New-York tribune., 1907-01-16

The colony OF Jamaica grew faSt que ldrSeiS
to the wealth brought into it by the buccaneers
who made Port Royal their headquarters ana
storehouse until that town was enguifed as
result Of the great earthquake of 1862. Kings
ton then consisted Of only few sheds, and st.
Jago de La Vega Spanish Town became pracu-
cay the capital OF the island. The Island suf-
fered severely in the eighteenth century from
earthouakes hurricanes, numerous slave insur-
rections and wars with the Maroons. or noun
taineers descendants OF the African slaves ieft
by the Spaniards who inhabited the Blue Noun
tains In the eastern part of the isiano "heh
the slave trade was abolished In loo'' there
were nearly 325OOO slaves in Jamaica, and on
the abolition of slavery in 1888 Jamaica re-
ceived over S30,OGOO00 of the S1oo.oooooo
granted by the British government as compensa-
tion for the slave owners.
serious rebellion among the black popuia-
ton OF Jamaica broke out in 1860 and was sup
pressed by Governor Eyre with so much Vlo-
ience that he was recalled. Only per cent or
the Inhabitants of Jamaica are white the re-
mainder being chiefly of African descent four-
f1fths being pure Negroes
Two cables from Cuba touch the island.
whence they branch, by way of ST. Thomas 10
Demerara- and in the opposite direction 10 the
Isthmus OF Panama. In 1898 the Direct west
India Cable Company established communlca-
ton between Jamaica and Halifax, by way or
Bermuda and Turks Island. The line OF inland
telegraph connects all the principal towns OF
Jamaica. There seventy-four telegraph anu
telephone stations. with total mileage of about
750
The railway in jamaica extends from Kingston
to Montsgo Bay. IN the parish of st. James
distance of over liz miles, and to Ewarton' III
the parish Of st. Catherine. in the other dlrec-
ton. by a branch line from Spanish Town and
to Port Antonio by branch line from Bogwalk'
on the Ewarton branch The railway was pur-
chased by an American syndicate, which under
agreement, extended it TO Port Antonio, on the
northeast and TO Montego Bay. the north
west, but, the company having failed. the gov
ernment of Jamaica resumed possession of the
line in August. 1900.
Jamaica Is intersected by a system Of main
roads the condition of which will bear favor
able comparison with those in many European
countries. There are about two thousand miles
of these roads and over four thousand miles OF
parochiaI roads A weekly steam communica-
ton around the island TO the principal ports has
beer established. The circuit is completed
within 123 hours Kingston. Montego Bay Bas-
mouth. Savanna Ia Mar and st, AIMS Bay are
ports OF registry.
The present Governor OF Jamaica ia Sir j. A.
Swettenham.
Until last year there was small British gar
policy OF the British government in changing
the disposition OF its naval and military forces
the garrison OF white troops was withdrawn
This force consisted of about fve hundred men.
and between 100000 and 100000 was annually
expended by the home government in their
maintenance The loss OF this amount was
keeny felt by the merchants and cattle dealers.
all white men. of Jamaica. practically the
whole OF the money went into their pockets.
AS a result the Jamaican Legislature in March
last refused 20 pass the appropriation for the
maintenance OF the jamaican militia, and IT was
announced that. with the exception of probably
one hundred men OF the artillery for garrison
duty, the militia would be disbanded.
The maintenance OF order In Jamaica is in
trusted TO the constabulary, modelled on the
system OF the Royal Irish Constabulary, and
partially under military organization and dis
cipline" This force consists OF 16 officers
0nspectors and sub-inspectors) under an In
spector general. 75S sub-oficers and men and
S12 district constables. distributed throughout
the island number Of the sub -officers for
merly belonged TO the Royal Irish Constabulary
The coffee plantations OF Jamaica are mainly
the Blue Mountain range. and the great fruit
growing district is in Portland. with Port An
tonic for its outlet, Sugar is largely grown in
the district Of We're. in Clarendon parish. and
neY. where the best rum is produced.
The cattle raising districts OF Jamaica are in
st. AIMS. Hanover and Westmoreland. and the
western par. OF st. James. The upands or
Manchester parish are rich In coffee and fruit
and ST. Elizabeth parish grows a large quantity
OF logwood and other dye woods as well as
corn, and furnishes fine pasture for horses. The
cultivation OF cotton has recently been under
taken in jamaica There are now about twenty
two acres under cultivation. and the exports for
1904-'05 reached about fifteen thousand pounds
The following banks situated at Kingston:
Branch OF the Bank of Nova Scotia Colonial
Bank Government Savings Bank. Penny Saw
ings Bank. and the Peoples Discount and De-
posit Company, Limited.
The principal dry goods merchants are:
Anderson & Jacobsen, Joseph Bewley Isaac
s. Brandon. the Bee Hive Fnke & Co. r @
Fisher, Henry Fisher, Hurcomb & Co. W. r.
Kempson. Lopez Lopez. A. II. Morales.
Ainsley Mordecai. D. !. Motta, D. Murphy. Nash
& Co. Nathan & Co, Pawsey g. Co, Pinnock &
Co. Schiller & Co. Turnbull & Co. and Young
& Co.
Among the principal commission merchants
are:
Burke & Bro. George A. Campbell, De Cor
dova's Son g. Brown, Delgado Son e. Co. Finke
& Co. George & Branday, Henriques & Co.
& Co. Lascelles De Mercado & Co, Lyons &
Son. A. Munro. F., c. Orrell. William Schiller &
Co. Simon & Co. and G. w. Young & Co
At Kingston there are the following hotels:
American Hotel, Criterion Hotel, Constand
Spring Hotel Central Hotel, Delmonico Hotel
international Hotel. Lion Hotel, Myrtle Bank
Hotel. Shakespeare Hotel. Victoria Hotel and
Waterloo Hotel.
Cigar and cigarette factories
s. " Duran &s Co, El Comercio factory Hunt