The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-18
TRADE WITH THE WEST INDIES
Interesting Fsets is Connection with
Reciprocity Treaties.

Washington, July 1.-THE commerce OF
those parts OF the British West Indies
with which reciprocity treaties are now
under consideration Is discussed somewhat
In detail in the Monthly Summary Of
Commerce and Finance. Just issued by
the treasury bureau OF statistics. The i'm
ports OF Jamaica. the largest of the Brit
ish West India islands. lies ninety miles
south OF Cuba and 100 miles west OF Haiti:
has an area OF 400 square miles. and
population OF e40.O0O. The total number
OF acres under cultivation and care I'm
1897 was 6s5. $50. Of which ssS. GIG were under
pasture. s7e4 devoed TO sugar cane. a.
Ss7 to coffee. 1915 Otto bananas. 10. re TO CO.
coanuts. L6l1 TO cocoa. 692 TO pomento.
245 to corn. and s0.s5s to ground provisions.
The tillable soil Of Jamaica has. since the
abolition of slavery. passed 10 a great
extent from the hands OF the large holders
to those OF small owners, and the produc-
lions have. at the same time. been greatly
and cocoa have in many places occupied
the area formerly devoted 20 suga- cane.
The local currency is that OF Great
Britain, but various American coins are
Jamaica consists o. 12i sailing vessels. OF
6e94 tons. and one steamer % 4ss tons.
There are in operation rs m'.Cs OF rail-
way and ss7 miles OF telegraph. The pro-
ducts OF Jamaica. besides tropical fruits
already mentioned, are dye-wood. cabinet
woods. spices. and other valuable pro-
ducts. The coffee raiesd In certain dis
tricts OF the Blue Mountains brinRs. a. Is
said. the highest price paid for coffee in
the London market The exports from ia
maica IN the year 1873 Included $50
cwt. OF coffee. -. SIS pounds iof bananas.
1i.b73 725 coacoanuts. Ss.0i3.09i oranges l.
40s lss pounds OF ginger. l.57s.27s gallons %
rum. 2sf.575 cwt. Of raw sugar. - co tons
OF logwood. and 5s.s2s ewt. OF pimeto The
total value Of the exports OF 1873 was
f1. 44S4s3, and OF the imports q. sso. So.
Jamaica was discovered by Columbus in
1894. and taken as a possession by the
q British expedition sent out by Cromwell
Tbs party. after an unsuccessful attempt
TO take the Island Of San Domingo. ssized
Jamaica. which has since been held by
the British government. having been ees3-
ed 10 England in 1870.
The island OF Barbados. with whose gov
eminent a reciprocity treaty has already
been signed. lies TO the east Of chain Of
islands stretching southwark from Porto
Rico 70 the coast Of SOUTH Amsrioa. which
geographerz divide into "win8ward" and
"Leswsrd'' groups. Its population Il. ac-
eording 10 the 'statesman's Year Book
for 1850 about 1900. its area sbo1i lS
square miles. and the area under cultiva-
ton abort 1Os.47O aCres. The stapie pro-
duct Of the island = sugar. some 199
acres being annually planted with cane.
which In 1897 yielded -. 80 hoFShsads %
sugar. as against Js.ssi in 49, and en- In
isasL There are 81 sugar works and nine
rum dis;tIleries. Sugar u the chief sx-
port. though LsS0 tons % 'manJak' O.
glance piteh''-a tatUminous Psirois8n
for fBel--Eas exported IN if7. Facilities
for the transaetion % business include
q colonial bank. with q paid-uD capital %
Eso.S ard a circulation % 8. -. og7. TIE
chief city. BrldEstoSn. has n pyYgsatiaa
% = 60 with three daily newspapers. fSo
weekly. two 0iweekiy and t~o monthly.
The registered shipping ~ iss7 consisted
% forts eight sailing yeSse.4 and tTo
steamers: total tonnage. 7.fs tons net
There are on tho islans tWenty-fSur miles
OF ranroad. 40 Biiss % wagon rad.
tEeniy-fo1r miles q telegraph iine. =
miles Of police tsiephons Hne. and go
miles n private tssephaas lie. With sep
plies - services. Barbados - q statloa
~ The West Indian ana Panama Tpfe-
graph company. I;s siftanes from New
York r. 10 rites: from Porto Rlcs 80.
ana fr1-u IIyerpoos. Az miles.