Grenada

Grenada, an island of volcanic origin in the British West Indies, lying N. by W. from Trinidad, mountainous and picturesque, with an area of 133 sq. m. Some of the craters in the central ridge of mountains, rising to 3000 feet, have been transformed into large lakes. Streams and mineral springs abound. There are several good natural harbours, that of St George (pop. 4000), the capital of the island and the headquarters of the government of the Windward Islands, being accounted one of the best in the West Indies, though it is not now much used. The inhabitants, 42,403 in 1881, and 54,062 in 1891 (mostly negroes, with 2118 coolies), cultivate cocoa, coffee, and oranges. Further, a little rum is manufactured, and spices and fruits are grown. Exports, £280,000 a year; imports, £170,000. Grenada has been a crown colony since 1885; previous to that date it had a constitutional government. Columbus was the discoverer of the island in 1498. In the words of Mr Froude, Grenada was 'the home for centuries of man-eating Caribs, French for a century and a half, and finally, after many desperate struggles for it, was ceded to England at the treaty of Versailles' (1783).