30 TRINIDAD. 



The West Indies do require increased labour, whatever may 

 be said to the contrary, and their deficiency in this respect is cer- 

 tainly the greatest obstacle to their progress. Listen to the 

 Governor of Jamaica : " Let us remove all obstacles to their 

 recruiting the ranks of their labourers from other countries ; let 

 TIS go further, indeed, and take active steps to set on foot an immi- 

 gration of the negro population of the United States at the public 

 expense." 



I will quote Governor Barkley once more, for all he says con- 

 cerning Jamaica is applicable to the other islands : " Far from de- 

 serving the imputation of supineness and ignorance of their busi- 

 ness, which it has been too much the fashion to lavish upon 

 them, I found the planters of Jamaica as eager to introduce new 

 machinery, and to adopt new processes of manufacture as any of 

 their competitors, British or foreign and I have had more op- 

 portunities than most persons of observing both and this at 

 least I can safely undertake to assert, that, if they fail, it will not, 

 in the majority of instances, be for want of exertion on their part. 



I derive no small hope for the future from the spirit of 



enterprise and intelligence in which the sugar plantations that 

 remain are being carried on." This assertion, by one who " has 

 had more opportunities than most persons " of observing the 

 eagerness of the colonists to introduce new machinery, and to im- 

 prove manufacture, must have, in the eyes of impartial judges, 

 more weight than the allegations of those who prefer following the 

 example of imputing " supineness and ignorance " to the colonists, 

 instead of examining into the merits of the case. Are they 

 aware, besides, that with improved machinery we must introduce 

 skilful mechanics ? That from want of skill and engineering art, 

 we cannot repair and keep our machinery in proper order, or 

 execute the improvements which experience may have sug- 

 gested, whilst the poverty of nearly all classes renders it very 

 difficult, if not impossible, to send natives home for adequate 

 training as engineers? This is the true position of affairs in 

 these islands ; and some of them are even worse situated than 

 others in these respects. 



" Skill and capital are urgently needed," says Mr. Martin, 

 " to render the West Indies a remunerative field of production ; 

 bring them, and labour will assuredly follow, as it invariably does, 

 whenever men may depend upon obtaining a fair day's wages for 

 a fair day's work." Verily, " skill and capital are urgently 

 needed to render the West Indies a remunerative field of pro- 

 duction ; " but how can we bring them when our staple produce 

 is a mere drug in the home market, when we are compelled to 

 compete with countries which are protected in their own markets ; 

 and, further, are admitted on equal terms in the British markets, 

 many of them possessing the instruments of production at a much 



