1S35.] one of the Malacca States. 547 



" In the smelting of this (tin), as of other metals, the application 

 of this fuel has heen productive of immense advantages ; and such is 

 the perfection to which our metallurgic operations have heen carried 

 since the economical introduction of this cheap and plentiful fuel, 

 that the regulations of our custom-house alone prevented the carry- 

 ing a scheme set on foot some years ago, for the importing of the 

 tin ore from the eastern mines, for the purpose of heing smelted in this 

 country, and afterwards re-exported." 



It would appear to have escaped the observation of the author of 

 this article, that the enormous forests which thickly cover the whole 

 of the Malayan peninsula, and the Island of Banca, under the very 

 shade of which the miners may be said to work, furnish on the spot a 

 cheaper and more economical fuel than the coal pits of Newcastle or 

 Whitehaven do to the miners of Cornwall, at the sole expence of the 

 labor of felling them ; setting aside the loss of time, the expence of 

 importation and exportation, and disinclination of the natives to such a 

 scheme. Moreover, according to Mr. Crawfurd, the cost of producing 

 a cwt. of Banca tin is but 22s. 8c?., whereas that of Cornwall amounts 

 to 64s. 7c?. The cost of producing a cwt. of the metal in Siingie Ujong 

 is estimated by an intelligent native at 23s. The immense natural 

 obstacles in Cornwall, only to be surmounted by the most powerful 

 steam engines, and the unremitting application of all the means 

 human ingenuity can devise, together with the high price of labor, are, 

 however, the principal causes in the enhancement of the cost of 

 production in England. 



The time perhaps is not far distant when like ingenuity and similar 

 means will be applied to the unlocking of the hitherto partially 

 developed resources of the East. 



According to the best native information, the annual produce of the 

 peninsula, before the late disturbances in the tin countries, was as 

 follows : 



Places. Peculs. 



Sungie Ujong, 7,000 



Perak, 7,500 



Quedah 600 



Junk Ceylon, 1,500 



Pungah , 1,500 



Salangore, Calang, and Langkat, 2,000 



Lfikut, 1,600 



States in the interior of Malacca, 900 



Pahang, 1 ,000 



Kemaman and Tringano, 7,000 



Calantan, 3,000 



Patani, 1,000 



34,600 



