3 86 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. (Dec. i, 1R94. 
latiotiB, and to appoint experienced men to 
visit and report to Government at least once 
or twice a year on each mine ; and a great por- 
tion, if not all, of the costs involved should, of 
course, be borne by the mine owners. The Tamil 
immigrant cooly has his health most carefully 
looked after, by the Government ; but the unfor- 
tunate Sinhalese villager — even though a miner 
—is left to himself in one of the most danger 
ous of occupations. This is not as it should he, 
and the sooner a Ceylon Mining Law is drawn 
up and enforced, the sooner will Ceylon .Mining 
become an industry worthy of the attention o| 
the English capitalist, and the sooner will some 
attention be given to the safety of Ceylon miners. 
The introduction of Regulations for Mining in 
Ceylon may be looked upon as the advent of 
anew and improved era in the Plumbago, and 
no less in the Gem and Mica Digging, Industry. 
THE ISLAND OF DOMINICA. 
Attractions for Skttli:i:s. 
The report of the Koyal Commission to inquire 
into the condition and allairs of the Island of 
Dominica, has just been issued in thefoimofa 
Blue-book. Dominica, though one of the most 
fertile of the British \Vest India Islands, is less 
developed than any of the others, and its inhabi- 
tants appear to be less prosperous and contented. 
The report gives a general sketch of the physical 
conditions 01 the island, its history and constitu- 
tion, together with the causes of its backwardness, 
and proposals are made for increasing the revenue, 
which shows an annual deficiency. The people are 
described as loyal and law abiding, and with good 
government would become prosperous and conten- 
ted, 'lhe report strongly urges that Dominica 
should be witiidrawn, for purposes of local admin- 
istration, from the federation of the Leeward 
Islands, but points out the advantages of a 
system in which the magisterial and judicial service 
of the whole of the British 'West Indies should be 
treated as one service, and advocates the even- 
tual federation of all the islands for purposes which 
affect them as a whole, leaving local matters to be 
dealt with by tlie separate island Legislatures. Sis 
R. Hamilton, the Commissioner, believes, however, 
that much advantage would accrue from an 
administrative union of the Antilles under one 
Governor-General, and adds. 
"There is room in Dominica for four or rive 
times its present population. But as its own in- 
habitants advance in prosperity both settlement 
and population will be attracted from outside its 
borders, and I should hope that not only wiil 
emigration be checked, but that many of the emi- 
grants from the island to South America and other 
places will find their way back. Even now, how- 
ever, with all the drawbacks arising from imper- 
ect means of communication, Dominica otters a 
tine field for any young man of energy with a little 
capital at his back. There is plenty of land he 
could get, and if he settled on the .Leeward side 
if the island, near the sea, he would be practically 
ondependent of land carriage, for the conveyance 
of his produce by water carriage would always be 
available. 1 do not believe, anyhow for some 
time to come, that he would find any difficulty 
in getting as much labour as he required. Be 
would find himself in a healthy climate at only 
a fortnight's distance from England, and among 
friendly neighbours. A few settlers of the right 
kind, moreover, would be of great benefit to the 
island itself. I think that in process of time 
& trade in fresh fruit will be developed fxom 
Dominica. I believe it would j ay well to grow 
both tea and tobacco in the island, but these 
cultivations have never yet been carried levond 
the experimental stage! There is also a* fair 
opening for the establishment ol fauns for Mock 
raising, which would pay well, and for develop 
ing the timber, industry in the many excellent 
woods which abound in Dominica. 
KCTCKK PkOSJ'ECTS 
"There is no royal road to increasing the 
wealth and prosperity of the inland. This can 
only come from an increased production in it 
of articles for which there is a constant demand. 
A beginning in this direction is already oh 
servable, and when once the corner has* l>een 
fairly turned, the increase will go on at an accele- 
rated pace. * With an increase of pioduction the 
revenue w ill increase, and means Mill become a\ ail 
able for improving and extending the means .if com 
nrunication throughout the island. The people are 
not wanting in energy and resource, and they will 
have to exerebe Loth, in the present condition of 
the island, in getting their produce to market. Hut 
what disheartens them is that they have no sale for 
the only pre dure which many ol them uu« grow, 
namely, provisions, w hich are' bulky and difficult of 
carriage. W ith their little holdings, however, 
stocked with cocoa, coffee, and limes, for all of 
which there is a constant demand, they will get their 
produce to mr.rket somehow. For the next few- 
years their difficulties in this respect will in some 
cases be very great, but not greater than they were 
in the days 01 the island's prosperity, w hen roads 
were no better than they aie now. Improvements 
however, in means of communication will come 
as the island can afford to pay U r than, and the 
people will have confidence in the speedy advent of 
better times when they knew that they have 
got a Legislative Assembly with power to deal 
with their taxation and public expenditure, and 
which is fairly representative of their wants and 
views. I speak lrom pen-onal knowledge wlien 
I say that the materials lor n:<h an As- 
sembly exist in Dominica. My know ledge of the 
present elective members, and of the residents 
from among whom the elected and nominated 
members would be selected, satislies me that the 
destinies of the island would be safe in their 
hands." Lord Ripon, in a dispatch of August 
31st last, approves Sir R. Hamilton's sugges- 
tions so far as to place the island under the 
local supervision of an officer to be called the 
Administrator, with greater powers, responsi- 
bility, and freedom of action than the Commis- 
sioner of Dominica now- possesses. He does not, 
however, think it necessary to separate the island 
entirely from the existing federation. Sir R. 
Hamilton's recommendations as to the reconstiuc- 
tion of the Legislative Assembly, the loan, and 
the system of taxation are approved with some 
slight modifications. — Globe. 
' The Kew Bollktin."— The Sep'ember cumber 
(No. 93) ci r.tain* an inteiesting artice cn the 
"Vegetable KtEourtes of India" comprising a 
LUiLmary of a leport prepared by Dr. Watt; a list 
of the plants collected in the Hadrament Valley, 
Arabia, by Mr. W. Lent, one of the Kew Garden 
staff, who accompanied Mr. Bern's expedition, is 
aho given. Mr, Lunt brought home about 150 
speoisc, including representatives of twenty-five new 
species aid two new genera. The ninth deoade ol 
tew plants is published, consisting of specimens in 
the herbarium previously vmdeBcribed.— Gardener*' 
Chronicle, Oct. p", 
