66o WEST INDIES 



at 22.1 per thousand, the total number of deaths registered being 18,631. Of these 

 8,871 were due to infantile mortality; 38.9 per cent of the children born in Kingston 

 and 35.5 per cent oi those born in St. Andrew dying before the age of 5. 



The total acreage under cultivation returned in 1911-12 was 2,171,709, distributed as 

 follows: tilled lands, 280,286, guinea grass 143,592, commons 517,830, wood and ruinate 

 1,230,001. This return shows an increase over the average for the four preceding years of 

 24,552 acres or 8 per cent in tilled lands; an increase of 3,902 acres or 3 per cent in guinea 

 grass; of 28,589 or 6 per cent in commons, and of 2488 acres in wood and ruinate. 



Tilled lands, classified under the agricultural products, give the following returns: 

 sugar cane 34,766, coffee 24,473, coconuts 16,691, bananas 82,435, ground provisions 74,723, 

 mixed cultivation 30,167, cocoa 13,355, minor products 3676. These returns diclose an 

 increase over the average for the four preceding years of 4450 acres in cane; of 34^0 acres In 

 coconuts; of 14,862 in bananas; of 3163 in cocoa. Ground provisions including mixed culti- 

 vation show a decrease of 146 acres, coffee 668 acres and minor products 603 acres. 



During 1910-1 1 the Sugar Experiment Station was operated, the Imperial Grant enabling 

 the station to be equipped with laboratories and an experimental distillery and to provide 

 for experimental plants on estates. The operating expenses of the station were also provided 

 for a period of 7 years. A central sugar factory at Rose Hall in St. James, recently com- 

 pleted, will deal with the produce of nine sugar estates. The work of agricultural instruc- 

 tion received considerable impetus, as the result of the appointment of four additional in- 

 structors. The rubber industry engaged attention during 1911, Castilloa, of which three 

 distinct species have been established, giving the most promising results. 



The total value of the imports and exports for 1909-10, and 1910-11 was: (1909) 

 imports, 2,561,674, exports 2,628,307; (1910) imports 2,614,943, exports 2,568,222. 

 and (1911) imports 2,865,553, exports 2,948,067. 



The principal articles of import were textiles (638,331, in 1911), hardware (304,128), 

 wheaten flour (255,207), dried and salted fish (150,746), and lumber (106,893). 



The principal articles of export were bananas (1,456,581 in 1911), sugar (247,413), 

 logwood & logwood extract (265,138), coffee (154,131), and rum (85,916). 



In 1910-11 the imports from the United States were for the first time slightly in excess 

 of those from the United Kingdom. In the following year, however, imports to the value of 

 1,291,923 or 45.1 per cent came from the United Kingdom and 1,200,345 or 41.8 per cent 

 from the United States and 249,546 or 8.5 per cent from Canada. 



Of the exports the United States took 61.9 per cent in 1911, as against 54.1 in 1910; the 

 United Kingdom 14.7 per cent as against 20.6; and Canada 8.6 per cent as against 8.4. 



The revenue was (1909-10) 992,976, (1910-11) 990,399 and (1911-12) 1,161,014; 

 and the expenditure (1009-10) 1,033,794, (1910-11) 987,304 and (1911-12) 1,155,208. 

 The Government closed the financial year 1911-12 with a surplus of 190,191, having also 

 100,000 invested as an insurance fund to provide for the repair of damage to Government 

 property by hurricane, fire or earthquake. The Public Debt of the island, most of which 

 is represented by productive investments, amounted to 3,871,305 on March 31, 1912. The 

 sinking funds amounted to 759,865, leaving a net liability of 3,111,440. 



In 1911 there were 698 schools on the annual grant list, average number of scholars 

 98,576, average attendance 61,669, percentage 62.55, total payments to elementary schools 

 and teachers 60,503. On January I, 1911, the regulations for compulsorv education in 

 Kingston district, Falmouth and Lucea, came into effect. The work of school inspection 

 was facilitated in 1911-12 by the addition of an Assistant Director, and of three Inspectors. 

 A reduction from 100 to 70 of the number of schools in each inspector's district improves 

 the oversight. 



Serious crime finds no place in the social life of Jamaica. No execution of capital punish- 

 ment took place in 1911-12. Committals to prison totalled 5676, a decrease of 101 as 

 compared with 1910-11 but an increase of 716 as compared with 1909-10. Reconvictions 

 during the year amounted to 1442. Persons bound over as probationers numbered 103. 



Work is proceeding on an extension of the Jamaica Government Railway from May Pen 

 to Chapelton to be constructed at an estimated cost of 90,000; it will open up the fertile 

 valley of the Rio Minho, and render 17,000 acres available for cultivation. 



The western end of the island was visited by a destructive storm of hurricane violence in 

 November 1912. 



The Governor in 1912 was Sir Sydney Olivier, K.C.M.G.; but at the end of the year 

 he resigned on being appointed secretary of the Board of Agriculture in England. 



TRINIDAD J 



The estimated population on March 31, 191 1, was 368,014. Arrivals in the Colony 

 during the year numbered 22,845, an< J tne departures 16,719, giving a net increase to 

 the population by immigration of 6126. Included in these figures were 3286 East 



1 See E. B. xxvii, 284. 



