Ld 
41 
to 39 per cent., while beet rose from 34 to 49 per cent.; but in the 
latest two or three years the proportion of British cane sugar in the 
total has been barely maintained, having fallen to 11 per cent., while 
foreign cane sugar has recovered a little, and beet has fallen back a 
little. The proportion of British cane sugar was also much higher in 
the earlier periods than it has since been, ranging then between 17 and 
20 per cent. 
* Still, at no period has there been anything but an increase in the 
erowth of British cane sugar, t it has not kept pace with the 
growth of beet sugar, and in the last year or two with the growth of — 
H 3 
foreign cane sugar. 
H. 
PRODUCTION IN THE West INDIES. 
“ The average annual exports of the West Indian Colonies (including 
British Guiana) which have always been specially interesting in this 
question of production, have been as follows :— 
1877.79 — - 85,205,000 ewts. = 260,000 tons. 
1880-82 - - 5,548,000 ,, = 277,000 , 
1883-85 - - 6,062,000 ,, = 303,000 ,, 
1886-87 - - 5,920,000 ,, = 296,000 ,, 
« Since 1883-85 the West Indies have thus held their own, the 
difference between 303,000 tons in 1883-85 and 296,000 in 
1886-87 being nominal only; but they have not more than held their 
own in these most recent years, although there is still an increase since 
880-82 
188 . : 
* It will be seen, moreover, from the summary in the Appendix, that 
the production in the West Indies, exclusive of British Guiana, has not 
st on record; but the average of the West Indies, excluding 
itish Guiana, for the two years 1886-87, is brought down by an 
l i 
b 
IH. 
DISPLACEMENT OF CANE BY BEET SUGAR. 
& The great increase of the production of cane sugar, again, has 
an inerease for consumption in extra-continental countries, — 
the United States and tlie United Kingdom; but a certain surplus - 
the beet production has also overflowed into those extra-continen 
