PEPPEB. 



475 



about 2000 piculs reach the Batavia market monthly, while from 

 February to August the monthly receipts hardly reach 500 piculs. 

 The exports of pepper from Java in 1870 were 21,039 piculs. 



The pepper produced in the Lampong district in 1871 was 14,000 

 piculs ; in 1872, 20,537 piculs. In 1872 the shipments consisted of 

 24,256 piculs of white and 30,695 of black pepper. 



The imports of pepper into China were, in 



Piculs. Piculs. 



1868 40,169J 1871 25,683f 



1869 42,866f 1872 41, 01 1 1 



1870 24,485 



In 1867 the export of pepper from Siam, all to China, was 18,947 

 piculs, valued at 22,500Z. This was not more than half the usual 

 crop, owing to severe drought in the pepper districts on the east 

 coast of the Gulf of Siam. In 1870 the export was 25,544 piculs, 

 valued at K17,4881. Pepper is also grown to some extent in Cochin 

 China, as 4308 piculs were shipped from thence in 1871. An export 

 trade in this article was early fostered by the French authorities ; the 

 home administration, patriarchal ever towards its offshoots, deter- 

 mined to aid the development of its promising eastern colony, and, 

 among other things, to induce a greater effort to be made in the pro- 

 duction of pepper. For this purpose the duties levied in French ports 

 upon the importation of pepper were entirely remitted in the case of 

 Cochin China produce, or what was the same thing, so far as the 

 home authorities could judge, Saigon exported produce. The diffe- 

 rential duties thus created were very great, so considerable that it was 

 found much more profitable to send pepper up to Saigon, to be there 

 shipped to France as of Cochin China growth, than to send it on at 

 much less expense and much smaller freight direct from the Straits. 

 Now, however, a change has been made, and certificates of origin are 

 required upon all pepper allowed to be exported to France, and none 

 but such as is declared on shipment to be of Cochin China origin, is 

 admitted duty free on arrival in France. 



The importation of pepper into the port of Marseilles has been as 

 follows, in tons, from 



Year. 



British India. 



Dutch India. 



Other Countries. 



1872 



240 



849 



393 



1873 



753 



87 



336 



1874 



1,357 



1,139 



375 



1875 



1,928 



297 



899 



Of this there was taken for consumption in 1874, 416,975 kilo- 

 grammes, and in 1875, 647,228 kilogrammes. 



In 1855 there were reported to be in Singapore 1,054,715 pepper 

 vines in bearing, and 553,571 young vines. The exports were about 

 68,000 piculs annually; of this 50,000 piculs were produced in 

 Singapore, and the balance imported from the Johoro territory and 

 Sumatra, &c. From Pinang, between 1855 and 1860 there were 



