Belize, the principal town, and capital, is the largest and most important town on the Caribbean coast of Central America. As our steamer wended its way through the cays and low green islands, the long line of white buildings setting amidst rows of royal palms, with here and there a clump of cocoanut trees, made a picturesque and beautiful sight. As we came to anchor a mile from shore a number of fleet sail-boats manned by coal-black negroes came out to meet us and take the passengers ashore. I afterwards learned that this place is the negro’s paradise, for they have absolute social and political equality. They are the soldiers and policemen, and fill nearly all the other important positions except governmental. These places at least are reserved for the members of the small white colony.
It has been said that the Englishman always carries his atmosphere with him no matter in what latitude it might be. I have visited several British colonies and have always found that true, and nowhere is it more impressed on you than here at Belize. It is such a contrast from the Spanish-American towns that the change is almost startling. Although there are perhaps not more than two or three hundred Englishmen there, you will see all the characteristic of that race in their native land. There are of course always a few concessions made in order to conform to local conditions but, as a rule, they are not many in number.
As one writer says of his visit: “We were not at all surprised to find that the black native police wore the familiar blue-and-white striped cuff of the London bobby, the district attorney a mortar-board cap and gown, and the colonial bishop gaiters and an apron. It was quite in keeping, also, that the advertisements on the boardings should announce, and give equal prominence to, a Sunday-school treat and boxing match, and that officers of a man-of-war should be playing cricket with a local eleven under a tropical sun, and that the chairs in the Council room and Government House should be of heavy leather stamped V. R. with a crown above the initials. An American official in as hot a climate, being more adaptable, would have had bamboo chairs with large, open-work backs, or would have supplied the council with rocking-chairs.”