EDUCATION. 197 



establishments in the island, or the proportion of 3*50 per 

 centum of the whole population. According to the census of 

 1831, there were 8,651 inhabitants able to read and write, and 

 4,719 able to read only. 



Connected with the subject of education, I must here mention 

 the " Public Library," formed in the year 1851. It is supported 

 by the colonial government, the borough council of Port of Spain, 

 and private subscription. The terms are moderate being only 

 1 sterling per annum. There are at present eighty subscribers. 

 The government contributes 500, the borough council 100, 

 and the subscribers 80 sterling according to the above number 

 towards the support of this useful institution. The library is 

 under the control of a committee of management, chosen by the 

 governor, the borough council, and the subscribers, in the pro- 

 portion of one member to every 50 of contribution. The stock 

 of books consists of 2,887 volumes, of which 1,934 are English, 

 and 926 French ; there are, besides, a few Spanish works with 

 maps, periodicals, and reviews. New works are added every 

 year. 



The library is open from seven to ten in the morning, and 

 from eleven to six o'clock in the evening : the regulations may 

 be considered as very liberal. Let us hope that this most useful 

 institution will not fail from want of support. 



Of the " press " I have very little to say. There are at 

 present published in the colony besides a " Royal Gazette " a 

 weekly and three semi- weekly newspapers, viz. , " The Trinidad 

 Reporter," " The Port of Spain Gazette," " The San Fernando 

 Gazette," and "The Trinidad Examiner." "The San Fernando 

 Gazette " is issued at that town, the others in Port of Spain. 

 " The Port of Spain Gazette," which may be styled the supporter 

 and organ of government, has been in existence for the last 

 thirty years ; the others for a comparatively short period. Many 

 other newspapers have successively appeared in the field, but 

 they have not outlived a term of more than four or five years 

 because, generally speaking, they have been the organs of parties, 

 and even of individual pique, rather than advocates of the broad 

 and intrinsic interests of the colony, and they were left un- 

 supported, precisely because they did not deserve the public 

 support. 



CRIME. This is a subject the examination of which is of 



