26 TRINIDAD. 



have we heard of life violated for the acquisition of money, in this 

 country. They are, besides, charitably disposed, and ever ready 

 to assist the destitute and needy in proportion to their own help- 

 lessness. But if their vices do not assume as dark a shade of 

 moral perversity as those of the European, doubtless their quali- 

 ties, in regard to all the degrees of social obligation, are far in- 

 ferior to theirs. Such is my conscientious estimation of the merits 

 and demerits of the negro, as they are exhibited in these colonies. 

 He is, and must be, responsible, to a great extent, for his faults ; 

 but those who are responsible for the instruction of his class must 

 bear the blame. 



" The great wants (in a material sense) of the West Indies, at 

 the present time, appear to be," says Mr. Martin, " a resident 

 proprietary, with capital ; an increased amount of skilled labour, 

 improved methods of cultivation and manufacture, and a sound 

 monetary system. There is abundant room for small farmers, 

 whether white or black, were it only to raise provisions for home 

 consumption, instead of importing them from the United States, 

 and thus depriving the colonists of current monies, obtained from 

 Europe in return for produce. With regard to capitalists, whether 

 large or small, an area of 175,000 square miles of territory, in 

 which there is little more than a million inhabitants ; or about 

 six mouths to each 640 acres, presents a wide field for com- 

 mercial enterprise." I have very little to add to this, except 

 that Mr. Martin, after pointing out the evil, should also indicate 

 the remedy ; but instead of that, he seems to be satisfied with 

 criticising the poor West Indians. " It will perhaps be answered, 

 that increased labour is required for increased production ; but the 

 deficiency of the West Indies, in this respect, though the favourite 

 stalking-horse of the colonists, is far from being the sole or even the 

 greatest obstacle." And yet in the teeth of this, he himself declares 

 " there are only about six mouths to each 640 acres ! " " They want 

 the spirit of progress and improvement which is the characteristic 

 mainstay of England ; of her oldest colony the United States ; 

 and of her youngest Australia. They want improved machinery, 

 economical methods, and a few trustworthy and energetic men to 

 set reforms on foot. In the Spanish, French, and Danish West Indian 

 colonies, improved machinery has been sedulously introduced; 

 but, excepting on a few estates, comparatively little has been done 

 in our territories. For instance, the Woodbrook Vertical Mill, 

 in Trinidad, yields 35 per cent, of saccharine liquor from the 

 compressed cane." The " Woodbrook Vertical Mill " was 

 changed some nine years ago for a horizontal mill, from which 

 75 per cent, is obtained, as in Cuba, out of ninety contained in 

 the cane ; in fact, the mill at present on the Woodbrook, is as 

 fine a piece of machinery as can be seen in the West Indies. As 

 to the 83 per cent, arrived at in Guadaloupe, that maximum was 



