PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. 103 Imports, Exports, Pounds Pounds Tear. Sterling. Sterling. 1847 7,000 800 1849 16,000 6,482 1851 16,000 20,000 1853 37,000 24,000 1866 43,000 — 33,000 1857 50,000 48,452 1869 62,000 87,000 1SC1 43,000 46,000 1863 $4,000 105,000 1865 90,000 120,928 1806 74,000 21,633 The above table tells its own story. From 1855 our imports of £43,000 sterling ad¬ vanced to £90,000 sterling, or more than double, while at the same time our exports increased from £33,000,10 £125,000, or near¬ ly fourfold, while in 1866, when the treaty was abrogated, the exports fell to £21,633 from £120,928 the year before, nearly six¬ fold. Xo one can doubt that had the reci¬ procity treaty been in force until now this province would today have a population of 300,000 or more. ; ^y The two great items of exjwrts during the period now under review will give some idea of the products of the farms and the in¬ crease ; Tear. 1847 1848 1849 1850 1851 1852 1868 1864 1856 1856 1867 1858 1869 1860 1S61 1862 IS 63 Barley. 9,890 4,123 10,097 28,000 Omitted 97,936 103,766 48,411 59,221 74,959 Oats. 200,000 132,000 231,000 326,000 556,000 577,000 441,000 456,000 563,000 640,000 597,000 840,000 1,111,970 1.290,000 949,000 943,000 1,459,131 Potatoes. 34,000 102,000 188,780 126,000 158,000 236,000 156,000 190,000 276,000 170,000 269,000 340,000 465,000 511,000 420,000 328,000 408,000 It will be observed that the increase in the products of the soil exports was coinci¬ dent with the reciprocity treaty because the higher prices induced higher cultivation. It was perhaps in 1863 that Sumnierside became the second port in the Island, out¬ stripping Georgetown , while Charlottetown still held first place. Before we review the latter part of this period, that is from 1865 to 1873, mention should be made of the liquor trade and dis¬ tilleries. Mention has been made above of the manufacture of whiskey, but a mere men¬ tion conveys no adequate idea of this trade. Besides the immense importation of liquors, principally rum. brandy, gin and wine, which, with tobacco, yielded about half the impost revenue of the province, some £9,000 stee¬ ling', there were distilled in various distiller¬ ies 4,677 gallons of whiskey, on which ex¬ cise was collected £155, to say nothing of what was smuggled in or avoided excise. It is notable that the district where distillation was most in evidence, for instance in the peque district, where not less than six dif¬ ferent institutions made the ardent, today are the banner prohibition constituencies of the province. The reaction is now complete and prohibition is *likely very soon to obtain in all parts of the province, though so long as the British Act of Confed¬ eration remains unamended these goods can and will be imported. It is impossible to convey an intelligent idea of the change in trade and commerce from 1866 to 1873, and since, without some reference to the political changes and con- • Since above ni written Prohibition hma carried In two out of the three counties and before thla goes finally to presa will obtain In all parts of the Island—and It will effectually do away with that curse of civilization, the saloon—thus will one of the abuses of one of the bast things God has given to man be remedied, bur Timothy may yet be able to some wine for his stomach's sake and hise fnn ntirinitii-s.