The rapidity of the increase in the production of the Americas threatened the plantations of Madeira, the Cape Verde islands and the Canaries with extinction and drove them from the world’s markets. Sugar cane was planted by the French in the Ile de France (Mauritius) in 1747, and some years later in Bourbon (Réunion) and sugar made in these islands was sent to Europe about the end of the eighteenth century. In Java sugar cane has been grown since a very remote period. It was probably brought there by Chinese traders and there is evidence that the Chinese introduced it in the Philippine islands, as the names of the implements and methods used there distinctly point to Chinese origin. The cultivation of sugar cane in Australia was begun only fifty years ago; it was started in the Fiji islands in 1880, while Captain Cook found cane growing luxuriantly in the Hawaiian islands when he discovered them in 1778. The wars between Great Britain and France during the latter part of the eighteenth century and the beginning of the nineteenth had a very bad effect on the cane-sugar trade and its development. There was constant fighting in West Indian waters and many merchant vessels were taken as prizes; a disastrous state of affairs for planters and merchants alike. After the battle of Trafalgar had definitely established British supremacy on the seas, Napoleon put into effect his “Continental System,” which dealt a severe blow to cane sugar. This opens up a new and interesting chapter in the history of the industry. BEET SUGAR IN EUROPE The destruction of the French fleet by Nelson in 1805 thwarted Napoleon’s long-cherished plans for the invasion of England. Nothing daunted, however, he immediately bent his efforts toward isolating Great Britain and cutting commercial communications between her and the continent of Europe. The Berlin edict of 1806 prohibited all trade relations with England and made her goods and those of her colonies subject to seizure. England’s reply was to forbid ships of all nationalities to enter French ports under penalty of confiscation. Napoleon followed this with the Milan decree which made any vessel that had submitted to English examination or paid dues in English ports subject to confiscation. The one government vied with the other in preying on commerce. The interference with the importation of sugar due to this condition drove prices upward to a point where only a few could afford its use. Napoleon was fully cognizant of what a privation this was to his people, but he felt confident that means would be found to bring sugar from the Far east to western Europe by way of Constantinople and Vienna; besides, he had strong hopes that a substitute for cane sugar could be produced in Europe itself. He encouraged experimental and research work, keeping thoroughly informed as to progress made, and on March 25, 1811, he issued the famous decree that set in motion the beet industry of the world. [Illustration: DAN SWEENEY