452 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [January i, t8 9 o. 
presses, convert the strips of hoop iron into the 
desired lengths, make ail sorew and rivet holes, and 
give the required angle to the corner bindings and 
the V shape to those which protect the edges 
of the straw-boards. The putting together of these 
several components of the boxes is at present done 
exclusively by hand, every provision being made, that 
all the rivetting &o. should be finished off with the 
required degree of uniformity to insureready and facile 
putting together on the estates. There is much of 
this part of the labour, the cost of which may be 
ultimately greatly reduced by the employment of 
specially adapted machinery ; but the Syndicate has 
done wisely not to incur the expense of this 
until a trade has been secured. The buildings are 
of ample size and well adapted to the processes 
to be carried on in them, while a neat little engine 
of some six to eight horse-power supplies all the 
motive force likely to be demanded for some time 
yet to come. It is computed that the finished box 
can be made for about 2s 6d, the producing power 
of the present machinery being estimated at 1,200 
boxes per week. We have been told that the 
average cost of a wooden box (half-chest, I think) 
on a Ceylon estate is about 2s 3d ; so that at 
first sight it would appear as if competition 
must result adversely to the new dasign. But 
other conditions operate to redress — and more 
than redress — this inequality in cost, for the 
neatly finished exterior of the new box enables 17 
boxes to be shipped to the ton of measurement as 
compared with only 12 of those of the kind at 
present in use. We witnessed in addition to the 
foregoing operations, that of sewing by machine 
the edges of the lining papers supplied with the 
chests, but it appeared to me that this somewhat 
oostly process might well be superseded by some 
method of gumming and pressing. 
The inventors, who were present, declared their 
wish to receive suggestions for any possible im- 
provement, and many of these were made, the 
adoption of some of which will be likely, it was 
admitted, to very materially reduce the oost of 
production and facilitate the work of putting the 
boxes together on the estates. I must not, how- 
ever, occupy more of my space in this letter by 
discussing these, and I must oonelude my remarks 
respecting a very interesting day by telling you 
that, with a thoughtful courtesy, the Syndicate 
had provided carriages to take their guests some 
1£ mile or so to the Tilbury Hotel, where a very 
appreciated lunch was also provided for them, the 
whole patty returning to town by about 3 SO p.m. 
Although anxious not to devote too muoh space 
to the topic above treated of, it appears desirable to 
refer to it further in connection with the possible ini- 
tiation it may produce of a new local industry for 
Ceylon. Judging from statements made as to the 
amount of support promised by China, Indian, 
and Ceylon tea planters and shippers, it appears 
to be provable that a large demand may arise 
for these chests, such as would for economic 
reasons render it desirable that the straw-board 
should be manufactured looally in the East, 
where its raw basis is so readily obtainable- 
Ceylon, with its readily adaptable water-power and 
its large acreage of growth of paddy, mana and 
citronella grasses, is deemed to be specially 
adapted lor suoh manufacture, and it is undei 
present consideration, we hear, to establish a fac - 
tory with this object somewhere in the neighbour- 
hood of Galle. Dr. Triineu has expressed the 
view, we learn, that both mana aui oBwonella 
graea are better adapted, owing to their containing 
much less ailex than does straw, to form the 
basis of these boardB, and we can therefore foresee 
how good a chanoe there is, if there should be 
alarge use of these chests, that a new and 
very valuable industry may be established among 
you. Mr. Stanley— one of the patentees — expressed 
to me the great obligation he had been under to 
the Tropical Agriculturist for the extended and 
most useful information it had supplied to him 
as to the methods of tea-packing &o. which he 
had to consider during the process of his de- 
signing. He said he had been quite at a loss for 
means of obtaining such information until he 
lighted upon the file of the T. A. kept at the 
London Patent Office. 
SCOTTISH TRUST AND LOAN COMPANY 
OF CEYLON, LIMITED. 
The Directors present their Twelfth Report, being 
for year to 31st August 1889. 
Estates in Company's Possession —The cultivation 
of tbeae continues to receive careful attention, and 
the Directors hive pleasure in reporting that the pro- 
ducts from several of the estates have commanded 
some of the highest prices in the London Market. The 
Tea Factory at Alnwick has been completed, and is in 
active operation, while the returns from that at Ann- 
field show a satisfactory profit for the year. The 
estimate of made Tea from the Company's Estate 
for the current year is 245,000 lb., as against 138,000 lb. 
last year. The cost during the year of tea cultivation 
and extension, other than that connected with the 
erection of factories, has been charged against Revenue. 
Produce in Hand. — Owing to the delays consequent 
on the strikes at the London Docks, there was con- 
siderably more Produce in hand and in transitu at 
thp close of the accounts, than at the corresponding 
period last year. The Valuations have been carefully 
made. 
Mortgages in Ceylon held by the Company. — 
These have again been reduced, and the interest has 
been well met, tbe greater part of the arrears having 
been recovered since the close of the accounts. 
Debenture Debt. — The Direotors bave maintained 
their polioy of steadily reducing both the principal 
and the rate of interest as occasion offered. 
The Balance, at the Credit of Profit and Loss Account 
is £5,342 3s 61 and the Directors propose — 
to write off one-fifth of the cost 
of the Tea Factories, ... £614 2s 6d 
to carry to Reserve Fuud, ... 500 03 Od 
to pay a Dividend of 5 per cent., 
freeof Income Tax, ... 2,2500s0d 
£3,364 2s 6d 
Leaving £1,978 Is Od 
to be carried forward to next account. 
Balance-sheet as bt 31st Aug. 1889. 
Dr. £ s d 
Loans made in Ceylon, .. 41,783 16 8 
Real Estate at the Amount of the Bonds 
ftreqlosed, ... 42,770 16 8 
Tea extension — Amount expended on Fac- 
tories and Machinery for year 1SS8-89, 3,070 12 5 
Cash Balances,' ... 4,302 19 6 
Interest on Investments and Deposits, 709 19 10 
Outstanding Accounts, ... 505 6 8 
Value of Estate produce on hand or in 
transitu, as estimated, ... 7,151 7 6 
Office Furniture (London), ... 30 0 0 
£100,324 19 6 
Cr. . ; s vV\ ~ 
Capital— First issuo of 15,000 Shares of 
£10 each, whereupon £3 per Share have 
been pad up, .-• 45,000 0 0 
Borrowe 1 on Debenture, •» 41, l7o 0 0 
Reserve Fund, ... 8,500 0 0 
Unclaimed Dividends, ••• ' ? !° 0 
Profit aud Loss Account for Balance, 5,342 6 o 
£1 0,324 19 6 
