

INTRODUCTION. 59 



then these islands which, under no circumstances, can ever be- 

 come manufacturing communities, but must for ever retain their 

 agricultural bias will supply the manufactories of colder climates 

 with raw materials and tropical products, receiving from them, in 

 return, their supply of manufactured goods. 



Cuba and Porto Rico will remain, probably for a long time, 

 what they now are, dependencies of the crown of Spain ; because 

 it is the interest of all, excepting the Americans, that they should 

 so remain. Cuba, particularly, must belong to a third-rate power; 

 it cannot belong to either the United States, England, or France ; 

 and the two latter powers have no interest in its becoming inde- 

 pendent, since it would soon become annexed to the former. 

 Hayti will undoubtedly work out its admirable resources, in its 

 present political condition, under the giant influences of the 

 Americans and Europeans. Jamaica and the smaller Antilles 

 afford promising homes to the tabooed coloured population of the 

 States, a population approvedly industrious, and to some extent 

 imbued with the go-a-head principle. Trinidad and Demerara 

 where the African race is not, as yet, very numerous, considering 

 their great extent would be a fair field for Asiatic emigrants, 

 who have already succeeded very well, though hitherto introduced 

 but in small numbers. They have proved steady labourers, and 

 particularly well adapted to agricultural occupations. They are 

 also intelligent, industrious, and saving ; in fact, precisely the 

 class of people to accumulate specie in the country. Let them 

 become converted to Christianity, and I have no doubt that, 

 in our climate, they will prove equal, if not superior, to the 

 Europeans. 



The European or white element being at present predominant 

 in Porto Rico, and nearly so in Cuba, these two Spanish colonies 

 will take the lead in the transformation which is now preparing. 

 To these two islands, emigrants from the southern parts of 

 Europe and from the Canaries will resort. " We advise," says 

 Ramon de la Sagra, " the inhabitants of Cuba to increase, by all 

 possible means, the industrious white population ; for such may 

 be, some day to come, the commercial and political preponderance 

 of the most important of the Antilles lying at the entrance of the 

 Gulf of Mexico that it will change the future destinies of the 

 other islands, by exercising over all a favourable reaction by the 

 combined influence of a well cultivated soil, and the superiority 

 of intelligence of its population of European origin." Such is the 

 opinion of a man of great reputation, and who has spent twelve 

 years of his laborious life in Cuba : and such is my opinion also. 

 Are not agricultural operations, in Porto Rico, performed by 

 whites ? Nor are Cuba and Porto Rico mainly, or even wholly, 

 dependent upon the production of one article only, as are nearly 

 " the other Antilles. Cuba exports, besides sugar tobacco and 



