NUTMEGS. 413 



no mention whatever is made of the wild and cultivated, the lowest quality 

 being quoted in the most recent at 2s. per pound, and the highest at 3s. 10d., 

 the best of what are called wild fetching a higher price than the lower 

 qualities of what are called cultivated. 



But suppose the distinction could be made with the most perfect certainty, 

 to make it would be a palpable departure from the principle adopted with every 

 other commodity, of charging a uniform rate of duty on quality. To give an 

 example, the present price of black pepper is 3|d. to 4d. per pound, while that 

 of white pepper is S^d to Is. 2d. per pound, both paying the same duty of 6d. ; 

 yet nothing can be more easily distinguished than these two commodities, 

 which, except as to curing, are the same article. 



Tea is a still more striking example. The duty is the same on all qualities, 

 though prices range from 11^1. to 3s. 6d. per pound. It was the very circum- 

 stance of the difficulty of distinguishing between the different kinds of tea, 

 especially between Bohea and Congou, which, after an eighteen months trial, 

 overthrew the system of rated duties of Is. 6d., 2s., and 3s., adopted on the 

 abolition of the East India Company's monopoly in 1833. 



Unless the duty on nutmegs is equalised there will be no end of trouble and 

 disputes, and however expert the Customs may be, they will certainly be out- 

 witted, and long-shaped and small nutmegs, although really cultivated, will be 

 introduced at the lower duty, by unscrupulous traders, as wild ones. 



It may be added that duties of 12d. and 5d. do not, even if a departure 

 from the principle of charging on quality were justifiable, represent ihe just 

 proportional rates which ought to be levied upon what are supposed to be, re- 

 spectively, cultivated and wild, as they are represented in the ordinary Price 

 Current by Ihe highest and lowest prices, which are 3s. lOd. and 2s. The just 

 proportional duty ought to to be on the lowest, not 5d., but 7d. The duty, as 

 first proposed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, of Is. per pound on nut- 

 megs, without distinction, was perfectly satisfactory to the planters, merchants, 

 and the trade in general. 



It is a mistake to suppose that a duty of Is. would exclude the so-called wild 

 nutmegs. They would be imported in large quantities, as the cost is low. 

 I'i quantity it was 17 Spanish dollars per picul, and there is no reason to sup- 

 pose it would be more now. The finest picked cost say 34 Spanish dollars. 



In Pinang and Singapore fcr cultivated the price is 65 to 70 dollars. 



The planters for the most part do not sell on the spot, but consign here for 

 sale on their own account. 



London, May 23rd, 1853. 



NUTMEGS IMPORTED AND EXPORTED TO AND FROM SINGAPORE. 



Value of the 



Imported. Exported. Growth of native growth, 



piculs. piculs. Singapore. 



1841 227| .... 412 ... 1S4| ... 3,323 



1842 258 809 



1843 ..,. 150| 249 



1844 52 282 



1845 41 .... 383 



1846 ... 79 331 



1847 139 416 



551 

 98^ 

 230" 

 342 

 252 

 277 



9,897 

 1,7GO 

 4,131 

 6,143 

 4,526 



4,275 



NUTMEGS EXPORTED FROM JAVA. 



Nutmegs. Mace, 



piculs. piculs. 



1830 1,304 177 



1835 5,022 1,606 



1839 5,027 1,581 



1843 2,133 , 486 



