142 
This substantial withdrawal of Crown lands is creating some move- 
eee in real estate—as is natural under the circumstances-—bet ween 
vate par ‘pa some old pr — changing hands at pe ices double and 
Donia their supposed values two years ago. Perso uying private 
lands and cdlnvating them will share in the bounty ‘of 1 per cent. per 
roe provided by law on all fibre raised and exported. Private lands 
n New Providence can be Poum EER for from $8 to $12 per 
ies and a less on the out-isla 
ding from 40 to 60 cents per day, and finding themselves. Each 
month, however, witnesses a large increase in the number of those who 
find remunerative employment, and pleasant relations obtain bape 
employers and employed. The labour pasion n has been and is 
that here, as elsewhere, requires Soon treatment; but it has ee 
skilfully met by Sir Ambrose Shea, t e Governor, who, long ago 
perceiving that to AEEA msi to A upon adjoining lands would 
induce sharp competition in wages in thinly settled districts, adopted the 
plan of scattering the Hee LE the different islands, or in localities 
remote from each other on the same island, so that each settlement 
should have its share of the benefits of the new industry, by obtaining, 5 
fair wages, employment for its local labour. In this way, also, a surplu 
of labour at one point and a scarcity at some other has been E 
peee of fibre continue to be “eee by nearly every steamer, 
a a “ala plantings ears the materials. It is not likely that ship- 
ments in any quantity will be possible under two years, but after that 
ime an enormous pec may begin to be looked for, increasing 
steadily as cin say p come pa stg until the annual exports of the 
colony, which now average about $600,000, will leap well up into the 
millions, as a moment’s ns re will show 
It is a very low estimate to expect half a ton of fibre per pees and a 
very low estimate to call it worth $100 per ton, = it is worth over $200 
per ton in the world’s markets to-day. Wine n the present E 
of land sold and applied for, to wit, 300, 000 a nR is bearing, which 
ought to etre within five or six years, it will produce 150,000 tons a 
year, worth $ ,000, an increase perity Laue more like 
a fairy tale than a strong probability deduced from reas 8 
et acres is but a small portion of the Sacalia lands 
within the limits of the Bahamas, 
It is estimated that about 6,000 acres of land have already been 
planted in Sisal (a plantation once started needs no replanting for many 
years), and that many additional ones have been cleared and made 
ready ra the plants, the obtaining of which has been almost im- 
possible, the industry being seriously retarded thereby. The prices 
paid for plants have risen from 6 cents per dozen to 36 cents, so great 
has been the demand ; but the price will now Cahn: rapidly, since the 
supply of plants is EPER EROE enormously, about 2,000,000 being now 
available for planting, and others coming on t r Tke Pita plant 
is being found on all the islands growing wild, and the stock of old 
plants is very great, From the centre of the old plant rises a pole 
