282 



TRINIDAD. 



165,772 sterling. But this advantage is only apparent, as proved 

 by a closer examination ; for the greatest part of that amount - 

 remains in great Britain, either as an income to absentee pro- 

 prietors, or in payment of the interest and capital of money ad- 

 vanced. It would be hazardous, indeed, to draw any general 

 conclusions as to our present state or future prospects, from a 

 comparison of only two years ; but I fear much, if the balance 

 sheet of the colony were struck, that it would tell, I will not say 

 against our prosperity as a people, but against our very existence 

 as a productive community. 



The above returns prove that our commercial importance 

 hinges mainly on the cultivation of the sugar-cane. Thus, total 

 value of exports, 450,873 ; amount derivable from the cultiva- 

 tion of the sugar-cane, 382,274 ; balance in favour of all other 

 articles, 68,599 ; of which 63,299 pass to the article cacao; 

 and of this sum 49,218 are received from foreign states, 

 whilst their outlay on sugar stands at the very low figure of 2,859. 



TONNAGE. 



The following table of comparative importation may be found 



interesting : 



1851. 



This gives the average ratio, per inhabitant, 8 2s. 4d. to 

 Trinidad ; Barbadoes, 5 15s. lid.; British Guayana, 6 13s. lid.; 

 Jamaica, 2 8s. 7d. As regards Trinidad, therefore, the im- 

 ports are proportionally larger than in either Barbadoes, Guayana, 

 or Jamaica, thereby showing the importance of the former colony 

 in a commercial point of view. In fact, the proximity of Yene- 



