GRENADA.

Situation and Area.

Grenada is situated between the parallels of 12° 30' and 11° 58' N. lat., and 61° 20' and 61° 35' W. long.; is about 21 miles in length, 12 miles in its greatest breadth, and contains about 133 square miles. It lies 68 miles S.S.W. of St. Vincent, and between it and the latter island are certain small islands called the Grenadines, partly attached to the government of St. Vincent, and partly to that of Grenada; the largest of the latter is Carriacou, which has an area of 6,913 acres, and a population of 5,154 souls.

General Description.

The country is mountainous and very picturesque, and abounds in streams and in mineral and other springs. The Grand Etang, a lake on the summit of a mountain ridge 1.740 feet above the level of the sea, 7 miles from St. George, and Lake Antoine are among the most remarkable natural curiosities. The island is divided into six parishes-St. George, St. David, St. Andrew, St. Patrick, St. Mark, and St. John. St. George's, the privcipal town, is a port of registry, and had on 31st December, 1888, .56 vessels registered, of a total tonnage of 911 tons. The town has a population of 4,000.

The other towns in the island are Charlotte Town (or Gouyave), St. Patrick (or Sauteurs), and Grenville (or a Baye). Most of the inhabitants speak a French patois. About two per cent. are of European blood, the remainder being of the uegro race, except 1,960 imported coolies,

Industry.

The island has long ceased to be a great sugar producing colony, and its main product is cocoa, but a good deal of rum (43,800 gallons in 1888) is still manufactured. Spices, cocoanuts, and fruit are also grown, and live stock, poultry, vegetables, and firewood are shipped to Trinidad and Barbados. The main imports are food stuffs, textiles, timber, and hardware.

There is a Government savings bank in St. George with 277 depositors and 5,6321. deposited. Branch banks were opened in the out districts on 1st April, 1889.

History.

Grenada was discovered by Columbus in 1498, and was named Ascension. It was at that time inhabited by Caribs. In 1650 Du Parquet, Governor of Martinique, purchased Grenada from a French company, Finding the expense of main taining an armed force to support his authority not compensated by the expectation of future profits, Du Parquet sold the island in 1657 to the Comte de Cerrillac for 30,000 crowns, The overnor appointed by the new proprietor ruled with so much tyranny that the most respectable settlers left the island; he was at length seized, tried, and executed by the colonists.

In 1834 the apprenticeship system was esta blished, and this was followed in 1838 by uncons ditional emancipation.

Constitution.

There was formerly a Legislative Council as well as a House of Assembly, the latter consisting of 26 elected members, and regulated by an Act of 1854.

Under an Act dated 14th October, 1856, and limited in its duration to a term of three years, an Executive Council was formed, in lien of the Legislative Council. The Act was allowed to expire, and the Legislative Council resumed its executive functions under the style of Her Majesty's Council.

The constitution was re-modelled by an Act of the 7th of October, 1875, and a single Legislative Assembly established in lieu of the Council and Assembly. The Assembly consisted of 17 Members, 8 elected by the people, and 9 nominated by the Crown. The Act also appointed an Executive Committee of 5 Members, 3 being nominated and the other 2 elected Members of Assembly. These Members received each a salary of 100%. a-year, and were charged with the duty of advising the Lieut.Governor on the conduct of affairs.

This Assembly at its first meeting on the 9th of February, 1876, addressed the Queen, informing Her Majesty that it had passed a Bill providing for its own extinction, and leaving it entirely to your Majesty's wisdom and discretion to ercet such form of Government as your Majesty may deem most desirable for the welfare of the Colony." The Imperial Act (39 and 40 Vict., c. 47) empowered Her Majesty to comply with this address, and a new Legislative Council has been established by the Queen, consisting of six official members besides the Governor, and seven unofficial members nominated by the Crown. The unofficia! members hold their seats for six years from the date of their appointment.

On the 17th March, 1885, letters patent were passed constituting anew the office of Governor of the Windward Islands, under which Grenada was made the head-quarters of the group.

Education.

There are 8 Government elementary schools, and 21 aided schools. The latter are under the local management of the ministers of the different religious sects. Building grants and annual grants in aid are made by the Government on the result of inspections. The central administration is entrusted to a Board of Education nominated by the Governor, half the members being Roman Catholic.

In 1888 the average attendance was 2,287 children, the number on the rolls being 4,440. Fees are charged in all schools. There is a grammar school partly supported from public funds, and a school for the secondary education of girls,

Import Tariff.

15 of 1888.

£ s. d. 020 001

In 1674 the island was annexed to France, and the proprietors received compensation for their Ordinances Nos. 8 of 1881, 18 of 1887, and 3 and claims; but in 1762 it was surrendered to the English Commodore Swanton, and was formally ceded to Great Britain by the Treaty of Peace signed at Paris on the 10th of February, 1763. In 1779 it was retaken by the French; and in 1783 it was restored to Great Britain by the general Treaty of Peace of Versailles. In 1787 St. George's was made a free port.

Bread, per 100 lbs.
Butter, per lb.

*In 1888 an Ordinance was passed imposing upon parents as a legal obligation the duty of providing elementary education for their children.

Private Secretary,

SHIPPING ENTERED AND Chief Clerk in the Governor's Office, M. H. De la

CLEARED.

Estimate, 1888

ture.

Tonnage.

Tonnage.

80,043 39,003

12,939

131,985

1882

79,424

136,374

1883

135,265

1884

Poer Beresford (also Clerk of Councils).
Second Clerk, W. W. Rattray, 1507.

Colonial Secretary and Registrar-General, L. R.
Fyfe, 5501.

Chief Clerk, Colonial Secretary's Office, C. H. Colly-
more, 2501., and fees as District Registrar.
Assistant Clerk, H. Sharpe, 407.

Treasurer and Manager of Savings' Bank, F. M.
Chadwick, 500l. and fees.

Chief Clerk, Treasury, E. J. McEwen, 250/. (201
personal).

Second ditto, B. J. G. Munro, 2007.

Assistant ditto, H. A. Martin, 75l. (provisional).
Revenue Officers :——

Chief Rev. Officer, J. G. Wells, 2501., and 50L

allowance (provisional).

E. H. Mcore, 1507,

T. L. Smith, 1507.

H. H. Toudou-Bell, 1207., and 50% (provisional).

L. H. Otway, 1007. (provisional

St. Andrew's, W. E. Haynes, 2201., and fees as

St. Patrick's, A.

St. John's and St.

Carriacou, H. B.

District Registrar.

Webster, 2007., and fees as District Registrar.

Mark's, S. W. M. Roche, 1204 and 30%.

Isaacs, 200l., boat, and fees as
District Registrar.

Harbour Master (and Revenue Officer), St. George's,
T. L. Smith, 1507. and boat allowance.
Postmaster, John Griffith, 2501.

Clerk, W. P. Anton, 1007.

Director of Public Works, C. Messervy, 6504., and 100/. allowance.

Road Surveyors, R. G. Graves, 150%, and 50%. allowance; D. Ferguson, 2007., and 30%, allowance. Clerk, A. E. Roche, 601.

193,524 Medical Officers:—

Chief Justice, Judge of the Vice-Admiralty Court, and
Vice-Chancellor, J. F. Gresham, 8007.
Attorney-General, and Admiralty Advocate, H. R.
Pipon Schooles, 4007., and private practice.
Registrar of the Supreme Court, and in Vice-
Admiralty, Edward Drayton, 3501. (J. A. Harbin,
acting).

Chief Clerk to ditto, and Marshal in Vice-Admiralty,
J. A. Harbin, 1507.

Second ditto, G. A. Jackson, 801.
Third ditto, W. J. McKenzie, 501.
Police Magistrates and Coroners: Southern District,
H. L. Robinson, 4007., and 1257. allowances.
Northern District, S. E. Roche, 3007., and 251.

allowance.

Eastern District, J. P. G. Munro, 3007., and 507.

allowance.

Western District, L. B. Otway, 300l., and 50%. allow

ance.

Chief Ministers of Religion.

Anglican Church.

Bishop, The Bishop of Barbados (Dr. Bree).
Archdeacon, H. Hutson.

Roman Catholic Church, Rev. M. J. Grimes.
Wesleyan, Rev. E. J. M. Thomas.

1 resbyterian, Rev. James Rae.

ST. LUCIA.

Situation and Area.

of sovereignty over the island, ceded it to the French West India Company, who in 1650 sold it for 1,600l. to MM. Honel and Du Parquet. After repeated attempts by the Caribs to expel tho French, the latter concluded a Treaty of Peaco with them in 1660.

In 1663, Thomas Warner, the natural son of the Governor of St. Christopher, made a descent on St. Lucia. The English continued in possession till the Peace of Breda in 1667, when the island was restored to the French. In 1674 it was reannexed to the Crown of France, and made a de pendency of Martinique.

After the Peace of Utrecht, in 1713, the rival pretensions of England and France to the posses.. sion of St. Lucia resulted in open hostility. In 1718 the Regent d'Orléans made a grant of the island to Marshal d'Estrées, and in 1722, the King of England made a grant of it to the Duke of Montague. In the following year, however, a body of troops, despatched to St. Lucia by the Governor of Martinique, compelled the English settlers to evacuate the island, and it was declared

neutral.

In 1744, the French took advantage of the declaration of war to resume possession of St. Lucia, which they retained till the Treaty of Aix-laChapelle in 1748, when it was again declared neutral. In 1756, on the renewal of hostilities, the French put the island in a state of defence; but in 1762 it surrendered to the joint operations of Admiral Rodney and General Monckton. In the following year, by the Treaty of Paris, it was assigned to France.

St. Lucia continued in the peaceable possession of the French till 1778, when effective measures were taken by the British for its conquest. In the early part of 1782, Rodney took up his station in Gros Ilet Bay, in St. Lucia, with a fleet of 36 sail of the line, and it was from thence that he pursued Count de Grasse, when he gained the memorable battle of the 12th of April in that year. This event was followed by the Peace of Versailles, and St. Lucia was once more restored to France.

In 1793, on the declaration of war against revolutionary France, the West Indies became the scene of a series of naval and military operations which resulted in the surrender of St. Lucia to the British arms, on the 4th of April, 1794.

In 1796 the British Government despatched to The island of St. Lucia was discovered by the relief of their West Indian possessions a body Columbus, during his fourth voyage, on the 15ty of troops, 12,000 strong, under the command of Sir June, 1502. It is situated in 13° 50' N. lat., anh Ralph Abercrombie, supported by a squadron 60° 58′ W. long; at a distance of 24 miles to under Admiral Sir Hugh Christian. On the 26th the south-east of Martinique, and 21 to the north-April these forces appeared off St. Lucia, and after east of St. Vincent. It is 24 miles in length, and 12 at its greatest breadth; its circumference is 150 miles, and its area 243 sq. miles. Near its northern extremity lies Pigeon Island, formerly a military post of some importance.

Castries, the capital of the island, contains about 1,200 houses, and a population of over 6,000 souls. Next in importance is the town of Soufriere, containing a population of about 2,000 souls.

History.

At the period of its discovery, St. Lucia was inhabited by the Caribs, and continued in their possession till 1635, when it was granted by the King of France to MM. de L'Olive and Duplessis In 1639 the English formed their first settlement, but in the following year the colonists were all murdered by the Caribs.

In 1642 the King of France, still claiming a right

an obstinate and sanguinary contest, which lasted till the 26th May, the Republican party, which had been aided by insurgent slaves under Victor Hughes, laid down their arms, and surrendered as prisoners of war.

The British retained possession of St. Lucia till 1802, when it was restored to France by the Treaty of Amiens; but on the renewal of hostilities it surrendered by capitulation to General Greenfield on the 22nd June, 1803, since which period it has continued under British rule.

General Description.

On its final acquisition by the English, the island had become much depopulated, partly by war, but chiefly by intestine struggles, the fruits of the French Revolution. The recovery from this state of things has been slow, having been retarded by the severe epidemics of cholera and small-pox which

The Government grants 6251. a year each to the trustees of the Lady Mico charity and to the Roman Catholics. The trustees maintain 11 schools, with an average attendance in 1888 of 753; and the Roman Catholics 12 schools, with an average attendance in 1888 of 991. The total on the rolls was 3,181. The Government also grants 150l. to the Canadian mission to Indian immigrants for the maintenance of three schools for the East Indian immigrants. The number on the rolls was 172, and the average daily attendance 90, for the year 1888.

A code of civil law, the authors of which are Sir G. W. Des Voeux, K.C.M.G., and Mr. James Armstrong, C.M.G., became law in October, 1879. This code has been framed upon the principles of the ancient law of the island, with such modifications as are required by existing circumstances.

Industry.

have at different times visited the West Indies. Each census, however, has shown an advance in this respect, and the population now amounts to about 42,500. Most of the inhabitants speak a French patois, but English is gradually becoming more generally used. A very small percentage is of European descent, the remainder being of the negro race, except about 2,050 East Indian immigrants. The reputation of the island for peculiar unhealthiness is undeserved. Certain spots situated in narrow valleys between high mountains are undoubtedly unhealthy, but are becoming less and less so as the forests fall before a yearly extending cultivation. The dangers from venomous reptiles is also much exaggerated. Among white inhabitants, consumption and other of the most fatal diseases of temperate climates are unknown. The temperature from December to April seldom exceeds 80° Fahr., even at midday in spots situated a few hundred feet above the sea, and a fresh trade wind blows continuously. The scenery is of peculiar beauty, even as compared with that of other West India Islands, and in the neighbourhood of the Pitons has the less common element of grandeur. These are two cone-shaped rocks rising sheer out of the sea to a height of nearly 3,000 feet, and near them is the crater of a volcano and a soufrière, the ordinary characteristics of the Carribean Cordillera. Castries, the chief town, has an excellent harbour, probably the best in the whole of the West Indies. It is now the second naval station of the Empire in these parts. Dredging operations are being carried on in the harbour, Ale, beer, and porter, in wood, per gallon 0 0 6 and already several shoals have been removed, rendering the harbour more commodious. substantial concrete wharf, 650 feet in length, with a depth alongside of 27 feet at low water, has been compieted, and projects are under consideration for further wharf extension. facilities offered by the port as a port of call and coaling station are fast being widely recognised. It is a port of registry, and had on 31st December, 1888, 11 vessels registered, of a total tonnage of 484 tons. It has been chosen as the chief coaling station for the fleet in the West Indies, and is being strongly fortified.

A

The

A Government savings bank was established in 1871, and has now 453 depositors, with 9,1081. to their credit on 31st Dec., 1888.

Constitution.

Up to the period of the French Revolution, and after the restoration of order in 1800, the island was governed according to the law and ordinances of the French monarchy. The Courts of Justice were an inferior Court called the "Sénéchaussée,' and a higher Court called the "Conseil Supérieur," or Court of Appeal. The latter Court was composed of a President and twelve Councillors; the Governor often presided, and it was invested with certain executive and administrative functions.

The Government is now conducted by an Administrator (who is subordinate to the Governorin-Chief of the Windward Islands), aided by an Executive Council. The Legislature consists of the Administrator and a Council composed as the Queen may direct. Law is administered by a judge, from whom in civil cases there is an appeal to the Court of Appeal of the Windward Islands, and by three magistrates, whose decisions are liable to review by the judge. In criminal cases tried in the Superior Court facts are decided upon by a jury of twelve as in England

produced. There are four sugar "Usines" with Sugar, cocoa, logwood, tobacco, and spices are the best machinery, in one of which the Colonial Government has an interest.

Immigration from the East was resumed in April, 1878, and there is at present in the Colony an Indian population of about 2,050.

Import Tariff (Ordinance No. 19 of 1889).

in

bottles, dozen.

per

£ s. d.

013

0 0 04

0 04

0 4 0

020

Arrowroot, per lb.
Beans, per bushel
Biscuits and bread, fancy, per 100 lbs..
common, per barrel
Brandy,
y, per gallon proof (2d. per gallon
more or less for every degree over or
under proof).

Bricks, per 1,000

Butter, and all imitations or substitutes
for, per lb.

Candles, tallow, per lb.

Cattle and cows, other than oxen, each.
other kinds, per lb.
Cheese, per lb.

Cigars and snuff, per lb.
Cigarettes, per lb..
Cocoa and chocolate, per lb.
Coffee, per lb.
Corn, per bushel
Cornmeal per
barrel
Currants, figs, and raisins, per
Fish, salted and dried, per cwt.
pickled salmon, per cwt.
herrings, mackerel, shad, or other
pickled fish, per cwt.
Flour, per barrel

lb.

Gin, rum, whiskey, and other spirits
(except brandy), per gallon proof (2d.
per gallon more or less for every de-
gree over or under proof)

Glue, per lb..
Gunpowder, per lb.
Hay, per 100 lbs.
Hair, per lb..

.

050

026

042

060

00 1

0 03

0 10

002

200

Horses, mares, and geldings, each
Indigo, per lb.
Lard, per lb..
Lemonade, soda water, and ginger ale,
per dozen

Lime building, per barrel

006