170 Time/n'i. 



The work of this Commission resulted in a Majority and a Minority 

 Report. Bartica to Mazaruni was advocated in the former, while Dem- 

 erara to Potaro was the minority's fancy. The history of discussion since 

 has been pretty much a chewing on this bone of contention with Vbd 

 libitum variations on the large areas of fertile regions to be opened 

 up for the profitable cultivation of a variety of products and. in recent 

 years, the introduction of the " Through Railway " idea, the objective of 

 which is, in the immediate future. Manaos in Brazil and ultimately Buenos 

 Ayres and Mt. Stokes. 



The issue of the discussion of the Reports of the Commission at the 

 Society's meeting on 14th July. 1892, was a resolution admirably fran ed 

 to suit both parties and leave the burden of decision on the Governor 

 and his advisers. It ran as follows : ' : That this meeting of members of 

 the Royal Agricultural and Commercial Society laving discussed the 

 Report of the Commission on the opening up of the country, forwarded 

 by the Government, and being fully impressed with the difficulties of 

 transport to the gold-fields of Potaro and Essequibo, desire to urge upon 

 the Government the pressing necessity of immediate measures for 

 providing convenient, safe and rapid communicatton with the said gold 

 fields and that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Government 

 Secretary." 



The sequel to the Report and resolution was the commencement in 

 the following year of a survey of a line from Bartica. The falling-otf of 

 the gold output in 1894 and the depression of general business in 1895 

 gave pause to further efforts. 



In January, 1896, however, Sir Cavendish Boyle, as President of the 

 Society, was able to take an optimistic view of the prospects then opening 

 in his address and, in announcing the immediate commencement of the 

 Rosignol Extension of the East Coast Railway and the Vreed-en-Hoop- 

 Philadelphia line, referred to " other schemes commenced or shortly to 

 be commenced to facilitate travel in the interior ; roads have been 

 approved and begun, and surveys of other and even larger and more 

 important works are either being carried out, or are to be carried out 

 very shortly." Doubtless the development adumbrated in this passage was 

 intended to supply the want which he expressed in a previous passage 

 •• We want to see other industries (than sugar) implanted and flourishing 

 in our midst ; we want to see men taking advantage of and profiting by 

 the lavish gifts that nature here spreads before them ... and the 

 utilisation of the vast stretches of country awaiting their labours. 



There was at this period no doubt in the minds of colonists of the 

 fertility of " those vast stretches of country " as yet unexploited. Dr. 

 Morris's statement that he knew " nowhere of such an extensive area of 

 rich and fertile lands, with a comparatively healthy climate and within 

 easy reach of such good markets as these Crown lands of British 

 Guiana," expressed the opinion of everybody. 



