PEASANT - PROPRIETORSHIPS IN THE WEST INDIES.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.']
SIR,—The interests of the West Indian planters and time interests of the eight hundred thousand Creoles in the West Indies are not identical ; and Mr. Chamberlain has recently shown great statesmanship in taking into consideration, first of all, the necessities of the native populations in Dominica. and St. Vincent. The Federalist (of Grenada) of March 9th writes as follows : — " The establishment of a peasant- proprietary body, both in Dominica and St. Vincent, will result in gradually bringing prosperity to those islands. Why a similar class of proprietors should not be established in St. Kitts, Antigua, and the other islands, is a question which, we hope, will be thoroughly discussed in Parlia- ment." The West Indies are suffering from large, unwieldy, partially cultivated estates, mostly owned by absentee landlords ; and Mr. Engledew, M.P., has been recently doing good service to the native populations of the West Indies by urging the Secretary of State for the Colonies to consider the desirability of taking some steps that will lead to the breaking up of these large estates and at the same time give increased facilities for the purchase of small plots of ground by the native Creoles. As it is not probable, after the Report of the Royal Commis- sioners, that English capitalists will of themselves invest money on loan in any of the West Indian Islands, it becomes the duty of the Government to pledge the revenue of each Colony as security for the establishment of land mortgage-
Representing the West Indian and Demerara Editors..
Royal Institution of Great Britain, Albemarle Street, W.
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