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CORRESPONDEN  CE. 
Singapore,  yth  August,  ipoj. 
H.  N.  Ridley,  Esq., 
Director,  Botanical  Gardens. 
Present. 
Dear  Sir, 
We  have  pleasure  in  handing  you  a copy  of  a letter  received 
by  last  mail  from  our  London  people  reporting  on  the  Rubber 
Samples  we  sent  home  for  you  from  which  you  will  see  that  their 
brokers  speak  very  favourably  of  them. 
We  instructed  them  to  sell  same  after  the  samples  had  been 
reported  on  and  when  we  receive  a credit  note  for  the  amount  will 
send  you  a cheque. 
Yours  faithfully, 
BOUSTE.YD  & CO. 
London,  roth  July,  igoj. 
Messrs.  RouSTEAD  & Co., 
Singapore. 
Dear  Sirs,  . 
The  small  samples  of  India  Rubber  produced  from  the  experi- 
mental trees  in  your  Botanical  Gardens  duly  came  to  hand  and  we 
have  now  the  pleasure  in  waiting  upon  you  with  the  Brokers 
report  and  valuation  on  same. 
We  are  glad  to  see  that  Messrs.  FiGGiS  & Co.  speak  favourably 
of  the  preparation  and  the  only  thing  they  suggest  is  that  it  would 
probably  be  more  advantageous  if  the  pieces  were  made  to  V' 
thick.  We  are  pleased  to  note  that  they  put  the  value  3^.  to  4^. 
over  the  price  of  fine  Para  and  in  the  interest  of  the  Straits  it  is  to 
be  hoped  that  the  production  may  before  long  assume  considerable 
proportions.  With  regard  to  the  ball  you  will  observe  that  some 
part  of  it  was  rather  mixed  with  bark,  but  it  is  a good  Rubber  and 
would  to-day  readily  sell. 
Of  course  such  small  parcels  as  these  are  not  at  all  attractive 
to  buyers  and  we  have  sold  them  at  4/-  for  the  biscuit  and  3/-  for 
the  ball.  In  quantity  there  would  be  buyers  at  say  4/3^/.  to  4/4</. 
for  the  biscuit  and  3/3^.  to  3/4<^^.  for  the  ball. 
In  addition  to  submitting  the  lots  to  our  Brokers  we  have  also 
asked  one  of  the  principal  men  in  the  Rubber  trade  to  give  us  his 
report  on  them  and  we  shall  have  pleasure  in  forwarding  it  as  soon 
as  received. 
We  are,  &c.. 
