Imports and exports between the Bahama Islands and the United States, &c.-Continued.

I forward the following report in regard to the sugar crop of Barbadoes for 1886, in comparison with that for five preceding years:

This large decrease in production was caused by long continued drought, which was so bad in some parishes that the yield was not onefourth of previous years.

The planters here claim that they have not made any money for sev eral years, when crops were larger and prices higher, and were depending on a very large crop this year to enable them to overcome their financial troubles, but with such a small production and such low prices, there will no doubt be numerous failures.

The exports to the United States has, up to this date, been only about one-half of that of previous years.

The depression in all branches of business is very great and will entail much suffering amongst the overcrowded population of the island. L. G. REED,

UNITED STATES CONSULATE,

Barbadoes, W. I., May 31, 1886.

Consul.

Values of the imports and exports, from and to the various countries, at Barbadoes, W. I.,

for year 1885.

Statement showing the imports and exports between British island of Barbadoes, West Indies, and the United States for the year 1885.

Statement showing the imports and exports between British island of Barbadoes, West Indies, and the United States, &c.-Continued.

Navigation at the port of Bridgetown, Barbadoes, West Indies, for year ended December 31,

JAMAICA.

Under date April 6, 1886, Consul George E. Hoskinson, Kingston, Jamaica, transmitted the following:

Customs revenue.-The collections under the import tariff amounted in the year under review to £265,400, as against £253,144 in the previous year, or an increase of £12,256. This increase would be very gratifying were it not for the fact that it arises principally from a much larger consumption of foodstuffs, caused not by the natural demands of a growing population, but by the failure of the island food crops, owing to a severe and protracted drought, which in some parts of the island has not yet terminated. While classing the increases on bread and biscuit, £769; corn, £210; flour, £8,486; meal, £992; peas and beans, £103; and rice, £1,542 as due to the lamentable necessity from the foregoing cause, on the other hand there has been increased importation of other items of food, such as butter, £544; fishstuffs, £4,536; lard, £114; and tongues, £146, which tend to show that there is increased spending power amongst a portion of our population, and this view receives confirmation from the increase which a comparison of the collections on the following items of luxury and household necessity exhibirs: Matches, £897; oils, £1,527; soap, £187; spirits, £769; tea, £96; and cigars, £147.

Except under the heading of collections on goods paying an ad valorem duty, the decrease on which amounts to £6, 02, there has not been any very notable diminution of collections under the import tariff on comparison with the collections of the previous year, the items which are principally responsible for decreased collections being ale, £305; gunpowder, £143; salt, £372; tobacco, £874; and woods, £706.

Export duties.-The collections under the head of sugar exhibit the serious falling off of £1,104, and rum the slight amount of £95, while coffee yielded an increased revenue of £1,370, and dyewoods, £582. The cause or causes of these variations I will endeavor to trace when reviewing the year's exports.

Imports.-The gross value of goods imported into the colony during the year now being reviewed amounted to £1,487,833; the value of those which were duty paid for consumption being somewhat less, viz, £1,456,373; the figures for the preceding year being being £1,568,639 and £1,548,707; there has thus been a decrease in the value of gross importations of £80,806, and in the value of goods entered for consumption of £92,334.

Of the value of goods entered for consumption the ad-valorem duty was paid on £623,307; duty by tale weight or measure on £717,794; and admitted under free tariff, £115,270; the corresponding figures for 1873-'84 being:

Ad valorem

Rated

Free

£675,317

667,971

205, 419

There has thus been a falling off in the value of goods paying the ad-valorem duty, which about counterbalances the increase in the value of goods paying the rated duty, the goods coming in under the free tariff being responsible for the diminution of the imports on comparison with 1883-84.

The importations of ad-valorem goods, under which is embraced clothing fabrics and boots and shoes, building materials, furniture, and groceries, had been unusually large in 1883 and 1884 in consequence of the destruction of stocks in the fire of 1882, and had not apparently yet resumed their normal proportions during the past year, there having been an increase over the average of the four preceding years of £66,000, although a decrease on the year immediately preceding of £52,000. The proportion of imports paying ad-valorem duty during le84-'85, classified under each of the above general heads, may be thus stated:

The increase in the value of rated goods of £49,800 is due to larger importations of foodstuffs, caused partly, as has already been stated, by the necessity which arose for imported food through the failure of native esculents from severe and protracted drought, and in part to an increasing and natural desire for variety in food as well as drink. The imports paying rated duty under the following general heads may be

thus classified:

Luxuries in food and drink

Necessities in food.

Building material

£342,800

262,500

34,000