of the valu-
able sugar lands, they have firm grasp
uDon the chief business interests IN
Georgetown. There are three things
that are valuable in Guiana-one Is
sugar. which has developed into a pay
ing industry; another is gold, which IS
lust beginning 10 be located and mined,
and the third coolies.
The coolies are practically slaves to
their English masters, although 1t IS
offensive to the English public sense
TO designate them as such. The plant
ers, both resident and absent, have done
all in their power TO obtain absolute
control ever The lives Of their slaves
and the English government has grant
ed them Liberties enough TO make the
system little better than that which OBJ
tanned i'm our Southern States prior to
the rebellion. The coolies are in many
instances worked and treated as # they
were Sc many pack-hOrses. They are
bound 20 thsir masters for five years,
and receive food and clothing and wages
that never exceed a shilling day. Dur
ing his bondage he Is worked unscrupu-
lously and subjected To numerous and
petty finss, which largely eat UP his
wages. Hts only appeal is TO the Eng
lish local courts, which are more apt
TO take sides with the wealthy planters
than with the coolies. AT the end Of
five years the cOOte can choose another
master. or rensw his bondage with the
first for a second term OF five years.
At the end of ten years he Is returned
10 his native place q free man.
The interior Of British Guiana is
wholly unsettled and the bands of na-
tive South American Indians roam over
it as freely as they dad when Columbus
first discovered the Western hemi-
sphere. While the topography of the
country is fairly well known through
the work of English surveyors, its Won
derful resources have never been meas
ured nor approximately estimated.
There is a general belief that untold
mineral wealth exists in this region.
Gold mining camps have been located
on the disputed territory for many
years, but It IS a mistake TO say that
these are settlers. They are only shift
ing, temporary mining camps, with no
settled habtat,on or acquired property
worth anything Some settlements
have been made along the river banks,
but not more than $50 miles from the
coast, and these are reached by small
steamboats, which regularly ply up and
down the stream. Along the river the
soil IS rich and alluv'al, Yielding Won
derful tropical products and making a
scenery that is grand and imposing
The trees are magnificent in their size
and beauty, and enormous forests of
them extend many miles back into the
country, including in their list of valu-
able grOwths Of mahogany, irOnwoOd,
logwoOd. lignum-Titae and dye-woods.
In time the value of these forests Will
prove Of .nestimable value to England
and the whole civilized world
The gold mines are still practically
undevelOped. The disputed region N
which they are located was not thought
to be Of much value for many years,
but wandering bands of miners have
II late years unear,hed some rich finds.
The gold fever has struck the English
adventures in Guiana and Venezuela
rs heavily as il I'D the Americans In
early California days. and considerable
numbers are fiocking TO the unsettled
territory. The real value Of these mines
Will never be determined until sc,en-
tific methods and modern machinery
are employed TO unearth the treasures.
At present very little capital has sought
this region as an investment in mining
machinery. largely because the territory
was a disputed one. If England should
obtain the absolute right over il, Eng
hsh capital would undoubtedly pour IN
TO the country and develop the mineral
resources rapidly.
The climate of Guiana is net by any
means agreeable. Georgetown is with
in six degrees of the equator. and the
mercury generally fingers around 90
and loo degrees. The land IS also low