In 1865 the discontent was at its height. In October of that year, a decision of the local court at Morant Bay against a black squatter, led to ft negro rising and the of 23 whites. Martial law was proclaimed by gov. Eyre, 1000 houses wen., burned, some rebels were hanged, others were flogged, but the rebellion was most effectually suppressed. For the course lie had taken, gov. Eyre was thanked by the Jamaica assembly; but in England a different view was taken of his conduct (see Evans). He was recalled, and the representative constitution was suspended. Sir P. J. Grant was appointed governor, with entire authority to manage tile affairs of Jamaica, with the aid of advisers nominated as in the other West India islands. There seems to be good authority for the statement that from the catastrophe of 1865, which proved so nearly fatal to the island, a new life has sprung. Crime has diminished; education has everywhere advanced among the black population, the number of schools in the island in 1876 (569) being just double the number in existence in 1868. A collection of Jamaica products was exhibited with satisfactory results at time Philadelphia exhibition of 1876, 31 awards having been obtained by the island. New roads have
been formed, harbors are being constructed, and an irrigation canal is in progress which will give fertility to 50,000 acres of the beautiful plain between Spanish Town and Kingston. Thanks to the Cuban refugees, who have taken several of the long-forsaken sugar estates, property is looking up, and the official statements show that the export.. trade is increasing. Although Jamaica has not recovered its. forine'r rommercial pros-, perity, the negroes cannot now be described as idle. They cultiVate their provision grounds with care, and produce for sale enough sugar and coffee to obtain a considerable! supply of imported and manufactured articles. Extreme poverty is unknown among: them, and under their present government they are described as a law-abiding and inofs fensive community. Well-informed and experienced visitors to the island have strong*, recommended energetic young Englishmen of the wealthier class, who contemplate emigration, to take their capital to the highlands of Jamaica, and to settle there rather than in the United States or in South America.