, 1912-01-17

90 system, by 40 per cent. It is pro-
bable that a similar central factory will
soon he established on somewhat analogous
lines in the island of st. Kits. DIR. Watts
name VIII be closely associated with the sue
cess OF central factories in the Leeward Is
bands. At Barbados the central factory idea
IS beginning to take root, as several estates
have lately enlarged their machinery in Or
der to purchase outside canes. At Jamaica
Two new central factories have been lately
established, and considerable interest is be-
ing taken in improving the manufacture of
rum. At Trinidad a feature worthy of men
ton is the considerable proportion of canes
grown by cane farmers. This scheme was
started by Sir Neville Lubbock in 1883.
It's object was to create an industrial popu-
lation settled on the land and Interested in
making the best Of it, and provide itself with
a stimulus to education and Improvement
Professor Carmody, who has kept closely in
touch with the scheme, has described l. it as
IAN established and important branch of the
sugar industry In the Report of the De-
%partment of Agriculture for 1908 it is
stated 'As in previous years, the quantity
of cane grown by cane farmers formed a
considerable PERCENTAGE of the total; the sum
Of 1887, ST. was paid for 1865 tons of
canes, OF at the rate of $2.18c. Us. ID per
LOu. LtcA yeat Cdu6 ldrIHluS Il OoCOIulAS
more firmly established, and over 1000
farmers East Indian immigrants and black
people are engaged in it.
The total annual production of sugar in
the West Indies is about 100000 tons, of
the value (includlng rum aud molasses) of
about G3,OO0,00O In recent years al ill.,
creasing amount of sugar and molasses has
been shipped to the Dominion of Canada. In
1897 Canada took II, 600 tons of sugar but
in the year 1909 it took $4,000 tons, or
about 60 per cent. Of the total production of
the West Indies.
1t may be within your recollection that the
Royal Commission of 1897 drew attention to
the danger that the West Indian Colonies
incurred in their dependence on a single in
dustry, and their recommendations were
largely directed to the desirabiliiy of essab-
ishing other and alternative industries. Tire
result of this policy during the last twelve
ears is shown in the fact that, while the to-
tai exports of produce and manufactures Of
the West Indian Colonies have increased
from G5, 1925. 600 to E7, 195, 800, the exports
of the products of the sugar-cane (sugar,
rum, and molasses) have declined from &3,
243, 900 to G3, O37 $50. On the other
hand, the exports Of other commodities,
such as cacao, fruit, cotton, logwood
extract, tobacco and cigars, rice, cocoa
nuts, and rubber, have increased from
Fl, 1892, 900 to f4,157, 700 The recent Roy
al Commission entirely concurs with the
Commission of 1897 as to the danger of de-
penlence GU o single industry, and they
strongly support a continuance of the efforts
that have been made with such signal sue
cess to develop other industries Suitable to
the soil and climate. AT the same time, they
recognize that the sugar industry is still, as
IN 1897, the dominating factor in such colo
pies as British Guiana, Barbados, st. Lucia,
Antigua and st. Kits. In Jamaica the peg
centage OF sugar products is 1916, as against
is in 1896, and in Trinidad PAT per cent,
as against 81 in 1896.
As compared with thirty years ago, the
81. aation in Jamaica has completely changed.
Then the value of the exports Of sugar and
rum was over a million sterling; DOW il is
about one-fourth of that. Then the value
Of the exports of fruit was 9l4O,O0 now it
is eight times as much-namely. Ell, 142,7 65.
The weak point in the position of Jamaica is
shat its fruit trade is to so large an extent
dependent on a foreign mnrket-that of the
United States-and under the control of one
group of capitalists. The sugar industry,
now bounties are removed, is capable of