MCCARTHY— TRINIDAD AS A COMMERCIAL CENTRE. 247 
itself, but there was an absence of that keen discussion on vital 
questions which they were accustomed to see in England and 
other places. We must hope that things would improve as time 
wnt on, but the Victoria Institute had struck out a new career of 
Mr iw p lQeSS ^ 1 . S colon y aac * be was sure they must all wish 
^ McCarthy and those gentlemen who were associated with 
w“ h m . 3Tin ° o' v en new life to that Institution, every success. 
lectu° U ^ t Meeting on the gentlemen who had delivered other 
l>e«i 6S ’ ’ ! vas sure everyone would agree that none of them had 
fememf 01,6 im P ortant than this particular lecture. Let them 
speakinct^ ^ le ^nation of Trinidad on the map. He was 
koen t,,,' 1 ' t0 atl audience which comprised a large number of very 
knew tw ^ business who appreciated a good business site and 
fa'sonie' 4 ] 1Q sett hig themselves up in trade they naturally looked 
tion of P‘ ace where roads met and there was some congrega- 
Sll 8gested r ^ &ns ‘ 't'he position of Trinidad on the map at once 
s °uthern lt:se Jf as being the prime business site of all that 
light aerrr ° r ^° n °f *be wes tern hemisphere, standing as it did 
South . t ^ le threshold of one of the greatest waterways of 
Jn< Jiflfe ren p ^ ri0a , and, unless they were absolutely careless and 
ttust Ca( , 0 the trade which nature meant them to have, they 
^ars t],; ° n a huge trade in the future. For one hundred 
relate ,!i fa et 
can- / 0 the trade which nature meant them to have, they 
- 0r > a huge trade in the future. For one hundred 
cion s ^C^.bad 1 been fully realized, and yet this colony in its 
s bll. rpj yb Venezuelan trade seemed to have been at a stand- 
S Ver *tah] 6 r Tr Was only the hope that this place would become 
SUc b ocp, as j *-ong Kong of the west, and it behoved them all on 
a?* 1 man t ' Jni 5 to make up their minds that it was necessary for 
0 T °ount t ° ( 0 ' vhat be could to develop the trade relations of 
^ooo Jj and attract the commerce that came down the 
was something in this whole question which 
of.****,,',, to whatever imperial instinct there was in them, 
j . ? pml .* Undertaking. Barbados had arrived at the zenith 
n'^tul ; et '% and might be said to have no future, whereas 
V 1,1 Up 3 country with a great future, and that should stir 
'bai - Uel; i ' ei 'e had unfortunately been a rupture between 
do;.,’ b \v a J “'b Great Britain, but they were happy to think 
S(Jf i.fti - llo 'v ended and that there was an opportunity of 
Utfi g to make this great question one step forward. 
of 5^ Liw! 11 ?aid he had listened with a great deal of attention 
n -' ’ esi. . as a large part of the transit trade 
lQ dai-» i lecture, u,o c* x — - . , , 
‘‘pro ^^'v .' vi tb Venezuela passed through his hands and . he 
increase in four years, and the great possibles 
^-i n : Ic CaM, f ° r Trinidad. He wished to express his thanks to 
<ln 111 ' h ‘ y fo'' bis readiness as Collector of Customs m 
Q facilities he could to the furtherance of a trade 
told them was of such great importance to this 
