The West indies in 1837

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MONTSERBAT.

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thousand pounds weight of sillv of the first quality, were last year produced. It promises to be a valuable colonial product, as its introduction wovild supply work of a light description for the population of the towns, and for young and infirm persons, who are quite unfit for severe field labor. Our informant took us to see his mulberry trees, which, though raised within the last ten months from seed, are already large flou足 rishing bushes i they are the white variety. Whilst we were examining them, the President of the island, HENRY HAMILTON, Esq., and POLHILL, Col足 lector of Customs passed, with whom we were made acquainted, and who kindly gave us some information in addition to what we had already learned in Antigua, respecting the measure introduced last year into the legislature of this colony, for the abolition of the re足 maining term of Apprenticeship. The Bill passed the Council, but was lost in the Assembly by a majority of one, in consequence of some of the representatives being proprietors of jobbing or task gangs. Their profit from their laborers would have entirely ceased by Emancipation, instead of being increased, like those of the owners of estates, by the change of apprentices into free laborers. On the rejection of the Bill, three of the members of the Council, and two other proprietors adopted it individually, by releasing their apprentices from further servitude. The policy which originated the measure, was of a selfish character. The planters had made an agreement with their negros, to allow them provision grounds and two entire days, besides the Sabbath, in lieu of all allowances ; the latter per足 forming the legal amount of forty hours labor per week, in four days of ten hours each. This arrangement is, under ordinary circumstances, as compared with other


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