236 
PROCEEDINGS OP THE VICTORIA INSTITUTE. 
lution in a country ■whose resources were previously undeveloped 
for want of energy and ambition in the people ; inducing those 
who were satisfied with scanty comforts and little work to work 
harder for the gratification of their new tastes, and even to save 
and accumulate capital for the more complete satisfaction of 
those tastes at a future time.” 
The other day in that most delightful book, <; Tom Cringles 
og, I came across the following reference to Jamaica in the 
first year of the century. “ At the period I am describing, the 
is and was in the heyday of its prosperity, and the harbour of 
fiangston was full of shipping.” The author then tells how at 
the tune a large part of what we call the Spanish Main trade was 
centred m Jamaica, and goes on: “ The result of this princely 
t rathe, more magnificent than that of Tyre, was a perfect 
stream of gold and silver.” Alas, Alas, he says “ where is aU 
T U j ' the e °ho of the empty stores might answer, Where ■ 
U , bin ^. r0 . rn the neglect of which it has been the victim in If" 3 
ga trade is bought lightly Of here, and I happen to 
wirlpo m -i c* " e g al 'ds, say, the Venezuelan trade there is * 
J'Tt feeh . n S th at only a few individual traders are con- 
a ' 1 ? w > !t is one of the common-places of economics tha 
the c]ii*pf U K ing c^"^ l t ^ 0n the community, not the dealers, g et3 
instrument e - nefi K fr0rn fore, S n trade, which, further, is a poten 
instrument m cheapening production. 
persons w sit r trade ."Specially is held in contempt by many 
cillors h-tpi v wl30 ?^ght to know better. Two honourable coun- 
the transit lJ OVa r md in one 8c °™ful reference asphalt an 
paid to he rf- Let , m8 sa y in passing that last year aspbal 
r about £42,000 and left in the island fo 
steamers to Am ’ r* 0 ,” aboufc £50,000, besides enabling g° od 
thesH nUe2n’ reg u la '- y to New York at low rates. Beside 
f,,p„ i: .L Uemens allusion to the transit trade, an impoff 
ago gravely wrote as follows in an oflk ,a 
’CeJv Sfl.v i p ftcrellCj 
tl 1 xeguiarly to 
functionary 6 not^fir f Husion to the trapsitlrlde/ an 
report; “T np „,i * lg a ”,° S rav ely wrote as follows in an oft* 
fees, the Colonv heyond a few trifling agei 
this important trail * neit, her direct or indirect benefit f> 
pf i aut trade, any more n ,i„.. * _ .r.„, norti 
this important t,-a V es nenher di - 
°f our export trailo’ A’ 010 than it does from that pi 
arriving here from v " C1 00 ' ,s ‘ s, ' s of goods for V enezn 
transhipped in our 1 > ■ U |’P° or America, and which are eh 
then rlshipped ° harbour- or bonded for a day or two i 
absolutely incorrect, f'ftl SCarcel y sa y that this statement 
a “y distinction between trm? V lace : economically speak 1 
trade is fictitious. Tim A c U anc ordinary import and exp 
though not necessarilv so -^7' tS the latter may be g reil ' 
commission on the trnnsaoHo *” ° it,ler case the profit is bD 
11 ’ and in both cases shipping 1 
