A WEST INDIA ISLAND. 
475 
Sir John Peter Grant had long Indian experience, and had been 
Governor of Bengal. He was a vigorous administrator, and although 
he exerted himself to look after the finances, which were not in a 
flourishing condition, he introduced improvements in almost every 
department, and for the first time made the Educational and Police 
Departments really efficient. In some matters, perhaps, he made mis- 
takes, and expenditure increased, but the island was in a far better 
condition when he left, after a period of seven and a-half years as 
Governor, than when he arrived. 
Sir John Grant was succeeded by Sir William Grey, also a 
Bengal civilian, and also ex-Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal. Ill-health 
compelled him to relinquish office in less than three years, but he 
carried forward the improvements initiated by his predecessor. During 
his government the island suffered much from a hurricane iu Novem- 
ber, 1874, from a severe drought in 1876, followed by heavy and 
continuous rain which did unusual damage, from an outbreak of 
smallpox, aud from financial panics and failures which arose, as is so 
often the case, from overtrading on fictitious capital. 
Sir Anthony Musgrave, the late Governor of this Colony of 
Queensland, assumed the government of Jamaica in August, L877, 
and remained until the month of April, 1883. During his govern- 
ment the Jamaica Railway, which belonged to a company, and 
extended from Kingston to Old Harbour, a distance of twenty-three 
miles, was taken over by the Government. This railway was 
constructed in 1S44, and is, I believe, the oldest colonial railway. 
It had been allowed to fall into a very inefficient condition, but was 
put into good order by the Government, and two extensions were 
made — one of twenty-nine miles from Spanish Town to a pla?e called 
Ewarton, at the foot of the St. Ann’s Hills , and another from Old 
Harbour to Porus, at the foot of the Manchester Hills, a distance of 
twenty-four miles. Sir Anthony Musgrave, among other benefits 
conferred on the island, caused the electric telegraph to be extended 
in various directions, and especially to all ports ; and this measure, 
conjoined with the establishment of a subsidised steam vessel service 
at short intervals round the island and to New York, rendered it 
possible to create the great fruit trade which has been in existence for 
several years, and which has done much for the people of Jamaica, 
and has been a compensation for the shutting up or the division of 
many sugar ostates. 
Sir Anthony Musgrave had various difficulties to contend with. 
There was financial depression, while floods, a long drought, and a 
cyclone all inflicted much loss. A calamitous fire also occurred in 
Kingston, in December, 1882. To meet the financial deficit, increased 
customs aud excise duties were resorted to in November, 1884, but the 
former were restored to the previous rate in the following year. 
A large party had now been formed, who agitated for a return to 
government by representation, and who, while condemning increased 
expenditure, ignored the many benefits and improvements of the 
years of Crown Government, and wished to have a hand in the control 
of the administration. A regular agitation in this direction was 
commenced, aud the Secretary of State was induced, towards the end 
of 1882, to send out a Royal Commission to inquire into the public 
revenue, debts, and liabilities of the island. It seemed probable that 
