British Colonies.
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The island is divided, according to an Act of the Legislature passed 1758, into three
counties—namely, Middlesex, Surrey, and Cornwall.
Formerlv these were subdivided into twenty-two parishes, but by an Act of the Council
passed in 1867 the number was reduced to fourteen, viz.:—In Middlesex, St. Catherine,
Clarendon, Manchester, St. Mary, and St. Ann ; Surrey, Kingston, St. Andrew, St. Thomas,
and Portland; and Cornwall, St. Elizabeth, Westmoreland, Hanover, St. James, and
Trelawny.
The Political Constitution, as represented by the Legislative Council and Assembly,
was abolished by an Act of the Legislature in 1866, when the Island became a Crown
Colonv. The Constitution at present provides for a Governor, Privy Council, and Legislative
Council, the latter consisting of thirteen members, all appointed by the Crown, and
of whom six, besides the Governor, are paid officials.
Saint Jago-de-la-Vega, or Spanish Town, used to be the Seat of Government, but it
is now transferred to Kingston, which is the principal commercial city. It is here that
the commerce of the island is centred, and from its favoured geographical position, as well
as from its spacious natural harbour, one of the finest in the world, it ofifers a convenient
port of call to the many lines of steamships now trading in these watere. Fresh Provisions,
Vegetables, Water, Coals, and every other necessary for steam or sailing vessels, can be
procured readily at very moderate rates. The other principal seaport towns are Port
Morant, Morant Bay, Salt River, Milk River, Black River, and Sav-la-Mar on the South
coast; and Lucea, Montego Bay, Falmouth, St. Ann’s Bay, Port Maria, Annotto Ba\, and
Port Antonio on the north side.
The principal articles of export are Sugar, Rum, Coffee, Pimento, Ginger, Arrowroot
Logwood, Fustic, Ebony, Brazalitto, Lignum-vitae, Satin Wood, Bitter Wood, and Coooanuts.
Cotton and Indigo were at one time considerable articles of export, but they have
long since ceased to be cultivated.
The island abounds with every variety of Tropical Fruits, which are produced in the
greatest profusion and without cultivation. Oranges, Bannanas, Pines, &c., find a ready
and profitable market in the United States.
The population of the Island, according to the Census, taken 5th June, 1871, was
506,154, as follow :—
Males. Females. Total.
White 6,909 6,192 13» 101
Coloured 48,048 52,298 100,346
Black 191,498 201,209 392,707
Total .. .. 506,154
The production of Tobacco in quantity and of a quality suitable for export, is a
comparatively new industry in Jamaica. The plantations of Messrs. Soutar & Co., whose
eigars are exhibited, are within 15 miles of Kingston, and were establisbed four years
ago upon soil similar by analysis, and in a climate corresponding with that of the famed
Vuethaboy’s district, Havanna. Their seed was also received from, and is of the description
grown in the Vuethaboy’s. Their manufactory is in Kingston, the Capital of the
Island, where they give oonstant employment to about 100 hands in the preparation of
the tobacco and manufacture of eigars and cigarettes. The cost of freight from Jamaica
to the principal ports in Great Britain is about 3s. per thousand, and to the Continent
from 3s. to is. 6d.
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