Year: 1865

EMANCIPATION.


It is the general opinion that the emancipa.
ton of the slaves in the British West Indies
has caused the ruin of the Island Of Jamaica at
one time the most .Aourishiug sugar colony be.
longing to England. II is taken for granted
that Jamaica is ruined beyond redemption; and
her supposed utter prostration is attributed
solely to the alleged Incidence of the negro,
who, it is contended will not labor steadily
and continuously except under the compulsion
of the lash. Only those, however, who are un.
acquainted with the industrial history Of the
colony will come to such conclusion; for
recorded statistics show that its decadence as a
sugar country commenced long before the epoch
of emancipation, and has been aggravated by
causes altogether Independent of that e7ent.
Indeed, its history furnishes one Of tho most
striking proofs possible of the impolig of
making negro slavery the basis Of maerial
prosperity.


Jamaica reached her acme as a suga-pro.
ducing country in the early part Of the present
century. In the decade preceding the CON-
mencement Of the century she exported an av-
erage of 10000 tuns Of sugar year. In the
year 1899 species of the sugar cane known ss
the Bourbon" of very superior description
both as regards the quantity and the quality Of
the liquor it yields, was introduced into the
island; and this helped greatly to swell the pro-
duction of sugar, which for the first seven years
of the century averaged 1913, 900 tuns per an
mum. Up to this time the slave trade had
been in vigorous operations; but in the year
1907 British legislation abolished that nefarious
and bloody traffic to the colonies OF En-.
gland. Jamaica felt sensibly the effects Of
this act of humanity and justice, for her ex-
ports of sugar at once fell of seriously; and for
the next fourteen years they did not average
more than l02, 900 tuns year. This brings us
to the year 1921, when Canning introduced into
the House of Commons his famous declaratory
resolutions on West India Slavery, aiming at
the immediate amelioration Of the condition OF
the slave population Of the British West Indies,
with view to the ultimate gradual extinction
of Slavery ITSELF Here was another heavy
blow, under which tho slave system staggered
The production Of sugar again fell of, and from
1921 till 1888, when the emancipation act
passed the British Parliament, the yearly aver
age exports of sugar from Jamaica amounted to
only %, 900 tuns. So that before Emancipation
took place the production Of sugar had fallen
from I2S 900 tuns to 95, 900 tuns, being dc.
crease of 80, 900, or nearly % per cent


Slavery was the basis of that prosperity which
gave Jamaica the reputation of an FL Dorado
sixty or seventy years ago. But the unsubstan-
tial value Of the foundation was shown BY the
events to which we have just alluded. Slavery
in Jamaica was not self-Sustaning. There was
no slave-breeding as a distinct department OF
the system, which, consequently. depended for
its vitality upon the continual infusion of new
blood. This the slave trade supplied; and
thus, no sooner had that trade been stopped,
than the production OF sugar fell immensely.
Then came Canning's resolutions, which, look
ing, as they did, to the eventual abolition OF
Slavery, seriously shook the confidence Of capi.
talsts in West India property, causing the
abandonment of estates, and further fall.
ing off in the exports to the tune ol
1000 tuns OF sugar per annum. The
Incidence of the negro had nothing whatever
to do with all this retrogression. He was then
under the LASH He was then at the absolute
disposal of his master, who could work him,
and did work him, day and night. Indeed, SC
severely were the physical energies of the slaves
then taxed, that for some years previous to
emancipation the annual returns of slaves made
to the Legislature show that gradual decrease
of the slave population Of the island was going
on. Had Slavery been let alone in Jamaica,
the probability is it would have exhausted itsell
in the course Of half a century.


But, to return to our statistics, We find that
during the four years of the apprenticeship
sort of probation for freedom-the exports OF
sugar averaged only 900 tuns a year. Here
was further yearly falling off of $4,000 tuns;
but it must be borne in mind that during the
whole of this time the negro was still slave in
reality, working under compulsion, the terrorS
of the dungeon and the tread-mill having been
substituted, with the connivancc of unfaithfu
Especial Magistrates" for the drivers whip
In fact, during the apprenticeship the negro
was not permitted to be idle, even hat
he been SO disposed; for his master wa
resolved upon making the most he could ou
of him during the short time he had him still il
his power. The falling off in sugar production
is accounted for by the fact that emancipation
was regarded as Jamaica's coup de grace by mel