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In addition to these, were local causes alike unfavorable. The sugar crops of the previous seasons of 1860 and 1861 had fallen far short of an average, from the heavy and continuous rains that everywhere prevailed throughout the island. In some districts canes which had reached maturity were left uncut, as from the condition of the roads the planters were unable to cart them from the field to the mill, or convey the sugar, when produced, to a place of shipment. Prices, also, had been so unremunerative as to furnish little encouragement to the planter. The estates, though possessed of a most fertile soil, had become embarrassed in contending with so many difficulties, and the merchants had already made large advances, for which they received but little return. Under such circumstances much anxiety for the future was to be expected. In an agricultural colony like Trinidad, where the production of sugar is the absorbing interest, the welfare of all mercantile and commercial pursuits depends in a great degree on the success of the leading staple. By the quotations in the English market this exhibited little buoyancy, and the aspect of political affairs, at the commencement of the year 1862, gave little reason for encouragement. The crop of cane was, however, promising, and the season opening propitiously, the mills on the various estates were set to work earlier than usual. The weather continued most favorable for grinding during the entire season, and an unusually large crop was realized. It amounts to 41,232 hogsheads, 7,888 tierces, and 3,381 barrels, being equivalent to about 47,000 hogsheads, and about 10,000 hogsheads in excess of the previous year. It is the largest crop ever produced in the colony. By reference to enclosure No. 1 you will find a comparative statement of the produce shipped from 1859 to 1862, inclusive. Although this crop in its extent has been very encouraging, giving evidence of the richness of the loamy soil of Trinidad, yet the prices prevailing during the entire year have been most unsatisfactory, yielding a poor return for the toil and anxiety of the planter, and affording but little relief to the embarrassed estates. During the early part of the season sugar of an inferior quality sold on the island as low as $2 25 per hundred pounds, and the highest price obtained during the year has not exceeded $3 50.

In molasses the amount produced has been small, and has been decreasing for several years; the yield for the present season being only about half of that of the year 1859, and amounting to only 6,479 puncheons and 157 tierces. A small quantity still awaits shipment, the price averaging eight cents per gallon. The exports in rum have slightly increased, amounting to 2,475 puncheons. Of coffee there have been shipped 56,070 pounds, and of cotton 47 bales. The latter was chiefly the produce of Venezuela, though the soil and climate of Trinidad are well adapted for its cultivation; at one time it attracted considerable attention, an excellent quality being produced, but its culture was abandoned for the then more lucrative production of sugar.

American imports, I am happy to state, have not been so greatly disturbed as was anticipated at the beginning of the year by the momentous events transpiring in the United States. In amount they have remained about the same, and where they exhibit a decrease in some articles a corresponding increase is evident in others. The result, however, has been that these imports have been confined almost exclusively to breadstuffs and provisions, and the shipments limited to the ports of New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, with a few cargoes of ice from Boston. The lumber trade with eastern ports has much declined, but two cargoes having arrived during the year.

The total American imports for the year ending September 30, 1862, are as follows, viz: 43,192 barrels flour, 1,412 half barrels flour, 6,475 barrels and 475 half barrels pilot bread, 16,700 boxes candles, 3,873 barrels and 70 half barrels pork, 604 barrels, 2,878 half barrels, and 325 quarter barrels beef, 5,270 pails and 6,029 kegs lard, 1,831 kegs butter, 17,721 bags corn, 11,687 barrels and 135 half barrels corn meal, 2,136 bags oats, 2,964 puncheons oil meal, 2,011

bags peas, 153 hogsheads tobacco, 578,379 feet white pine lumber, 21,450 feet pitch pine, 17,593 belts shooks, 45,000 staves, 9,500 cypress and 25,000 cedar shingles, 69 horses, and 1,117 mules.

The number of American vessels arriving during the year has been 57, being a decrease from the previous year of 31: this may be accounted for, partly, from the fears entertained of privateering during the early part of the season, and partly from the difficulty afterwards experienced in obtaining American vessels suitable for the trade, such vessels being chartered for government uses. The number of foreign vessels arriving from ports in the United States during the year has been 26, making a total of 83 American cargoes, being about the same as on previous years.

A statement of American imports from the year 1858 to 1862, inclusive, is given in enclosure No. 2.

Notwithstanding the disturbances that vexed commerce and the many difficulties under which the business community of Trinidad were laboring, the colonial government in the month of March enforced an unpopular income tax, in addition to the taxation previously imposed, which, according to official statements recently published, amounted £2 6s. 6d. or $11 16 American currency per head. Now, considering that a large proportion of the population consists of negroes, coolies, and Chinese, who represent no wealth, it will appear that the burden of this taxation falls on a comparative few. From the Royal Gazette, of October 8, 1862, a copy of which is enclosed, you will find that each hogshead of sugar, or its equivalent in produce, pays a tax of £3 10s. 6d. or $16 82; and as, during the past season, sugar was sold as low as £10 per hogshead, the government claim amounted to about one-third of the total value, leaving only two-thirds to repay the planter for the cost of production and shipment.

Report on the cocoa crop of Trinidad for the year ending September 30, 1862.

The cocoa crop of Trinidad for the year 1862, which amounts to 3,875,753 pounds, shipped previous to the 30th September, falls short of the crop of the previous year by nearly 3,500,000 pounds. This is partly accounted for by the fact that last year's yield was far in excess of previous years, and that the season just closed was too dry for cocoa growing. It is also asserted by merchants in this trade that in Trinidad the cocoa tree yields more abundantly on alternate years. This would seem indicated from the present thrifty condition of the estates, which promise large returns during the coming season. Prices have advanced from $9 per fanega of 110 pounds, in the early part of the season, to $11 and $11 50 by last quotations. The production of cocoa, requiring but little expenditure for labor and estate supplies during the growing season, gives only a limited trade to the merchants of the towns, and hence the fluctuations of the cocoa market do not influence general business in the same manner as the changes in the price of sugar.

Comparative statement of American imports at Trinidad from the year 1858 to 1862, inclusive.

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Comparative statement of produce exported at Trinidad from January 1, 1859, to September 30, 1862.

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In accordance with instructions contained in circular No. 17, a few days ago I called the attention of his excellency the governor of Trinidad to the twentysecond section of the act of Congress approved July 14, 1862, whereby "the privilege of purchasing supplies from the public warehouses duty free is extended to the vessels-of-war of any nation, in ports of the United States, which may reciprocate the same to the vessels-of-war of the United States in its ports."

In reply his excellency stated "that by the local laws of Trinidad the ships of all nations, whether they be the vessels-of-war or of the mercantile marine service, can purchase supplies out of bond duty free."

NOVEMBER 11, 1862.

As it is generally understood that our government is disposed to encourage the emigration of free colored persons from the United States, with a view to their settlement in countries adapted by climate to their constitution and habits, where their labor may meet with suitable reward, I beg leave, at the instance of influential merchants concerned in the planting interests of this island, to ask your attention to the pressing want that has existed for many years in this colony for such a class of agricultural laborers. Since the days of emancipation this demand has been steadily increasing. Although, out of an area of 2,012 square miles, or 1,287,600 acres, only 53,000 acres are under cultivation, yet it has only been by strenuous efforts on the part of the planters, aided by immigration, conducted at great expense under the auspices of the colonial government, that the estates already occupied have been prevented from ruin. With such a scarcity of population no attempts can be made to extend the bounds of the estates by bringing under cultivation the adjacent territory, which, from its fertility of soil, promises rich returns. At present over a million of acres, covered with virgin forests and abounding in woods valuable to trade, remain unappropriated.

Government, at an early date, sought to supply this urgent demand by introducing immigrants from the East Indies; and by the census of 1861, 13,488 coolies and 461 Chinese were residents within the colony. Most of these are laboring on the estates, under indentures, in accordance with the regulations of ordinance No. 16, of August 1, 1862, a copy of which is enclosed. During the past year there were introduced 1,991 immigrants, consisting of 1,541 coolies and 450 Chinese, at an expense to the colony of not less than £40,000 sterling. Recently, the attention of those engaged in the planting interests has been awakened to the proposed emigration of colored persons from the United States, and a hope is entertained that a supply of immigrants may be obtained from this source, in the event that the United States government should encourage such emigration, or deem proper to remove beyond the limits of the United

States the emancipated slaves who now embarrass our armies or who may yet be made free by the enforcement of the proclamation of emancipation recently issued by the President. The governor of Trinidad has already been requested to correspond with the colonial secretary in London on this subject, and desire him to represent to the British minister at Washington the demand existing for such a laboring population in Trinidad.

A desire is also expressed by influential merchants interested in estates to know if, in the event of such an emigration being allowed, the United States government would permit a private agent, acting for respectable business houses of this island, to collect and ship such emigrants at such ports on the Atlantic coast as may be under the control of the United States, and may be hereafter designated a contract being previously made with each emigrant, binding him or her to a term of service not exceeding three years, with the privilege, if dissatisfied, of buying off the unexpired time at the end of one year, by the payment of a sum of money equal to the amount paid for the passage of such emigrant to Trinidad-the parties represented in this colony giving bonds to any person the United States government may designate, or to the agent general of immigrants acting under the colonial government, to furnish such laborers with a free passage to Trinidad, and on their arrival to supply constant employment, at the rate of wages paid unindentured laborers, and to provide, free of charge, suitable lodgings and provision grounds, and, when sick, suitable and sufficient medicines and nourishment, medical attendance, and hospital accommodation.

An ordinance enacted by the governor of Trinidad, with the advice and consent of the legislative council thereof, to amend and consolidate the laws with regard to immigration.

Be it enacted by his excellency the governor of Trinidad, with the advice and consent of the legislative council thereof, as follows: I. The several ordinances mentioned in the Schedule A to this ordinance shall be, and the same are hereby, repealed, save and except so far as regards any appointment of agent general of immigrants or other appointment made under the said ordinances or any of the same, and save also and except so far as regards all existing engagements to labor, and the payment of any duties now due and owing to her Majesty, and all fines and penalties incurred under the said ordinances or any of the same, all which engagements to labor may be enforced, and all which duties, fines and penalties shall and may be sued for and recovered in the same manner as if this ordinance had not been passed.

II. All entries heretofore made in the general register of immigrants by the agent general of immigrants shall be valid, and all engagements to labor, assignments of services and certificates heretofore made and granted, and all matters and things done heretofore under or by virtue of any or either of the said ordinances shall be and continue in force in the same manner as if this ordinance had not been passed.

Iil. Throughout this ordinance the following words and expressions shall have the meanings hereby assigned to them, if not inconsistent with the context or subject-matter, that is to say: words importing one number or one gender shall mean respectively both numbers and both genders; the expression "her Majesty" shall mean her Majesty, her heirs, and successors; the expression "agent general of immigrants" shall include any sub-agent of immigrants appointed or to be appointed by the governor; the expression "emigration agent" shall include any person appointed by the governor to act as emigration agent or sub-agent; the word "immigrant" shall mean all immigrants already introduced or who may hereafter be introduced into this colony at the expense of this colony or of the imperial government, or for whose introduction, although the same may be under private contract, the colony may hereafter pay bounty;

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