346 
asphalt industry in Trinidad is not of such magnitude as to 
support any considerable section t e popa Ama though it is a 
valuable source of revenue to the ernm 
16. We do not consider it ay to et at any length of the 
economic history of the West dg rs seeing that the special 
causes of the present depression have only begun seriously to 
affect the sugar-producing Colonies Millia the last pese years. 
l7. The prosperity of the West Indies in forme es was 
mainly due to sugar and rum, and the production of. these com- 
modities attained such dimensions as to dwarf, and, at one Uo. 
almost to extinguish, every competing industry. For many years 
t 
profitable than it used to be, and the production for export of 
such articles as hoa and fruit ha as made considerable progress in 
"ee of the Islands. 
18. The total value of iis sugar sois exported was about 
three and a Pede million pounds sterling, the value of the sugar 
being some 2,790,000/., of the rum 265,000/., and of the molasses 
195,0007. 
19. It will be seen that in most of Your Majesty’s possessions 
in the West ui qe the A eee of the sugar-cane, though they 
are now valued at prices which are much below those which 
prevailed a few years ino * till Seg by far the larger portion of 
the total Do of native produc 
20. The gravity of the imediate danger to the welfare of 
each Colony which would arise from a failure of the sugar-cane 
industry may, for practical purposes, be measured by the propor- 
tion which the exports * sugar, rum, and molasses bear to the 
total exports of that Colo 
21. In such an event the ‘welfare of each Colony would in the 
long run, however, depend on the extent to which à might. be 
found possible to establish shes industries 
CONSEQUENCES OF A FAILURE OF THE SUGAR 
INDUSTRY. 
39. If such reduction or extinction of the industry occurs, and 
if its place cannot be adequately filled by the substitution of other, 
industries, the consequences are likely to be of a very serious 
character. 
40. The-immediate result would be a e want of s renti 
for the labouring classes, and the rates of wages, which h 
already fallen, would in all giro bubllity p^ still further seduced 
The public revenue would fall off, and the Governments of som 
of Your mes possessions would be unable to meet the 
absolutely necessary public expenditure, cei interest on 
debt, whilst additional outlay would have to be incurred in pro- 
viding for the population by emigration or otherwise, and the 
general standard of living would be reduced to a lamentable 
extent in every Colony which is largely dependent on sugar. 
41. The Islands which are likely to suffer most in such a con- 
tingency are Barbados, St. Vincent, Antigua, St. Kitts-Nevis, 
| M ntserrat, and probably St. Lucia; but none of them would 
* 
