PREFACE. 



THE experience of Europe in the failure of their 

 supply of cotton, caused by the late war, should teach 

 the United States not to depend too exclusively upon 

 foreign countries for her supply of so necessary an 

 article as Sugar, of which the consumption is about 

 400,000 tons, while the production of all kinds within 

 her borders is less than 50,000 tons ; leaving 350,000 

 tons to be imported* 



In case of war with a great maritime power, like 

 England or France, which would, in part at least, 

 prevent importation, sugars would necessarily advance 

 enormously. 



The emancipation of slaves in the only remaining 

 strongholds of slavery Cuba and Brazil (which is 

 simply a question of a very few years) would prob- 

 ably, at first, as it has always done elsewhere, diminish 

 the production of sugar in those countries at least 

 fifty per cent. 



If such should prove to be the case, as this pro- 

 duction exceeds 600,000 tons, the diminution would 

 make so serious an inroad upon the ordinary supplies 

 of the world that prices would materially advance. 



It is, without doubt, within the power of the United 



(3) 



