New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-26

THAT ENGLAND MAY DO SOMETHING FOR
HER CoIONIFs-MoRTGAGD ESTATES
SUFFER GREATLY.
II the bounty OF a tropical climate and the
utter inability Of the inhabitants to comprc-
bend the distinction OF meum and teum did not
prevent 1t there would be starvation in the
lesser West Indies. But nature is kind. Be-
| sides endowipg the soil with wonderful fer
tty, she has left conscience out Of the cOnsti-
tuition Of the negro inhabitants and the word
starvation can only be hyperbole. One hears 1t
everywhere In the Windward and Leeward ISL
ands but II Is only figure of speech OF dis
content
mo, the nigSers not starving said a
Barbadian to the writer, who was recently on
the island. Mine live better than do myself
The best sweet potatoes and yams in my garden
are theirs The best hog in my pen they take,
and they never make any mistake in their Sc
lection. My fowls, for once had "a henroost,
are long since all theirs They take the choice
Of my fruit. NO. indeed: better things go on
their table than mine"
He did not speak with regret not even In the
Renaissance Of the henroost. but with an APP
parent patriotic pride in the peculiar institutions
Of his country He was Wanting the cheapness
OF ll|lnB 10 tnc negroes tNcft. IL fIluSt HctuS
be- for wages range from to 20 cents a day
and work is uncertain.
None the less, there is reason for tho dscon-
tent which talks Of starvation. There are a
million or more Of people whose sole industry
is admittedly on the verge Of extinction. This
is no hypcrbolc. II things remain they are.
the raising Il sugar which is the sole support OF
the people u the Windward and Lccward ISL
IL tttI 4, h, abandoned What n j
viii mean To the islands may be seen from the
following figures. OF the exports Of Barbados
in 1896 - per cent were sugar. molasscs and
rum; IL St Kits and Nevis. 9Gia per cent; OF
Antigua. 9lIs. ~ St Lucia. a; Of British
Guiana. 10is. II Montscrrat. g.. OF Trinidad. %
Of 81 Vincent. -. and Of Dominica, H..
~ \ DESPERATE CONDITION.
As may be seen from these figures. the British
colonies which had suffered most from the con
dl,ion q the sugar Industry Barbados. St
kits and Nevis Antigua and Guiana. tn" eul-
tiyaton Of sugar on these islands has not been
given up but Is indeed in 4 desperate condition.
owners ~ Estates having their capital invested
In land and mills reluctant to lose the whole Of
1t. keep up cultivation at loss. Therefore the
writer saw on all the Islands all the stages Of
sugar raising. from the brown fields stuck with
mills in D,mcrara where the season Is earlier
than on the islands The cultivation continues
in the hope that England Will do something for
the relief u her colonies. although the only ac-
ton II the Government. tho appointment OF the
Norman Commission ended In nothing.
vast number u estates on the Islands have
changed hands within the last two years. The
ministry ~ without credit. Capital Is chary OF a
bR haG N ut
means Of his own is forced to sell ont at "A sac
nncc MoitrlScd estates. and there have neen
many mortraecd In recent years to Introduce
improved machinery. have suffered especially.
The condition in Santa cruz one OF the Danish
West Indies may be accepted as typical Bar
tram BROTHERS. 81 NeW-York, are larg" dealers
in scpI lies to planters IN the island They hav"
lent inon,y 10 many supervisors During the
last year their agent In Santa Crnz Captain a.
+ Blackwood has taken up eleven estates on
which The concern held mortgages and whose
owners were unable t. carry them any longer
Harhadocs suffers greatly from the depression
Of the trade It has dense population. about
eleven hundred persons To- the squar" mile, and
no industry but surar-raising could support so
many persons on the island. The industry there
IS backward. the cstatcs being generally small
New processes IN the making ~ sugar have rot
been introduced: .Ldctd. the old windmills for
grinding sugar can stiil bc found in the island.
Central Factories with the fuel saving process
81 burning ia" bcGassa. or crushed cane. are
la.tlnc The wonderful fertility 81 the soil pro-
duciig a cane peculiarly rich IN saccharinc mat
fer il. III that has kept the trade alive in that
island.
The islands Of ST Kits and Antigua suffer