Report of Society's Meetings. 395 
islands is in such a flourishing condition that they could 
afford to quietly fold their hands and say : " We will 
do nothing." There is not the slightest doubt in the 
minds of everyone that the West Indies are passing 
through a severe crisis, and we are just at the com- 
mencement, and have not gone very far down the road. 
I believe we shall experience greater difficulties than 
we are now experiencing before brighter times come. 
And in order to prevent what would be a great calamity 
to our neighbours and a serious matter for ourselves, 
we should endeavour to do anything and everything to 
prevent that crisis being so very severe, by a meeting 
of delegates, persons who fully understand how to deal 
with the agricultural and commercial interests of the 
West India colonies. In asking the Society to lend its 
aid to a matter of this sort, I might say that the confer- 
ence should be composed of persons who are deeply con- 
cerned in the sugar industry of the colonies, so that they 
could thoroughly well discuss and ventilate the subje6l; 
such subjects as those connected with the central facto- 
ries and usines, which, if properly carried on would still 
attracl British capital to the West Indies. I think that 
the existing commercial relations not only with England, 
but also with America and foreign nations require altera- 
tion, and if altered, a better and more prosperous state 
of things than at the present moment exists would be 
brought about. If delegates are sent from here to 
Barbados, they would be, as far as this Society is con- 
cerned, restricted entirely to this question of commerce 
and agriculture. I think it is one of the duties of this 
Society to promote the agricultural and commercial 
welfare of these colonies, and as president of this Society, 
3D 
