H4 The Commercial Products of the Sea. 



per picul and as low as 24^. during consecutive months. It 

 is shipped to Sydney, and thence to China. 

 The exports were in 



Piculs. Value. 



1865 ... ... 500 ... ... ;l200 



1866 ... ... 300 ... ... 600 



1867 880 ... . 1600 



From Tahiti there were shipped, in 1874, 5346 Ibs., 

 valued at 58. 



The following are some of the names, classifications, 

 and prices given to specimens shown in the British 

 Museum, London, but the prices are old quotations : 



Per picul. 



Peach blossom, or spiny... ... ... $30 



Middle clear bald ... ... .. 20 



Great black ... ... ... ... 40 



Black... ... ... ... ... 30 



Largest bald Mashik, from Macassar 



Great white stone ,, ... ... 15 



Great clear bald, Leucoma ... ... 40 



Great black stone, Macassar ... ... 60 



Middle bald, from Leucoma, small ... 10 



Small bald ,, very small ... 7 



Square spiny, Macassar ... ... ... 10 



Largest rock, Leucoma ... ... ... 30 



Trepang is very abundant around Tahiti, Moua, and the 

 Windward Islands. The ordinary price at Tahiti is about 

 40 per ton. A single house sometimes ships 150 tons to 

 California, to be thence sent on to China. The imports of 

 beche-de-mer into China in foreign vessels were stated to 

 be as follows : 



Piculs of 133$ Ibs. 



1868 ... ... 18,407* 



1869 ... ... 15,579 



1870 ... ... 15,447 



1871 -. ... H,338 

 ^72 17,953 



Taking one year, 1871, we find the following imports of 



