MCCARTHY— TRINIDAD AS A COMMERCIAL CENTRE. 243 
exposure and the double handling. It is surprising that no 
demand has been made for a deepwater quay, which would 
enable us to conduct our trade in a manner worthy of a progres- 
sive community, or for a dock and coaling facilities. 
The fact that a large vessel could not be repaired nearer 
than Martinique must increase freights to this locality, as owners 
and underwriters naturally take into consideration the risk of a 
breakdown and its possible consequences. Let me mention in 
this connection that under the Colonial Docks Act the Imperial 
Government can assist, and has assisted, in such works. Again 
at present a steamer trading lie re is obliged either to lose some 
days in going to St. Lucia for coal, or to carry enough for her 
return voyage. Were she able to,coal here on reasonable terms, 
much of the space now occupied by coal would be utilised for 
cargo, and freight proportionally reduced. These are most 
important considerations in the shipping trade, and vital if we 
aim at making this a great distributing centre. 
The exactions with which wo burden our transit trade do not 
stop with lighterage. Sixty per cent, of our imports are dutiable, 
therefore the larger part of the goods coining here in transit have 
to be bonded ; and we charge a rent on these three times as great 
a s if they were, intended for heme use, and sometimes as much 
as the whole invoice value. I once asked an important official 
for an explanation of this and ho replied • — “ Well, you see, we 
get no other revenue from them, so we charge a still rent. e 
whole civilised world condemns taxation of exports, for M 
simple reason that it diverts trade, and loses for you other 
benefits. Demerara acts much more wisely in charging O oo s 
for exportation only half the ordinary rates of rent. 
, Customs duties are a well recognised impediment trade, 
dong Kong and Singapore could not possibly * ave , 
^eat and rapid rise were they not free ports, w ere s 
■barged and landed without any interference whatever. T 
fo kinds of Customs taxes-those levied for revenue only , and 
hose intended for the protection of local mvuy ri - ^ 
bat under existing conditions, it would be ch ... tbe bs(j 
i free port, but a great deal might be done m cu . ® o£ our 
4 dutiable articles and releasing a large P r P j Seore- 
mports f rom revenue restrictions. In the year ^ be 
of State directed that a drawback of the i du ■ tha 
ganted on goods exported to Venezuela. * tbe Council 
bief experts were dry goods and har b g f ree d from duty 
ecommended instead that these goods should he ire 
