JAMAICA; one of the West India Is lands, 80 or 90 miles S. of Cuba, the third in extent, and the most valuable of those belonging to Great Britain; 146 miles in length E. to W., and 49 miles broad at the widest part; area, 4,200 square miles; pop. (1917) 904,681. The capital is Kingston; poll. about 60,000. The coast is indented with a number of good harbors, of which Port Royal or the harbor of Kingston is the most consider able. The interior is traversed by lofty mountains in all directions; the prin cipal chain, called the Blue Mountains, reaching the height of 7,270 feet. Jamaica is well watered, having numer ous rivers and springs. Earthquakes of a violent character have been frequent. The climate in the districts along the coast is, in most places, exceedingly hot, but is not on the whole unhealthful. There are two rainy and two dry seasons. Among the indigenous forest trees are mahogany, lignum vit, ironwood, log wood, braziletto, etc. The native fruits are numerous, and many of them deli cious; they include the plantain, guava, custard apple, pineapple, sour sop, sweet sop, papaw, cashew apple, etc. The orange, lime, lemon, mango, grape, bread fruit tree, and cinnamon tree have all been naturalized in the island. The chief cultivated vegetable products are sugar, coffee, maize, pimento, bananas, and other fruits, ginger, arrow root. Sweet potatoes, plantains, and bananas form the chief food of the blacks. The cinchona tree has been introduced, and is spreading. Of wild animals only the agouti and monkey are numerous. Cat tle-raising has become profitable. Fish abound in the sea and rivers.
The exports are sugar, rum, coffee, dyewoods, fruit, and pimento. The gov
ernment is vested in the governor, as sisted by a privy council, and a legisla tive council composed of 29 members, 14 elected, the others nominated or ex officio, The English Church is presided over by a bishop, assisted by a regular staff of parochial clergy. The Baptists, Method ists, Presbyterians, and other Protestant bodies are well represented, and there is a considerable number of Roman Cath olics and Jews.
Jamaica was discovered by Columbus in 1494, in his second expedition to the New World. In half a century the cruelty of the Spanish conquerors ex terminated the natives. It was taken by Cromwell in 1655, and ceded to England by the treaty of Madrid in 1670. Of late many Chinese and coolies have been employed in agriculture. In 1865 a seri ous revolt broke out among the blacks at Morant Bay, and was put down with con siderable severity by GoVernor Eyre. Politically dependent on Jamaica are the Cayman Islands, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The Secretary of the Colonies of Great Britain in 1899 directed that in pur suance of official recommendations, an income tax, increased stamp duties, and an increased land-tax should be imposed, in order to raise the necessary increase of revenue. He also directed the gov ernor to appoint a full number of nom inated members of the Legislature, and keep them appointed. He further stated that the Colonial Office would in future exercise control over the finances of the colony. There was much local opposi tion, in consequence, and one element in the population suggested application to the United States for annexation.