270 



the Bourbon cane. He would not, however, recommend this "208" 

 cane for Jamaica until it had been thoroughly tested beforehand. 



He now came to the question of markets open to Jamaican sugars. 

 He had already mentioned the English and American markets, and 

 would now enter more fully into the question of the Canadian market. 

 During his rtcent visit to the United States he was told by those 

 interested in West Indian sugar that the preference offered by 

 Canada to the West Indies was not available under all circum- 

 stances. 



Quoting from a letter received on the subject by the Hon. the 

 Colonial Secretary, Sir Daniel stated that previous to the abo- 

 lition of European bounties, the preferential rebate offered by 

 Canada to the West Indies of 33| per cent, i eduction in the duty 

 was non-effective owing to the United States Government charg- 

 ing a countervailing duty equal to the amount of the bounty 

 paid on European beet when exported, thereby enabling the United 

 States refiners to pay proportionately a greater premium for West In- 

 dian and other cane sugars than the Canadian refiners could afford to 

 do, as the amount of the bounty was greater than the preference in 

 the Canadian tariff. Now that bounties have been abolished and all 

 sugars are on an equality in the United States market, Jamaica will 

 not command the premium in New York which it, along with other 

 cane sugars, did while bounty-fed beet was subject to a countervailing 

 duty on entering the States Therefore, it is from now on that the 

 Canadian preference should show itself; and that Canadian refiners 

 should be willing to pay a higher price for West Indian sugars than 

 can be obtained for them in other markets. The Canadian refiners 

 will, of course, continue their efforts to secure British West Indian 

 grown sugars at the same price as the United States and United King- 

 dom refiners will be willing to pay for them, and take the benefit to 

 themselves of the preferential rebate. So it rests with the sellers in 

 the West Indies to enter into an agreement between themselves where- 

 by all shippers will refuse to sell to Canada unless a premium is paid 

 in proof of the preference Canada offers to the West Indies and which 

 it was the intention of the Dominion (iovernment should be given as 

 an enhanced price to the West Indian planter for his sugar. An agree- 

 ment might be arrived at that a fixed mininum premium be estab- 

 lished at which sales are to be made to the Canadian refiners, either 

 direct oi through selling agents, either in New York, I.ondon or Cana- 

 da, and that wherever possible an extra price over this minimum pre- 

 miun should be extracted from the Canadian buyer. Selling prices, 

 of cour.-e, to be governed by what the Canadian refiners can buy other 

 sugars at, but these buyers should at least be willing to pay half the 

 amount of the preferential rebate in the Canadian tatiff. The specific 

 duty on sugar entering Canada, on raw sugar for a minimum polarization 

 of 75 degrees, is 40 cents per 100 lbs advancing 1^ cents per degree up to 

 100 degrees jDaying 77^ cents. The duty on 89 degrees, which is the 

 basis of test for sale of muscovado, is 61 cents, from which the pre- 

 ference of 33|^ per cent, to British grown sugar is '20.83 cents, per 100 

 lbs, and the duty on 96 deg. test, which is the basis for sale of 

 centrifugal refining crystal sugar, is 71^ cents the preference on this 

 rate being 23.83 cents per 100 lbs. There really is no reason why the 



