Antigua and the Antiguans Volume II Part 20

1837 Wesleyan Society 96 0 112 1838 " 108 0 114 1839 " 95 0 85

1837 Moravians 383 0 318 1838 " 249 0 256 1839 " 265 0 254

The Wesleyan society has several Sunday-schools, also day scholars, exclusive of night-schools, which may be reckoned as follows:-From the "Ladies' Society," and the "Wesleyan Missionary," conducted by voluntary contributions:- Scholars. Teachers.

Sunday-school 1782 155 Day-school 962 19 The Moravian Mission has 1115 0 Besides infant children, whose number may be estimated at about 1800 0 The members of their church may be estimated at about 9000.

Fortifications.-There are seven forts-namely, Sterling.

Fort James, which costs the country for captain's salary 150l. 0s.

Fort George 112l. 10s.

Fort Johnson's Point 60l. 0s.

Fort Byam 50l. 0s.

Old Road 59l. 12s.

Goat Hill Battery 60l. 0s.

Rat Island 60l. 0s.

The amount expended for the military defence of this country, sustained by the colony exclusively, not under the control of the ordnance department, amounts to near 2500l. sterling; and that incurred by Great Britain in this time of peace is sometimes over 24,000l. sterling. Some years it may be 1000l. or so under, and particularly now the island has no militia, as it ceased to exist in July, 1838, by order of her Majesty in council.

Revenue.-The comparatively yearly revenue may be estimated at about 19,000l. sterling. The expenditure is generally more, which is raised by d. a.s.sessed upon all lands; 1d. on every 100 lbs.

of sugar; 3d. on every 100 gallons of rum and mola.s.ses; a street-tax, and a per centage upon all dwelling-houses or merchant-warehouses, according to the exigencies of the case; also a cistern-tax upon all dwelling-houses of the annual rent of 60l., not having a cistern on or belonging thereto; (while this is a very necessary precaution in cases of fire, it brings in a very good revenue;) an import duty imposed by the British parliament on all American importations, (part of this only is paid into the island treasury, as a per centage is first detained by the collector of her Majesty's customs for defraying the expenses of officers' salaries; however, the surplus paid into the treasury may be computed at 9000l. currency annually, but has at times amounted to 16,000l.;) also another import duty, levied by our colonial legislature on all goods imported not coming under the act of the imperial parliament, but such as upon all British or other articles of foreign manufacture may not be considered dutyable, in that case, 2l. 10s. upon every 100l. is paid; also an annual sum is paid by every retailer of spirituous liquors, wines, and beer; and a customs duty on wine imported, (except it be brought from Madeira and the Western Islands.

Amount of Export in the Year 1770.

. s. d.

To Great Britain 430,210 0 0 To North America, United States, and the West India Islands 35,806 17 6 466,016 17 6

Amount of Export, in the Year 1787.

To Great Britain, North America, the West India Islands, United States, and Foreign Ports, consisted of 284,526 casks of sugar, 716,545 gallons of rum, 5910 gallons of mola.s.ses, 160,510 pounds of cotton, 4l. sterling worth of dyeing woods, and 48,000l. worth of other miscellaneous articles, which together amounted to ... ... ... ... . . 592,596 9 0

s.h.i.+pping Inwards, 1831.

No. of No. of Vessels. Tons. Men From Great Britain. 55 11783 634 From North America. 50 4410 256 From West Indies. 142 6997 730 From United States. 58 6692 375 From Foreign Ports. 80 2608 336 Totals. 385 32,490 2331

s.h.i.+pping Outwards, 1831.

No. of No. of Vessels. Tons. Men To Great Britain. 55 11498 628 To North America. 39 3334 197 To the West Indies. 191 10482 982 To the United States. 31 3686 211 To Foreign Ports. 91 3522 399 Totals. 407 32,522 2417

Amount of Exports for 1831.

. s. d.

To Great Britain 228,612 0 0 To North America 12,803 10 0 To West Indies 37,766 19 6 To United States 10,372 18 0 To Foreign Ports 7,090 15 0 296,646 2 6

s.h.i.+pping Inwards, 1840.

Number of Vessels. Tons.

From Great Britain 51 11,334 From North America and the West Indies 254 10,968 From the United States 79 11,657 From Foreign Ports 158 3,650

Total Number of Men 2,925 Total Number of Vessels 542 Total Number of Tons 37,609

s.h.i.+pping Outwards, 1840.

Number of Vessels. Tons.

To Great Britain 56 12,953 To North America and the West Indies 251 10,297 To the United States 26 3,844 To Foreign Ports 142 10,781

Total Number of Men 3,133 Total Number of Vessels 475 Total Number of Tons 37,375

Amount of Exports, 1840.

. s. d.

To Great Britain 401,624 4 6 To North America and the West Indies 328 0 0 401,952 4 6

Population.

Number of Whites.Number of Coloured. Number of Negroes.

1673 no account taken. no account taken. 500 1690 600 no account taken.

1707 2892 no account taken. 12,892 1720 3672 19,186 1724 5200 19,800 1729 4088 22,611 1734 3772 24,408 1756 3412 31,428 1774 2590 37,808 1787 2590 1230 37,808 1788 no account taken. no account taken. 36,000 1805 3000 1300 36,000 1810 3000 37,000 1817 no account taken. no account taken. 32,249 1824 30,314 1827 29,839 1831 29,537

Census Taken in 1821.

Area in Number of Number of Total Number of Number of Total miles White White number of Coloured Coloured number of square. Males. Females. Whites. Males. Females. Coloured.

St. John's 17,955 644 563 1207 1210 1623 2833 St. Philip's 10,881 116 46 162 62 99 161 St. George's 6000 56 35 91 24 44 68 St. Mary's 14,190 81 43 124 65 94 159 St. Peter's 8310 100 37 137 53 65 118 St. Paul's 11,941 142 117 259 292 435 727 69,277 1139 841 1980 1706 2360 4066 Number of negroes in six parishes, 30,985.

No census has been taken since 1821, but the population now may be estimated at about the same. The greatest bulk is employed in agriculture; the manufacture is sugar, rum, and mola.s.ses. The island is supposed to contain 69,299 miles, or 108 square miles, consequently the average population is estimated to the square mile in this island to be about 343.

[72] It most be remarked that this salary is not a determined one. The judge receives it as a boon from the existing legislature. His successor may, perhaps, only obtain the _honour_ conferred by the appointment.

Supplemental Chapter.

Since the foregoing pages have been written, many and great events have occurred in Antigua. St. John's, the capital of the island, has been raised to the dignity of a city, by the mandate of her most gracious Majesty Queen Victoria, (as announced by official letter of his excellency the governor-in-chief, Sir Charles Augustus Fitzroy, K.H., dated 10th November, 1842;) the church const.i.tuted a cathedral church and an episcopal see; and our former worthy archdeacon has become the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Antigua. The rector of St. John's, the Rev. R.

Holberton, has most deservedly been appointed archdeacon, (as well as rector,) in the room of Dr. Davis, the present bishop.

The first ordination held in the island took place on Tuesday, the 25th July, 1843. The governor-in-chief. Sir Charles Augustus Fitzroy, has ably conducted the government, and made himself universally and deservedly beloved and respected for his zeal and strenuous exertions for the common good. His excellency first met the council and a.s.sembly at the court house, on Thursday, the 21st of February, 1842, where he was received by a guard of honour, (of part of the 81st regiment, then stationed in Antigua.) After taking his seat in the council chamber, his excellency delivered in person a most flattering inaugural speech to the legislature; addresses were then returned by the council and a.s.sembly, to each of which his excellency made most gracious answers. Upon the breaking up of the meeting, his excellency returned to government house, where he held a levee, (which was numerously attended,) and received congratulatory addresses from the clergymen of the church of England, the Moravian ministers, the Wesleyan missionaries, and the members of the Presbyterian a.s.sociation.

The Scotch kirk has been nearly completed, and opened for divine service; an able preacher from Scotland, the Rev. A. Brown, is the officiating minister. Until the opening of the new church, the court house was kindly lent to the members of this persuasion to hold their Sunday service in; and where the Rev. Mr. Brown poured forth a strain of pure, unaffected devotion, and delivered a series of sermons, whose beauty lay not only in words, but in the grand religious truths they inculcated.

Agricultural societies have been formed, much to the interest of that useful cla.s.s of men, the agriculturists. In these societies, prizes have been awarded to the following:-

To manager who makes the largest quant.i.ty of sugar per acre, on average crop-a silver tea-pot, value 8l.

To manager who makes best quality of sugar-a silver cup, value 7l.

To manager who makes the largest quant.i.ty of sugar per acre, from second ratoons, being not less than five acres-a silver ladle, value 4l.