British Colonies.
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of remarkable beaut)*, and commonly separated from each other by spacious vales and romantic rivulets. On the South side, the face of the country is more irregular and craggy, and several ridges of less elevation are formed, running nearly parallel to the principal one. Extensive plains or savannahs extend from the bottom of the lowest range to the sea. Much of the soil, especially in the higher mountains, is unfit for cultivation, and probably not more than one half of the land which the island contains has yet been granted to individuals.
The principal rock of Jamaica is a w*hite lime-stone of recent formation. Some of an older date (Graywacke, &c.) are to be met with in the mountains, chiefly in the County of Surrey, and in the parish of St. Mary, in Middlesex, as well as a great variety of those rocks (supposed of igneous origin), known to Geologists under the general name of Trap- rocks. The remains of a volcano are distinctly visible in the parish of St. George.
The climate is very salubrious, though occasionally sultry. Being an island, the thermometer is never observed to rise so high as on continents of similar latitude. In the plain of Liguanea, about three miles from Kingston, and 212 feet above the level of the sea, the mercury generally stands, during the warmest weather, at 89° to 90°, and during the cooler at about 85°; it has been occasionally seen as high as 93 0 , and as low as 63°. The barometer, kept at the same situation, does not fluctuate during the year more than 2-ioths of an inch, say from 29*80, to 30*00, except on some particular occasions.
For several years now Jamaica has been strongly recommended by the Medical faculty of England, the United States, and Germany, as a climate well suited for invalids and others threatened with chest complaints or of delicate constitutions. Many invalids have therefore visited the country, and benefitted by the change ; and many remain, preferring the climate to that of their own land. Establishments for the reception of invalids have been opened in the Port Royal and St. Andrew’s mountains.
Among the mountains the temperature varies much, according to elevation and exposure. The meridian sun is everywhere felt oppressive by those who have not been long accustomed to its influence.
The island is divided, according to an Act of the Legislature passed 1758, into three counties—namely, Middlesex, Surrey, and Cornwall.
Formerly these were subdivided into twenty-two parishes, but by an Act of the Council passed in 1867 the number w*as reduced to fourteen, viz.:—In Middlesex, St. Catherine, Clarendon, Manchester, St. Mary, and St. Ann ; Surrey , Kingston, St. Andrew, St. Thomas, and Portland ; and Corn-wall , St. Elizabeth, Westmoreland, Hanover, St. James, and Trelawny.
The Political Constitution, as represented by the Legislative Council and Assembly, was abolished by an Act of the Legislature in 1866, when the Island became a Crown Colony. The constitution at present provides for a Governor, Privy Council, and Legislative Council, the latter consisting of thirteen members, all appointed by the Crown, and of whom six, besides the Governor, are paid officials.
Saint Jago-de-la-Vega, or Spanish Town, used to be the Seat of Government, but it is now transferred to Kingston, which is the principal commercial city. It is here that the commerce of the island is centred, and from its favoured geographical position, as well as from its spacious natural harbour, one of the finest in the world, it offers a convenient port of call to the many lines of steamships now trading in these waters. Fresh Provisions, Vegetables, Water, Coals, and every other necessary for steam or sailing vessels, can be procured readily at very moderate rates. The other principal seaport towns are Port Morant, Morant Bay, Salt River, Milk River, Black River, and Sav-la-Mar on the south coast; and Lucea, Montego Bay, Falmouth, St. Ann’s Bay, Port Maria, Annotto Bay, and Port Antonio on the north side.