ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



( Sumatra. 



exchange for Malacca, and the claims of the latter on Singapore. The 

 British Government, moreover, engages that no establishment shall be made 

 on the Carimon Isles, Battam, Bintang, Lingen, or any other island S. of 

 Singapore, nor any treaty concluded with the Chiefs of those islands. 



Trade. — Whilst this settlement was in our possession, the European 

 imports were chiefly for the consumption of the Company's establishment. 

 The commodities sent hither from India were principally piece-goods and 

 opium ; of late years this trade was altogether carried on by the country 

 vessels. English goods were either sold by invoice, with an advance accord- 

 ing to demand, or by auction, the charge for which was 7 per cent. The 

 Company's chief object in trading here was pepper; but latterly much 

 attention was paid to agriculture at Bencoolcn, and the spice plantations 

 have so thriven, that, in 1821, it was computed that the produce of nut- 

 megs exceeded the average consumption of Britain by about 4000 lbs. 



Duties. — With the exception of foreign opium, all imports were ad- 

 mitted free by Reg. 1S19. The Dutch Government will probably assimilate 

 the duties and regulations of this port to that of Java. 



Pilotage Rates. — An European pilot was stationed at Rat Island ; 

 rates as follow : — 



IS. OUT. 

 Doll. Sue. Doll. Sac. 



Rat Island basin, per 100 tons ^ 5 0 ™« 5 0 



Pulo Bay 5 0 5 0 



Inner Roads ™ w 2 2 — ^ 2 2 



Vessels mooring in the basin to pay pilotage, whether pilot be employed 

 or not ; but vessels coming into the roads, or proceeding to Pulo Bay, were 

 chargeable only when a pilot was employed. 



Wharfage was charged to Government at the rate of 50 cash, or 

 4 annas per ton, computed as in the next article. 



Boat Hike : — For landing or shipping goods, the charge was not to ex- 

 ceed 1 dollar per ton, to be computed thus : — grain, saltpetre, salt, or other 

 heavy articles, 13 bags, of 164 lbs. each, to the ton; pepper, lb* Cwt, to 

 the ton ; wine, 2 pipes to the tun ; beer, and other hogsheads, 4 to the 

 ton ; cases and bales by measurement, 50 cubic feet to the ton ; lead, iron, 

 steel, copper, tin, or other dead weight, 20 Cwt. to the ton. A ton of bar 

 iron to pay 1 dollar 1 succ. For boats losing a whole day, double boat hire 

 was chargeable. A boat carrying cargo to a vessel in Rat Island Basin, or 

 the outroads, and receiving return freight, the proprietor of such freighi 

 to pay only half hire outwards. 



Water Rate, one succoo per ton to Government. 



