104 



COCOA AND CHOCOLATE 



The Ruildings of the Boa Entrada Cacao Estate, 



San Thome. 



Unfortunately, the mortality of the plantation 

 labourers has generally been very heavy, one large and 

 well-managed estate recording on an average of seven 

 years an annual death rate of 148 per thousand, and 

 many rocas have still more appalling records. Against 

 this, other plantations only a few miles away may show 

 a mortality approximating to that of an average European 

 city. In February, 191 8, the workers in San Thome 

 numbered 39,605, and the deaths during the previous 

 year, 1917, were 1,808, thus showing on official figures 

 an annual mortality of 45 per thousand. Comparing 

 this with the 26 per thousand of Trinidad, and re- 

 membering that most of the San Thome labourers are 

 in the prime of life, it will be seen that this death rate 

 represents a heavy loss of life and justifies the con- 

 tinued demand from the British cocoa manufacturers 



