196 



SUGAR. 



of its projector. This Usine iu 1872 made 1,825,550 kilogrammes 

 of sugar, 189,791 litres of rum, selling also 130,000 litres of 

 molasses, and gave a net return, after paying all expenses, of 400,000 

 francs. 



La Bentij, situated in the fertile plain of La Martin, passed through 

 the same ordeal. Its founder, the Baron de la Eenty, proprietor of 

 three sugar estates, established it with the view of concentrating the 

 manufacture of the sugar of these properties, but being without 

 practical experience, he sank a large fortune here, when, finally, in- 

 debted to the house of Cail, their Agent, Monsieur Quennesson, offered 

 to lease it for nine years, giving 50,000 francs to the Baron yearly in 

 cash, and two-thirds of the net proceeds, which was to be dedicated to 

 the reduction of the debt with the Messrs. Busine, as sub-directors. 

 This Usine has cleared itself. It made last year 3,747,043 kilo- 

 grammes of sugar, which, with its proportion of rum and molasses, 

 gave net, after paying all working expenses and repairs, 807,000 francs, 

 equal to 32,280L sterling. 



Frangois was established by a company " en Commandite," formed 

 by Messrs. Quennesson and Bougenot. Profiting by their long ex- 

 perience they placed in this Usine most effective machinery ; it was 

 supplied by the house of Cail ; the mill, for its size, is excellent, and 

 was the largest then imported to Martinique. The arrangement 

 for supplying the cane-carrier with canes from the waggons on the 

 railroad could scarcely be improved on. This Usine was the first 

 built of iron, with the sides filled in with brickwork, on a fixed plan 

 to receive the machinery. Everything was arranged to facilitate the 

 work, and from the offset it has been the most successful Usine in 

 Martinique. The shares emitted at 500 francs (twenty pounds ster- 

 ling), are quoted now at 1250 francs (fifty pounds sterling). 



A hogshead of sugar in the French Usine weighs 500 kilogrammes, 

 equal to 1102 lbs. avoirdupois. 



The yield per cent, on canes ground varies considerably in the 

 different Usines. It depends on the density of the juice extracted 

 from the cane, and also on the greater or less perfection of the 

 machinery employed, and the carefulness of the operators. Taking 

 Usine La Benty as a fair average, it will be seen they there obtain 

 7'86 per cent, of crystallizable sugar, and about 3 per cent, of 

 molasses. The molasses is of an inferior quality, and is converted 

 into rum. 



In 1871 La Benty purchased 47,615,538 kilogrammes of canes, 

 paying 5 per cent, on weight of cane according to the market value 

 in St. Pierre, of " bonne quatrieme" sugar, "No. 12 Dutch standard." 

 These canes produced : 



In 1st jet 

 „ 2nd jet 

 „ 3rd jet 



Total 



Cane. 



Sugar. 





kilos. 

 2,883,358 

 653,685 

 210,000 



per cent. 

 6-05 

 1-37 

 •44 





3,747,043 



7-86 





