TIN MINING IN PERAK. fe 
Malay, had remained; but since the establishment of peace, at the end 
only of eleven months, the population has reached the number of 33,000, 
of which 26,000 are Chinese. So flourishing is the present condition of 
Larut that this bids fair to be trebled before the close of the year. 
* * * * 
“The land at present open for mining purposes is in extent four 
miles square. Several of the mines now in work have been opened for 
upwards of seven years. 
“It is impossible to state accurately the amount of tin which 
previously to the year under review has been produced, but from native 
accounts the value of tin exported during the seven years above referred 
to appears to have been 6,000,000 dollars (upwards of £1,250,000 ster- 
ling.) 
“This amount was the produce of only thirty mines. These mines 
were reopened after the pacification in March last, but up to the end of 
July did not export in any considerable quantity. This delay was 
occasioned by the complete state of disuse and ruin into which the 
mines had fallen during the previous two years of fighting. Sand and 
clay had been washed into some by the heavy rains, until they were 
nearly choked, and others were fathoms deep in water. Several months 
were consequently occupied in clearing away the deéris and pumping 
the water out of the mines, and the. machinery by which they were 
worked having been entirely broken and destroyed, much time was also 
lost before this could be replaced and operations commenced. 
“Owing to these drawbacks, not more than 10,9374 pikuls were 
exported from the time that the mines might be said to be fairly in work 
to the end of the year, viz., from the 1st August to the 31st December. 
This gave an average of 70 pikuls for each mine per mensem, and the 
total value at the present low rate of 20 dollars per pikul was but 
218,750 dollars. 
“By the close of the year, however, besides the thirty mines above 
alluded to, ninety others had commenced work, and there is reason to 
believe that in a few months the greater number of these will be export- 
ing tin. 
“The tax now levied on tin is 1g dollars per bhara, viz., 3 pikuls, 
equal to about 400 Ibs. avoirdupois.* Of this sum 13 dollars is charged 
as a royalty, which is taken as revenue for Larut, and six dollars as an 
export duty, which goes to Perak. 
‘“ This tax 1s extremely high, being at the rate of 31 per cent. on the 
value of the article, and there is no doubt that it crampsand fetters the trade 
of Larut. The average value of a bhara of tin is 60 dollars; the royalty 
of 13 dollars is at the rate of 21 dollars per cent., and the export duty at 
that of to per cent. A reduction of 25 per cent. will take place from the 
15th instant, z.e., the duty on the bhara will tien be 15 dollars. The 
rates will be thus royalty $9, export $6, total $15. ee 
* The Perak bhara is 427°88 lbs, in weight. 
