22 THE SAMOAN COCOANUT 



island, known as Aana. The extent of this increase, despite the 

 unfortunate destruction referred to, is illustrated by the fact that 

 while the export of copra in 1891 amounted to 4,842 tons, in 

 1892 to 4,871 tons, and in 1893 to 4,602 tons, it rose last year to 

 6,214 tons, an increase of 1,612 tons over the year before — an in- 

 crease of about 33 per cent over the years 1891 and 1892 ; yet 

 under the reduced price of late years the larger crops fail to 

 bring into the countr}* - as much money as did the far smaller 

 crops of former years. 



Copra is bought from the natives, who make and sell it in 

 small quantities, selling as it is made almost entirely for trade — 

 canned meats, biscuits, prints, boat lumber, and other articles 

 suited to their few needs. Cash is rarely paid, but part cash is 

 often paid, and sometimes the price is required in money. In 

 the trading stations in other islands and in outlying districts 

 enormous profits are made; but frequently, the business being 

 small at best, the trader could not subsist or make a profit for 

 his principal, as he is generally an agent, unless such an advance 

 on cost price was made as would be regarded in a town in the 

 United States as prohibitory. In Apia, with its competition of 

 several stores and small dealers, prices are far more reasonable, 

 although they are far from being such as to threaten the dealers 

 with bankruptcy. From the political situation now existing, 

 and which, with mere intervals, has endured for the greater part 

 of three years, the natives of many of the most productive dis- 

 tricts dare not come to do their trading in Apia, and hence are 

 • thrown back in buying and selling upon the country trader. Of 

 course, in the end all the goods sold and all the copra made comes 

 from or finds its, way to Apia, so that from this cause its business 

 is not diminished ; yet this condition is distressing for such busi- 

 ness men as confine their transactions to Apia. With such houses 

 as are sufficiently extensive to have stations in the hostile dis- 

 tricts, which they keep supplied from central stores here, the 

 prevailing situation of affairs is very satisfactory, and it is not 

 unlikely that some of them are well satisfied with it and will not 

 fail, in a quiet way, aided by many advantages, to contribute to 

 its continuance. 



Copra buyers pay now, as they have done for a few years past, 

 $1.25 to natives and $1.50 to white men, who sometimes make, 

 but generally buy from natives. The traders insist that the 

 natives bring the copra too green or conveniently overturn the 

 boat that the weight may be greater. To protect themselves 



