The West India Islands [pp. 455-500]

THr]T WEST INDIA ISLANDS.
even double their true valuation, as regulated by supply and demand
throughout the world?'We say forever-for, if with nearly twenty
years of protection under the emancipation, he has been sinking lower
and lower, when in the name of heaven will he be able to stand alone?
Is it not a vain struggle against the power of nature and circumstances? The monstrous folly of submitting forever to such an outrage upon trade and enterprise; could not for a moment have entered
the minds of the English people, however deluded in other respectsan outrage without equivalent-unmitigated wrong —support to a tottering and baseless fabric!
But we have no time to continue any further our asseverations here,
but must pass to, concluding sections of the article.
4. DEPENDENCIES OF HOLLAND.-The three islands of Saint Eustatia and its dependencies, Saba, St. Martin and Curacoa, are the property of the Dutch, who have never made any considerable figure in
the western world.
Saint Eustatia is in circumference thirty miles, and has an area of
one hundred and ninety square miles. Its appearance from the sea is
that of a conical mountain, though much of its surface is level and
covered with vegetation. Tobacco is an important product, but sugar,
cotton, indigo, provisions and stock, are exported. Having been
the center of immense contraband trade during the war, Admiral
Rodney is said to have taken with the island ~4.000.000 booty. The
commerce and prosperity of St. Eustatia have declined. The product
of sugar now is only about 1.000 barrels, and the population has decreased from five thousand whites and fifteen thousand slaves, to three
or four hundred whites and about two thousand slaves. Saba- is altogether unimportant. The island was settled by the Dutch,-in 1635;
it has since changed hands with France and England, and finally given
to Holland, in 1814.
Saint Martin.-This island was originally settled by the French
and Dutch, and is divided between them-the French part being attached to'Guadaloupe and embracing a population of six hundred free, and
three thousand slaves. The Dutch population is about equally numerous. They each produce about 25.000 cwt. of sugar, and 130.000
galls. of rum. The whole area of St. Martin is only thirty square
miles. Salt is largely produced.
Curacoa, the largest of the Dutch islands, contains an area of eight
hundred square miles and thirteen thousand five hundred inhabitants,
of whom three thousand are white, five thousand five hundred free
colored, and five thousand slaves. Sugar and salt are the great staples. Its capital is Williamstadt, a well built town, governed by a
stadtholder. The English had possession in 1807. In common with
all the Dutch colonies, the expenses are much greater than the revenue.
The Dutch have, also, a portion of Guaiana, on the South American
coast, called Surinam, from the name of its capital. There are one
thousand and fifty estates of sugar, cotton, -coffee, indigo, cocoa, &e.
It is said that the government in Holland, in" 1842, appointed a commission to determine the best mode of extinguishing the institution of
slavery in the colonies; and the governor told Col. Capadose, in 1845,
the only thing that prevented the Dutch government from acting, was
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