ECONOMIC CONDITION OF JAMAICA. 



391 



But altliougli emancipated from forced labour, the negroes of Jamaica have 

 acquired neither political independence nor social equality, as shown by the san- 

 guinary conflict that occurred in 18G5 between the two races near Morant Bay in 

 the eastern district. On that occasion eighteen whites were killed and thirty-one 



Fig. 185.— District of Morant, Jajviaica. 

 Scale 1 : 390,000. 



to 5 

 Fathoms. 



Depths. 



5 to 100 



Farhoms. 



9 Miles. 



wounded ; but the massacre was avenged with extreme severity, and a subsequent 

 official inquiry reported that 438 people of colour had been killed, over 600 sen- 

 tenced to the lash or the bastinado, and a thousand houses delivered to the flames. 

 According to the commission, the revolt itself, so ruthlessly supjDressed, might cer- 

 tainly have been avoided had the peasantry of the district received the lands to 



