This state of things continued notwithstanding the representations made before the "high spheres of Government" by the leading men in commerce and agriculture, by the press of all political colors, and by Congress. The Minister of Ultramar in Madrid recognized the gravity of the situation, and it is said that the lamentations of the people of Puerto Rico found an echo even at the foot of the throne. And there they died. Nothing was done to remedy the growing evil, and the writer of the pamphlet, not daring openly to accuse the Government as the only cause of the island's desperate situation, counsels patience, and timidly expresses the hope that the exorbitant taxes and contributions will be lowered; that economy in the Government expenditures will be practised; that monopolies will be abolished, and odious, oppressive practises of all kinds be discontinued. Such was the condition of Puerto Rico in 1880. The Government's oppressive practises, and they only, were the causes of the ruin of this and all the other rich and beautiful colonies that destiny laid at the feet of Ferdinand and Isabel four centuries ago. The following statement of the proportion of sugar to each acre of land under cane cultivation in the Antilles, compared with Puerto Rico, may be of interest. The computation of the average sugar produce per acre, according to the best and most correct information from intelligent planters, who had no motives for deception, was, in 1830:[73] For Jamaica 10 centals per acre. Dominica 10 " " Granada 15 " " St. Vincent 25 " " Tobago 20 " " Antigua 7-12 " " Saint Kitts 20 " " Puerto Rico 30 " " FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 69: Leyes de Indias, Ley IV, Libro IV, Titulo XVIII.] [Footnote 70: The actual cuerda is a square of 75 varas each side, about one-tenth less than an acre. Abbad understood by a cuerda a rectangle of 75 varas front by 1,500 varas depth, that is, 20 cuerdas superficies of those actually in use.--_Acosta._] [Footnote 71: The bocoy in Puerto Rico, equal from 12 to 20 centals of sugar, according the quality.] [Footnote 72: British India produced about that time over 1,500,000 tons of cane-sugar per annum.] [Footnote 73: Colonel Flinter, An Account of the Island of Puerto Rico. London, 1834] CHAPTER XXXIV COMMERCE AND FINANCES Until the year 1813 the captains-general of Puerto Rico had the superintendence of the revenues. The capital was the only authorized port open to commerce. No regular books were kept by the authorities. A day-book of duties paid and expended was all that was considered necessary. Merchandise was smuggled in at every part of the coast,[74] the treasury chest was empty, and the Government officers and troops were reduced to a very small portion of their pay.