ion of the Convention to acquire much information
of any farther general facts. The following notice of the cultivation
of sugar in Mexico, to which your committee then briefly advertised
has been obtained through the medium of the London Anti-Slavery
Monthly Reporter for August, 1829. It is an extract of a letter from
Mr. Ward, Mexican Envoy of the British Government to the Right
Honourable George Canning, viz.

_Mexico, March 13, 1826._

"SIR,--The possibility of introducing a system of free labour into the
West India Islands having been so much discussed in England, I
conceived that it might not be uninteresting to His Majesty's
Government to receive some details respecting the result of the
experiment in this country, where it certainly has had a fair trial.

"I accordingly took advantage of Mr. Morier's prolonged stay here to
visit the Valley of Cuernavaca, and Cuantla Amilpas, which supplies a
great part of the federation with sugar and coffee, although not a
single slave is at present employed in their cultivation.

"I have the honour to inclose a sketch of the observations which I was
enabled to make upon this journey, together with such details as I
have thought best calculated to show both the scale upon which these
estates are worked, and the complete success with which the abolition
of the slavery has, in this instance been attended.

"The valley which extends almost uninterruptedly from Cuernavaca to
Cuantla Amilpas and Juncar (covering a space of about forty miles,) is
situated on the road to Acapulco, at the foot of the first range of
mountains by which the descent from the Table Land towards the
south-west commences, about fifty miles from the Capital.

"It is about 2,000 feet lower than the Table Land of Mexico. The
difference of temperature is proportionably great, so that two days
are sufficient to transport the traveller into the very midst of
Tierra Caliente.

"It is believed that the sugar-cane was first planted there about one
hundred years ago; from that time the number of sugar-estates has
gone on increasing, until there is now hardly an acre of ground on the
whole plain which is not turned to account.

"The cultivation was originally carried on entirely by slaves, who
were purchased at Vera Cruz, at from 300 to 400 dollars each.

"It was found, however, that this system was attended with
considerable inconvenience, it being impossible to secure a s