, 1912-02-28

49, $500 "A'I ANNNA
as a token of sympathy from this commu-
nifty.
Some time back we wrote n short article
on some very NAL fishes called, from their
great abundance in the fresh-water streams
and ponds Of Barbados, millions. Our facts
were taken from a little pamphlet published
by the Imperial Department of Agriculture,
wherein many interesting points in the ma
tural history of these little fishes, the means
of transporting them, and SO ON, were dealt
with. Chiefly 1t WAS pointed out that these
tiny creatures kept the water in which they
live free from mosquitoes, especially that par
ticular kind of mosquito which carries mala-
rial fever.
We did not know at that time, what Mr..
S hmiegelow has recently told US, namely
that he, as Administrator for the Plantation
Company, had four OF five years ago intro
duced millions in considerable quantities
from Antigua. He had thereafter distIibut-
ed them il the upper parts of the water
courses, the Bethlehem stream and others
but this did not appear to have been sue
cessful; the fishes disappeared, perhaps
eaten by cells or swept out to seq
by heavy rains. There may, of course,
be some left here and there, but there is no
evidence. An experiment at Rust up-Twist
was more encouraging; there the fishes were
kept for several years. Mr.. Schmiegelow
was not sure at the time of his conversation
with us whether there were not still some
survivors there. Antigua, from which our
st. Croiy supply was obtained is particular
ly we'll adapted for keeping small fresh-water
fishes, as it has fresh-water ponds in many
quarters of the island, in some of which gold
and silver fish have been raised for many
years, the millions being a new and useful
addition to the stock.
A week OF so ago we met in one of the
streets of Bassln Il young mechanic whom
we knew, and we stopped to ask him how he
was getting along. He had lately finished
a iob, lie said, but just then lie had nothing
in hand, aud he thought that he would very
soon try ST. Thomas, where there would be
some work stirring. We old him that we
supposed there would be Q good deal Of
work in St. Thomas by and by Git was the
Harbour Improvements that WE were both
thinking of but we did not believe that
the offer of such work would come just Mt
present, and we suggested that it might be
wise to pick up what he could here in Santa
Cruz and wait a little to hear further before
venturing the change. But this view did
not impress him, somebody had told him it
was gOOd 10 De on Tue Spot, ne Sald ana so
we suppose he has gone by this time or will
go shortly.
It is likely that this case, which by the
way has an actual existence, and is not sim
ply a fancy sketch, has many parallels. Peo-
pie here, as well as III st. Thomas, have
been rather carried away, we suspect, by
hearing that five or six millions of dol
lars are 10 be spent on the St. Thomas
Harbour and the accessories ashore. Out
of this large sum, they think there will sure
" be a little for everybody, and we fear that,
as in so many other cases, many will be dis
appointed. 70 begin with, the money will
not all be spent at once. We hear that the
Danish papers say the work will take seven
years to complete. Such work as dredging,
the building of wharves and of o large dock
WILL of course be pushed on first, that is to
say as soon as the preliminary surveying and
planning are completed but it must be le-