VINCENT, ST., one of the islands of the Columbiau Archipelago, situated between Is. 10' and 13. 25' N. lat., 61' 10' and 61° 20' W. long., having Barbeeloes on the east, Grenada on the south, and St. Lucia on the north. The area of St. Vincent is 131 square miles, or about 84,000 acres, of which about 35,000 acres are under cultivation. It Is one of the most beautiful islands of the Caribbee group, of an oval form, 18 miles long by 11 miles broad; and though the surface is irregular, the valleys, some of which are very beautiful, possess a fertile soil, and are well watered. The coast is bold and rocky, and a range of high mountains crosses the island from north to south. The Grenadina consiat of several small islets off the southern extremity of the coast. Bcquia, the largest, has an area of 3700 acres, and there are seven others. Bequhs possesses a fine harbour, called Admiralty Bay. The most remarkable physical feature of St. Vincent is the Souffriore, a volcanic mountain 3000 feet high, with a crater half a mile in diameter, from the centre of which rises a conical hill 300 feet high, and 200 feet in diameter at the base. After a repose of nearly a century an eruption of the mountain took place in 1312. St. Vincent has several times suffered severely from hurricanes.
St. Vincent was discovered by Columbus in 1493. In 1672 Charles II. included St. Vincent with Barbadoes and several other islands under one government. In 1714 the French began to form a settlement
with the permisqlon of the natives. For many years it was a subject of dispute between the French and the English, but it was at length ceded to the British crown at the peace in 1783. St. Vincent is in the diocese of Barbadoes. The population in 1952 was estimated at 30,123.
The chief productions of the island are, sugar, rum, and molasses, with some arrow-root, coffee, cacao, arid cotton. Pozzuolano is ex ported as an excellent subaqueous cement. The cultivation of cotton and arrowroot is iucreasing.
The amount of the revalue in 1352 was 14,3901.; that of the expeo diture was 14,9524, besides 7736/. for civil and military establishments defrayed by Great Britain. The imports during 1852 amounted in value to 167,0594, the exports to 204,995/. The amount of tonnage entered iuwards during 1852 was 30,541 ; the amount cleared outwards was 31,181 tons. Of places of worship there were 103 in 1352, of which 14 belonged to the Church of England, the others being almost entirely belonging to the Wesleyan Methodists. The number of children attending school was 2154.
Kingstown is the capital of the island, and contains about 5000 inhabitants. It has a harbour, a few public buildings, and a com modious church. A botanic garden of 30 Acres was formed more than half a century ago. •