208 COMPENDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL 



consumption in Holland. The industry is in the hands 

 of a few large companies, and is not permitted to Chinese 

 capitalists, although Chinese labour is very largely em- 

 ployed on the fields, the Battaks and Malays, being less 

 valuable as labourers. The export during the last 

 decade has been very considerable. That of 1886 ex- 

 ceeded 11,000 tons, and its estimated value was nearly 

 £3,000,000, the crop averaging two shillings per lb. 

 The sugar-cane is not cultivated. A great trade is 

 carried on, on the east coast especially, in beeswax, cam- 

 phor, gutta, dammar, benzoin, and other resins, rattans, 

 gambir, cotton, and various sea-products such as beche- 

 de-mcr. 



The mineral wealth of Sumatra still remains for the 

 most part undeveloped, although it is probable that, before 

 long, the rich coal-fields of Ombilin, which are situated 

 towards the head waters of the Batang Hari, will be 

 opened. They were discovered in 1869, and have been 

 estimated by M. de Greve to contain 370,000,000 cubic 

 metres. The mineral is of the Tertiary period, as it is 

 probable that most of the Sumatran measures will prove 

 to be. Mr. Forbes found coal in the Palembang district, 

 and it exists near Malabu and other places in Ache. 

 South of Padang, at Moko-moko, it is worked. Gold is 

 even more widely distributed. The fields around Padang, 

 which have been known for centuries, are now exhausted, 

 but the Menangkabo placer diggings, which are equally 

 ancient, are still in operation. The metal is found at 

 Malabu in Ache, and at many places on the eastern 

 slopes of the Barisan range, but the amount obtained is 

 trivial, though, were a thorough exploration undertaken, it 

 would prol^ably lead to good results. Tin exists on the 

 eastern side in the Siak district, and there are copper 

 mines in the Padang " bovenland," near the Merapi 



