PORT-OF-SPAIN. 275 



almost entirely destroyed by fire. The loss was estimated at 

 ,£500,000 sterling. The town was rebuilt on a better plan, and 

 much improved by Sir Ralph Woodford, who made regulations 

 to prevent wooden constructions ; which were unfortunately 

 overlooked by his successors. Population of the town according 

 to census of 1881, 31,858 : males, 15,324; females, 16,534. 



To the north of the Queen's Park, and bordering on the 

 Circular Road, stands the Governor's residence, or St. Ann's 

 House. It is built of the limestone of the island properly 

 dressed, with a square tower above the grand staircase. The 

 house may be said to be distributed into two distinct sets of 

 apartments : one for public receptions on the lower storey, 

 consisting of a large hall, followed by a splendid dancing-room, 

 and a fine cool dining-room facing the last; a billiard and 

 several sleeping rooms ; galleries on the east and south. The 

 upper storey is occupied by the Governor's private apartments. 

 The pleasure-grounds are well laid out ; forming part of these 

 grounds are the Botanic Gardens, where are cultivated some 

 rare and useful plants, such as several varieties of coffee, the 

 cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, vanilla, specimens of the sugar-cane, 

 &c, &c. 



Ward of St. Ann. — This ward is comparatively well popu- 

 lated, and possesses several neat country houses. It is inhabited 

 by many small proprietors, who cultivate ground provisions and 

 vegetables ; fruit-trees are plentiful ; a few acres planted in 

 coffee and cacao. The soil is generally good, but nearly the 

 whole ward is mountainous or hilly, the highest summit being 

 2,140 feet. Good timber was, for a number of years, cut in 

 the mountainous part, viz., poui, cyp, cedar. The ward of St. 

 Ann is formed of three small glens, each having its stream. 

 Roads, practicable partly for carts and partly suited only to 

 horse or mule passage, lead to the head of the glens. 



Some forty years ago, the river St. Ann had, even during 

 the dry season, a sufficiency of water for washing purposes. 

 The river is now, and has been for some years past, dried up, in 

 consequence of the destruction of timber on the ridges. I had 

 suggested to Governor Sir Arthur Gordon the feasibility of 

 making, with the proprietors on the heights of St. Ann, an 

 exchange of their lands against double the quantity of crown 

 land in any district they might prefer. Under proper regula- 



