Page:The life and letters of Sir John Henniker Heaton bt. (IA lifelettersofsi00port).pdf/122

 a banquet and ball. Port Antonio is one of the loveliest spots on earth, and the fine hotel is splendidly situated. It is almost an island, being surrounded on three sides with water, with a narrow neck of land connecting it with the mainland. We returned on Sunday morning. Our train stopped at several beautiful places along the seashore, and we arrived at Kingston about midday. In the afternoon we had tea at the residence of the Hon. Clarence Bourne, the Chief Secretary of the Colony, where we met Sir Alexander Swettenham, and other notabilities of the island, including Colonel Kitchener, brother of General Lord Kitchener. Our party were lodged at the Constant Spring Hotel, and on Monday morning we went into the city to attend the Agricultural Conference, where the wealthy representatives of the whole of the West Indies were assembled to consider methods for the development of the cotton, sugar, rubber, and other industries. Admirable speeches were made by the Governor, Sir J. A. Swettenham, the Archbishop of the West Indies, and other leading men.

"I was invited by the Governor to lunch with him at the Jamaica Club with several others, including Sir James Fergusson, formerly our Postmaster-General, Sir Daniel Morris, the Hon. Clarence Bourne, and Mr Arnold Forster, M.P., late Secretary of State for War. We had a very interesting luncheon at the Club, which was a fine building, two storeys high, constructed of brick, and surrounded by a high brick wall. We rose from the luncheon table about halff-past two. The party returned to the Conference, with the exception of Sir James Fergusson and myself. Sir James, being a Director of the Royal Mail Steamship Company, had an engagement with its local representative, Captain Constantine.

"A few minutes before three I left the Club with the Hon. Mr Cork. We drove to the post office, where I had an interesting interview with the acting