246 TRINIDAD. 



bursement. The fact is, encouragement was tendered, by the 

 British public, to the production of bad cacao, as it now is, by 

 government, to the production of bad sugar. This perhaps will 

 be considered a paradox, but it is a sheer and patent truth ; nor 

 is it less surprising that, in this age of improvement, statesmen 

 are found in the country of free trade and of progression, par 

 excellence, who consider it their duty to discourage that very pro- 

 gress by over-taxing improved manufactures. 



As regards cacao, a change is already visible, and the pro- 

 duction of an inferior article is no longer encouraged. Now let 

 us hope, in the name of common sense, of reason, and consistency, 

 if not of fairness and justice, that the premium at present tendered 

 to routine and retrogression, will soon be withdrawn. I know 

 that, in this colony, and under present circumstances, sentiments 

 differ on this subject. I have, however, too high an opinion of the 

 good sense of the planters to admit, for one moment, that they re- 

 gard improvement in the manufacture of sugar as otherwise than 

 a desideratum. The Dutch, French, and Spanish colonists, the 

 planters of Louisiana, and Brazil, with even a few British planters, 

 have already adopted, and are daily introducing improved methods, 

 and this, to their manifest advantage a guarantee that improve- 

 ments in all branches of manufacture have hitherto proved really 

 beneficial to commerce in general, and to private individuals in 

 particular. It would, therefore, be a most extraordinary excep- 

 tion, if progress in the manufacture of sugar should prove 

 detrimental to the fortunes of British colonists. 



I do not wish, however, to convey the impression that no 

 advancement whatever has been made in this or other British 

 colonies. On the contrary, animals of draft or burden are now 

 well cared for, properly fed and penned ; the management of 

 estates is also conducted on more economical principles, little re- 

 maining to be effected in that respect. The once cherished system 

 of extensive supplying or replacing decayed stools by suckers from 

 some neighbouring cane-piece, is being relinquished for the more 

 immediately expensive, but, at the same time, the more judicious 

 and ultimately profitable method of entire replanting ; more 

 attention is also paid to the preparation and application of stable 

 manure, and to proper distances in original planting. But manual 

 rather than implemental labour, is still the rule, and the hoe is still 

 retained where the plough might be advantageously used many 



