MANILA HEMP. 37 



a day : but the most I have ever seen produced by one man in a day was 

 37 catties (a shade less than 50 Ibs.). With the fibre at $6 a picul this 

 quantity would sell for $2*24, a high rate of pay in a country where wages 

 are normally 30 cents, a day. 



"It is needless to add that it would not be advisable to' employ men 

 on day wages to prepare Manila hemp, as so much depends upon the 

 amount of force put into the work and consequently the quantity of 

 hemp produced." 



Mr. Pryer is engaged in agricultural enterprise in North British Borneo. 

 The fibre of Manila hemp are considered more brittle than hemp fibre, 

 and are much used for marine and other cordage purposes. 



The fibres are obtained from the long leaves. 



The plant is cultivated extensively in Manila, which is the capital 

 town of the Philippine Islands. 



Messrs. Ide & Christie, on 15th April 1899, reported on Manila hemp 

 as follows : "We have another month to record of violent fluctuations in 

 this staple ; the extreme top and bottom mark some 6 per ton difference, 

 quite sufficient to satisfy joy or sorrow, as the case may be, to any 

 speculator. With good deliveries, small stocks and receipts, buoyancy 

 prevailed, but one heavy receipt of 20,000 bales last Monday sufficed to 

 break the market, and to-day the tone is very quiet." 



1898. 1897. 1896. 1895. 1894. 



Receipts, etc., in Manila, bales 709,000 875,000 809,000 802,000 792,000 



Shipments to U.K. and Continent, ,, 368,000 404,000 407,000 494,000 336,000 

 U.S., . ,, 306,000 408,000 290,000 274,000 402,000 



Stock Manila, 31st December, 97,000 169,370 200,000 160,480 195,820 



Manila Cables, 10th April 1899 : 



Receipts this year, 152,000 bales against 264,000 bales last year 



Shipments to U.K., 115,000 ,, 103,000 



,, U.S., etc., 111,000 96,000 



Loading to U.K., ... ,, 37,000 ,, 



U.S., 11,000 35,000 



Spot c,i,f, terms. 



Prime roping, 34s. Od. Futures c,i,f, terms. Fair current basis. 



Fair current, 30s. Od. to 31s. Od. Distant Shipment. Sellers 29s. Od. to 30s. Od. 

 Seconds, . . 27s. Od. Buyers. 28s 6d. to 29s. 6d. 



Good Brown, 25s. Od. 

 Common, . 24s. Od. 

 Quilot, . . 40s. Od. 

 Lupis, . . 48s. Od. to 60s. Od. 



No. 17 shows the raw Manila fibre taken from the bale as imported ; 

 the fibres have a creamy or silver grey lustre ; they are fine and tapering. 



No. 18 is the Manila fibres after they have been put through the 

 heckling or dressing process ; the lustre is thus increased and the fibres 

 made more regular in staple length and contiguity. 



