74 TiMEHRI. 



of Juan Griego, not probably comprising more than 5,000 

 inhabitants, is a great reproach to our tumble-down, 

 dusty, thirsty San Fernando. Whilst the great sugar 

 Metropolis can only run a few paltry hydrants for six 

 months in the year, with a scanty supply of water neither 

 fit for cooking nor washing purposes, Juan Griego pays 

 no water rates whatever, and has the finest spring water, 

 conveyed from a distance of 7 miles to the town, the 

 force as pointed out to me in a private yard from a two 

 inch pipe exceeding any that I have seen in ordinary 

 domestic use. At the time of my visit there was evi- 

 dently a good deal of nervous excitement about the 

 ele6lions ; I observed pretty closely the different views 

 expressed; and although many belonged to a different 

 party to the one now in power, yet such has been the 

 distress brought about by the late civil war that for the 

 sake of peace, every one wishes that General Crespo 

 may continue in power. Even by those who deny his 

 administrative ability, it is admitted that his patriotism 

 and high qualities as a soldier guarantee that so long as 

 he holds the reins of Government the intrigues of mal- 

 contents will be of no avail, and industry will resume its 

 steady course, the country being rich enough to pay for 

 any laches on the part of his administrative staff, and 

 after all is said and done what do they amount to ? Do 

 the peculations of a few officials in the Republic amount 

 to anything like the waste and extravagance of British 

 Crown Colonies ? If so where is the Medical Establish- 

 ment in this or any other Spanish Republic that costs 

 $200,000 ? With a population of 2,000,000, against 

 200,000 in Trinidad would you find 10,000 people living 

 sit the Government expense in hospitals and other insti- 



