to succumb, with little hope of recovering lost ground. It was at this stage of Jamaica's history that Mr. Chamberlain, the Colonial Secretary, cast about for means to prevent absolute collapse of the islands, and, if possible, to restore them to their former prosperous state. Specifications were drawn up by the Crown agents, and tenders invited for the establishment of various steamship services, the development of the fruit trade, and the encouragement of travel to the 'hundred isles.' The requirements were such as to deter shipowners, fruit-growers, or hotel proprietors offering to undertake the whole scheme as called for, and I was therefore appealed to. My firm, having had a unique experience in each of the branches referred to, occupied an advantageous position, and we were enabled to fulfil the Government's onerous requirements. We were therefore persuaded to carry out the programme, and what that means few can appreciate, for from the first the contract was one that offered little inducement, and little, if any, prospect of a return on the capital outlay, and on the time and labour expended. Besides, it had to be proved that fruit could be brought thousands of miles oversea from the West Indies and delivered in marketable condition in England. Experts maintained that it could not be done, but by costly installations in the steamships and persevering experiment we solved the problem satisfactorily, and have made this scheme a pronounced success. But this was not attained without considerable expenditure of money and many heavy losses.
Mr. Chamberlain, in his wisdom, demanded a service of first-class mail steamers, capable of carrying a large number of passengers and many thousands of bunches of bananas, and to-day we have brought Jamaica within ten days' sail of England, and passengers have the opportunity of travelling in a style and with such comfort as was not dreamt of a short time since. Jamaica being the largest and most important British Colony in the Caribbean Sea, it was selected for special attention,
