AMERICAN LUMBER IN FOREIGN MARKETS. 241 



The kinds most extensively handled as lumber in this market and the 

 prices per ton of 50 cubic feet are the following: 



Seriah * $14 to $25 



Mirabou 30 to 45 



Jelulong 15 to 20 



Darrou 20 to 25 



Balan 25 to 35 



In addition to the above, there is considerable teak wood imported 

 here, mainly from Bur man and Siani, which commands on the spot 

 from $40 to $65 (Mexican) per ton. 



The value (in Mexican dollars) of the exports and imports of the 

 Straits Settlements of planks and timber during the year 1893 was as 



follows : 



EXPORTS. 



From the above tables it will be seen that the lumber exports of the 

 whole of this colony exceeded the imports by $576,376 (Mexican). The 

 imports of lumber here are mainly from Burmah, Siam, and Dutch 

 India; the exports to Arabia, Bombay, the Malabar coast, Hongkong, 

 China ports, French Indo-Ohina, German New Guinea, Mauritius, 

 Siam, Sumatra, and North Borneo. There is no import duty imposed 

 upon lumber of any description in this colony. 



The climate of the Straits Settlements is moist and tropical, with an 

 annual rainfall of from 88.48 inches to 126.29 inches, an average mean 

 temperature of between 80.5 F. and 82.1 F., and no perceptible change 

 of seasons throughout the year. 



At present there is but little being done here in the way of general 

 building, and shipbuilding is confined to the construction of launches 

 and native junks and to the repairing of steam and sailing vessels. 



In the Straits Settlements proper there are no railways. Those con- 

 structed, or in course of construction in the Native Protected States of 

 the Malay Peninsula, are as follows : 



State ofPerak. A railway from Port Weld to Taiping (8 miles) was 

 opened in 1885; an extension to Kanumberg, opened in 1890; to Uln 



* These prices ari- quoted in Mexican dollars. 

 665 A 16 



