80. 
228. Castries, the capital, possesses an excellent harbour, and is 
becoming an important naval and military station. The Imperial 
expenditure for military purposes in 1895 amounted to 45,1947. This 
is to be greatly increased by the construction of new works during 
the next few years. When the headquarters of the aig in the 
West Indies are ultimately removed from Barbados to St. Lucia, 
the latter island should derive considerable benefit fsa the money 
annually circulated. In Barbados this has hitherto been estimated 
at about 50,0007. Soufriere, near the Pitons, is the next town in 
importance to Castries, with a population of about 3,000 souls, It 
s the centre of an interesting er district oe sugar, 
ck fruit and spices are grown 
239. The E table gives the quantity and value of the 
principal exports in 1896 compared with the three preceding 
years :— 
| 
| 1893. | 1894. | 1895. | 1896. 
Exports. : l | 
| Quantity. Value, Quantity. Value. 'Quantity. Value. | Quantity. Value. 
| | 
Tons. E- Fong | £ | Tons. £ Tons. £ 
Sugar We 4,437 | 90.571 4,483 | 66,161 3,627 49,355 3,618 | 61,949 
Gals. Gals. | | Gals, Gals. 
Molasses .. 253,680 4.756 293,320 | 3,722 | 279,960 3,499 105,000 1,444 
Rum .. a 1,700 112 1,400 | 106 | 9,900 1,033 1,300 92 
Lbs, Lbs. | Lbs. Lbs. 
Cacao re 1,037,600 | 38,910 983,200 23,513 696,200 15,664 | 1,066,900 | 14,396 
Tons. Tons, Tons. Tons. 
Logwood .. 6,292 | 37,782 7,116 37,359 5,086 25,430 1,904 4,284 
| 
SuGAR INDUSTRY. 
240 The total value of the collective sugar products (sugar, 
rum and molasses) in 1896, compared with the total products 
exported during the previous four years, was as follows :— 
| 
Years | 1892, | 1893, | 1894. | 1895. | 1896. 
i 
"i | £ £ £ £ £ 
Exports of collective sugar products .. 99,000 96,000 70,000 54,000 63,000 
Exports of other products .. ès = | 79,000 | 126,000 | 122,623 94,000 73,000 
Total exports Ei ik | 178,000 | 222,000 | 192,623 | 148,000 | 136,000 
The decline in the value of the exports of sugar products in 
1895 was due to a fall in prices, and yeobetiy, also to the presence 
of cane disease diminishing production. No in vestigation has yet 
been made locally into the latter subject. The shrinkage in the value 
of sugar products on an average of years, although considerable, 
not been so great in St. Lucia as in some of the other islands. 
241. St. Lucia was at first devoted to the cultivation of cotton, 
cacao and jp afterwards coffee was added. Later the culti- 
vation was more exclusively devoted to cane, owing to the 
increasing prices paid for muscovado sugar in the London market. 
Cotton-growing soon disappeared. Cacao gradually received less 
