340 CUBA AND TORTO RICO 



Guadeloupe was a Spanish possession until 1635, when 

 it was takni by the French. Since then the island has 

 several times changed hands, the English having captured 

 it in 17!>4 and freed the slaves. In 1802, the island having 

 been returned to France, together with Martinique, in 

 exchange for St. Lucia, the French attempted to restore 

 slavery ; but, rather than return to their masters, many of 

 the people committed suicide, four hundred under Delgris 

 having blown themselves up at one time, in a fortification. 

 Over ten thousand blacks were killed or transported, and 

 thousands sent to the Napoleonic wars in Italy. England 

 again captured the island, in 1810, during Napoleon's brief 

 reign of one hundred days, but afterward returned it to 

 France. In 1848 emancipation was declared. 



Communication is carried on entirely by highways and 

 coasting- vessels. All over this double island are the best 

 of roads, some of which lead up to the woods that border 

 on the gloomy crater of the quiescent volcano. Here, as 

 well as in the sister colony of Martinique, will be noted 

 the thrift and good management of the French. The peo- 

 ple go from place to place afoot, or in quaint French 

 vehicles like those seen in the mountainous portions of 

 France. There are no railways, nor have any American 

 inventions been introduced into Guadeloupe. 



While Guadeloupe is agriculturally more prosperous 

 than the British colonies, it nevertheless presents signs of 

 the universal decay which has overtaken the Caribbee 

 Islands. Sugar is the chief agricultural product, and is 

 grown upon 502 properties, employing 42,000 people. The 

 sugar industry is much more economically conducted than 

 in the British islands, through a system of central usines. 

 There are numerous coffee-plantations in Guadeloupe. The 

 coffee and sugar interests do not conflict, for coffee is 

 grown on the highlands and sugar on the lower plains. 

 The cultivation of coffee employs 4936 people. In all 

 there are 62,760 acres in sugar, 86,485 acres in coffee, and 

 4037 in cocoa. France consumes most of the products of 



