8 693 Miles This weight is used in almost all commercial transactions and in the common dealings of life. The particular weights 14 Pounds 2 Stone = 1 Stone = belonging to this cwt. qr. lb. 1 Tod = 010 in the = 1 Wey = 1 2 14 Wool Trade. 24gr. Poles 2 Weys 12 Sacks = 1 Sack = 310 1 Degree of a Great Circle of the Earth. An inch is the smallest lineal measure to which a name is given, but sub-divisions are used for many purposes. Among mechanics the inch is commonly divided into eighths. By the officers of the revenue and by scientific persons it is divided into tenths, hun-20 Pennyweights = 1 Ounce dredths, &c. = 480 =5760 12 Ounces For scientific purposes the grain only is used; and sets of weights are constructed in decimal progression, from 100,000 grains downwards to 1.100th of a grain. The carat, used for weighing diamonds, is 3% grains. The term, however, when used to express the fineness of gold, has a relative meaning only. Every mass of alloyed gold is supposed to be divided into 24 equal parts; thus the standard for coin is 22 carat fine, that is, it consists of 22 parts of pure gold and 2 parts of alloy. 5. ANGULAR MEASURE. OR DIVISIONS OF THE CIRCLE, 60 Seconds 60 Minutes 30 Degrees 90 Degrees = = 1 Degree 1 Sign = 360 Degrees or 12 Signs = 1 Circumference. 6. MEASURE OF TIME. 60 Seconds 694 277 60 Minutes 24 Hours = 554 2218 8 Bush. 1 Quarter= 10 cub. ft. nearly 12 Calendar Months 365 Days 1 Minute 1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Lunar Month 1 Calendar Month = 1 Year 1 Pound (lb.) =7000 = 1 Quarter (qr.) 1 Hundredweight (cwt.) 4 Quarters 20 Cwt. 1 Ton Shilling Sixpence. Fourpence dwt. gr. 31 2 13 10 61 Silver. 18 4 4-11 8973 2 2-11 6 6-11 3 15 3-11 19 7-11 5 1-11 OCEAN TELEGRAPH. IN 1870 the West India and Panama Telegraph Company obtained the transfer to them of the rights previously acquired from the Legislature of Jamaica by the International Ocean Telegraph Company and thereupon extended to the colony their telegraphic system. The new Company being aware that the Local Government was not then in a position to afford pecuniary support to the undertaking refrained from then applying for a subsidy; but in 1876 they "solicited a contribution from the Government proportionate to the means of so important a part of the West Indian Possessions." In reply Sir William Gray stated that he would submit the matter to the consideration of the Legislative Council; but at the same time expressed the hope that "the Imperial Government would not itself be behind hand in stretching out a hand of assistance in upholding the Telegraph Company, and thus preserving the advantages of the present telegraphic communication, seeing that in this matter not only the Home Government had a common interest, but likewise every Trading Association in the United Kingdom whose commercial transactions extended either to the West Indian Possessions or the large communities on the shores of the Pacific, now brought into almost immediate communication with England through the facilities afforded by this Company." No response was made to the suggestion for an imperial subsidy ; but in 1877 the Secretary of State for the Colonies recommended that Jamaica should give a sum equal to that given by British Guiana, namely, £3,000 per annum. This proposi tion was laid before the Legislative Council when it was agreed that £1,000 per annum be paid the Company, on condition of the publication by them in Kingston of a daily bulletin of news under the following general heads of information: 1, important political news from all parts of the world; 2, prices of colonial products in New York and London; 3, prices of staple articles of consumption in the colonies; 4, intercolonial news; 5, movements of steamers with names of passengers for the West Indies; 6, official appointments, &c., &c. The Company in return expressed their willingness to accept a subsidy of £2,000 per annum, "upon the considerations proposed by the Legislative Council," and the question having been further considered, the increased grant was sanctioned on the 7th January, 1887. Since then bulletins have been supplied in the Kingston newspapers and have been posted outside the several telegraphic stations in the island. In a circular letter written by the Chairman of the Company, on the 30th November, 1880, to the Governors of the subsidizing colonies, it was intimated that the Board of Directors had deputed the Hon. Richard C. Grosvenor to visit the West Indies in the interest of the Company, to place before the several Governments "the precarious position of the Company's system in the West Indies, to shew that the revenues derived from it were insufficient for its efficient maintenance, and to ask for a renewal of the Telegraph Acts, with larger grants, and with modifications of the terms." The modifications then asked for were an increase of the subsidy to £5,500 per annum; a grace clause of 3 months for repair of an interruption, the subsidy being paid during the period; and the withdrawal of the news and prices-current bulletin obligations. The Secretary of State subsequently authorized the holding of a conference at Barbados of delegates from the subsidizing colonies on the subject of the position of the Company. So far as Jamaica was concerned, Sir Anthony Musgrave informed the Secretary of State that any proposal to increase the local subsidy to the Company would not be approved by general opinion in the colony and that as his Excellency did not feel able to recommend such an increase he thought it would serve no practical purpose to send a delegate to the conference. In May, 1881, Mr. Grosvenor visited Jamaica, and in the proposals which he then submitted for consideration the "modifications" previously urged were varied to the extent of an increase of the subsidy of £3,000 or 4,000 per annum being suggested instead of £5,500, and the request to be relieved from the obligation to supply news and pricescurrent bulletins being withdrawn. On the 30th of June the Secretary of State informed the Governor that it appeared to his Lordship that the interest of each of the Colonies concerned would be promoted by concerted action on the important question of telegraphic communication, and his Lordship requested that the Legislative Council should be invited to reconsider the proposal of holding a conference with a view of devising a scheme of concerted action in the matter. All the papers were laid before the Council, and on the 7th December, 1881, the Select Committee to whom they were referred reported that they thought no useful object would be gained by sending a delegate to the conference, unless the Council should be prepared to consider favorably the application of the Company for increased subsidies; and on this point they were of opinion that there were no grounds to justify an increase of the amount of the subsidy paid by Jamaica, and they were, therefore, unable to recommend that a delegate should be sent from this colony" to join in the consideration of the question of granting more favorable terms to the Company." At a meeting of the representatives of the British West India Colonies, convened at Barbados in May, 1882, (to which no delegate was sent from Jamaica,) to consider the demand of the West India and Panama Telegraph Company for increased subsidies and generally to decide as to the best means of maintaining telegraphic communication between the West Indies and the Mother-Country, a resolution was passed, to the effect that the Company had failed to meet the requirements of the West India Colonies, and it was decided to recommend a scheme for laying-at the joint expense of England and the Colonies interested-a cable to connect the British Possessions in the West Indies, viâ Bermuda, with Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her Majesty's Government, however, after full consideration, arrived at the conclusion that they could not take part in the scheme put forward at the Barbados Conference, the opinion being that it would be more economical, and, at the same time, secure equal efficiency of service to enter upon an agreement with the West India and Panama Telegraph Company for the extension of their system, viâ Bermuda, to Halifax, instead of promoting a new line covering the same ground; and the Secretary of State left it to each colony to make arrangements with the West India and Panama Telegraph Company for the continuance of the existing service. In April, 1886, Governor Sir Henry Norman laid a message before the Legislative Council with reference to their desire for "some improvement" in the telegraphic messages received over the Company's wires. His Excellency stated that "it seems inevitable that the messages should be compiled in New York to save the cost of transmission across the Atlantic and that it would be probably impracticable to have longer messages than at present as this would involve extra cost for payment to other lines over which the messages travel." With respect to the substance of the messages, His Excellency added "that while the messages must be adapted as far as possible to the requirements of all West Indian Colonies, whether British or otherwise, the Company was most willing to accept any practicable suggestions for improvement that might be made from Jamaica." No action was taken in the matter by the Legislative Council and the agreement of 1879 has continued. WEST INDIA AND PANAMA TELEGRAPH COMPANY, LIMITED. Tariffs from Jamaica to West Indies, &c. 4 44 Interior Venezuela 6 3 Rate to Florida 48, 44d., except Punta, Rassa and Lake City 48. 94d. *Five words allowed for address over the Porto Rico land lines. Tariffs from Jamaica to North America, Europe, &c., viâ Havana. Nova Scotia New Brunswick Great Britain, France and Ger Cape Breton 5 10 Vancouver Island British Columbia 574 Italy 6 14 Spain, via France & Marseilles 6 4 All other Offices, via Eastern 6 54 For messages addressed to stations in the East Indies and South America, viá England, and for all stations on the Continent of Europe, the London rates are charged, plus the tariff from London to the place of destination. Telegrams for stations in South America, viá Panama, are forwarded by telegraph to Panama, from thence by the Central and South American Company's Cables to destination. STAFF. R. T. Brown, Esq., Secretary, Dashwood House, 75 Old Broad Street, London, E.Ć. W. O. Ross, Esq., General Superintendent, St. Thomas. J. Arambarry, Esq., Manager, Kingston, Jamaica. A TABLE OF THE NUMBER OF DAYS FROM ANY DAY IN ONE MONTH TO THE SAME IN ANY OTHER MONTH. Jan. Feb. Mar. April. May. June. July. Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. APPENDIX. DEPENDENCIES OF JAMAICA. TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS. THE Turks and Caicos Islands, geographically the most south-eastern of the Bahama group of islands, lie between 21 and 22° N. lat. and 71° and 72° 37" W. long. These islands were discovered by John Ponce de Leon in 1512. It was long contended and with some show of reason, that "Grand Turk" was identical with "Guanahani," the "Landfall" of Columbus on his first voyage, but the claim has been allowed in favour of another island of the Bahama group. The Turks' Islands (so called from a peculiar species of cactus, somewhat in the form of a Turk's Cap, one time abounding there,) which consist of Grand Turk, Salt Cay and a few uninhabited Cays, were settled upon by immigrants from Bermuda in 1670, whose custom it was for many years to spend only a portion of the year upon the islands raking salt, returning to Bermuda when the season was over. After various attempts by the French and Spaniards to obtain possession of them it was thought necessary in 1766 to appoint some educated person there to protect the rights of the British Crown and an Agent was sent from Nassau for this purpose. Referring to this appointment Mr. Secretary Conway wrote to the Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica as follows:-"The pretence for that violation (seizure of boats by the French) seems to have been that Turks Island was considered as derelict and the people supposed to be out of all protection. To prevent thereof any renewal of such a pretence, idle as it is, and, also for the better means for observing what views other Powers may entertain it has pleased his Majesty to appoint an Agent to reside there and by his residence on the spot to insure the right of the island to his Majesty. A Mr. Andrew Symmer is the person his Majesty has fixed upon for this purpose." By an order in Council dated 29th June, 1781, sundry regulations were approved of for managing, the salinas and for the preservation of order in general amongst the inhabitants. In 1790 Colonel the honourable Alexander Murray, second son of the fourth Earl of Dunmore, then Governor of the Bahamas, arrived as the Agent of his Majesty, and in 1799, after great opposition from the Bermuda settlers, an act was passed by the Bahama Legislature, which, by its consequence, placed the Turks and Caicos Islands under the Bahama Government, and so they remained, notwithstanding frequent protests, until 1843 when, on the petition of 521 inhabitants of the Turks and Caicos Islands to the House of Assembly of the Bahamas, setting forth the difficulties of communication between Nassau and Turks Islands, a distance of 450 miles, and on account of conflicting interests, her Majesty was pleased to grant a separate charter to the Turks Islands and the Islands and Cays commonly known as the Caicos Islands, together with all Cays situate and lying to the eastward of the said Turks and Caicos Islands," which includes the Silver Čays and Banks, 100 miles to the eastward of Turks Islands. Under this charter the Islands enjoyed an elective Legislative Council and a President administering the Government; but this elaborate system was found too burdensome in the face of altered circumstances, caused by the heavy fall in the price of salt, so that a petition was presented to her Majesty the Queen from the Legislative Council, dated 17th February, 1873, praying for the abrogation of the charter. The Imperial Act, 36 Vic., chap. 6, and the Order in Council of the 4th August, 1873, setting forth the terms and conditions on which the Turks and Caicos Islands were annexed to Ja naica as a dependency, was the result of this action on the part of the colonists. Under this new arrangement the government is administered by a Commissioner, as Chief Executive Officer, who is also President of the Legislative Board. The Legislative Board consists of the President, the Judge of the Supreme Court (who is an ex officio member) and not less than two or more than four other members nominated by the Crown. The Governor of Jamaica has a supervising power over the local government and is the medium of communication between the Commissioner and the Colonial Office. The assent of the Governor of Jamaica to the ordinances of the Legislative Board is necessary. Besides this the Legislature of Jamaica can pass laws applying to the Turks and Caicos Islands; and certain class of judicial cases in these islands |