March i, 1890.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
649 
NOTES ON PEODUCE AND FINANCE. 
In some of the brokers' circulars of last week re- 
ference was made to the sale of Perak tea in Mincing 
Lane. The first consignment consisted of an invoice 
of seventy-eight half-chests. It found ready buyer* ; 
Broken Pekoe at Is Of d , Pekoe at llfd., Pekoe Souch- 
ong at 9Jd., Souchong (a single package) at the same 
price, and Dust at 6j1, per lb. 
It was suggested by tea importers that in weighing 
the tea at the Customs the old practice of disregard- 
ing the odd ounces shown in the gross weight of a 
paokage should be given up, and instead, half pounds 
should be reckoned. The dealers strongly object to 
this. At a meeting of the committee of the Teadealers' 
Association held last Friday the question was further 
discussed, and an opinion against anv change in the 
direction indioated was expressed. Tho dealers con- 
tend that the present system has been in vogue many 
years, is thoroughly understood, and if it were satis- 
factory to importers when tart was double the prioe it 
is now, thoy argue this is not the time to make a re- 
trograde ohange, more particularly as the packages are 
made to a more even tare than formerly — so muoh so 
that the small overweight and the draft do not cover the 
inevitable lost involved in distributing tea in small 
parcels of ounces and pounds. 
Should the experiment now about to ba made of 
planting olive trees on the lower hills in the Rawul 
Pindi district prove successful, another and very valu- 
able source of employment and income will be added 
to those which have already benefited India. — H & G. 
Mail, Jan. 31st. 
. ^ . 
MINERALS IN SIAM. 
A correspondent's contribution, which we give in 
another portion of this impression, will afford some 
interesting information on a bubjeet which has hitherto 
been only, as he expresses it, gathered piecemeal by 
travellers throughout Siam. That the country has 
been vaguely understood in a general manner to be 
rich in the more precious minerals and in stones has 
been more or less known. Thos9 who have only visited 
Bangkok hear reports, and hiva evidence furnished 
tham of a rude and unskilful searoh for gold and 
rubie9, showing that there are considerable stores in 
various parts of the country. Weare told mw that many 
would-be concessionaires are endeavouring to obtain con- 
cessions for exploiting these stores, and working them 
on a proper scientific basis. So far the efforts of those who 
have received concessions have been in the main for gold. 
The English company formed some two years ago was 
for the purpose of working the precious metal, and the 
reports that have been received sinoe have been of a 
favourable nature. Their concession lies on what is 
known locally as the west coast, though it is in 
reality the eastern side of the Malay Peninsula. The 
new concession which our correspondent now tells us 
has been granted to a Singapore firm is to the east- 
ward of the capital, at a place which has already 
attained some notoriety as a gold produoing centre, 
as well as by the tragic fate which overtook Phra 
Preecha, the former manager iu charge of the mines, 
who was executed for reasons which formed the basis 
of some diplomatic representations at the time. It has 
been abundantly demonstrated that gold in very paying 
quantities can be obtained here ; and, with the aid of 
now machinery, which tho concessionaires will doubtless 
plaae on the ground, there is every reason to believe that 
it will yield good reward. Gold always proves magnetic 
in its influence to attract all classes, and if it generally 
becomes known that there are many spots where it 
can be profitably rained in Siam, the Government 
will have to use some circumspection in the way that 
they make grants. There is no reason why, with due 
foresight, thoy should not profit largely by the natural 
resources of tho country, without having the number 
of rowdies who so frequently oollect when n " rush " 
takes place in any country. 
But it is not only gold that will prove remunerative. 
It has beeu surmised by all who kuow the lower part 
of the Malay Peninsula that the stanuiferous 
properties which havo done so much for the 
82 
Protected Malay States on the western side of the 
Peninsula, and which promise equally for Pahang 
on the eastern side, would be oontinued through 
the States which Siam o!aim3 in the northern 
part of the Peuin-ula. ihe Islanl of Junk Ceylon, 
on the West coa9t, has long been noted for its tin 
production, and our correspondent points out that nearly 
all upciuntry streams of these States have been 
scratohed in a perfunctory manner by Chinese. It is 
evident they have not got to the bottom of deposits, 
as they have no means of keeping a mine dry when 
the water begins to oollect at all. Still there are some 
productive mines, and the possib'lities foreshadowed 
under a more scientific principle are considerable. 
The whole subject of minerals in Siam is one which 
the Government may well pay some attention toand ap- 
proach in a cautious, though not jealous, spirit. If con- 
cessions tive granted ou reasonable terms, and only to sub- 
stantial persons who are kn >wn to be of some stinding, 
there should be a very good income derived from royalties. 
The Europeans to whom concessions are granted would 
be able to introduce experts and proper machinery 
to fully develop the riches that might be in their 
particular ground But the Government will have 
some responsibilities for tho receipt of their royalties. 
The present means of communicating in many of the 
mining districts are exceedingly defective, and it may 
well be expected that some funds which would acorue 
to them should be expanded in providing better roads 
an 1 iu other wise making the neighbourhood of the 
mines more easy of access. The Government, we repeat, 
can do much by judicious means in thus generally 
developing the country. Hitherto a jealous eye has 
been oast on such ideas, where only produce and 
necessary caution would have been sufficient — L.tyG. 
Express-, Jan. 31st. 
[In the communication referred to, gold, tin, and 
precious stones, especially rubies, are described as 
plentiful. Iron and coal are also mentioned, but we 
are disappointed that nothing is said about the 
lignite which, some time ago, we were led to hope 
oould be landed at R5 per ton in Ceylon. — Ed. T. A.] 
PLANTING AND TRADE IN CEYLON. 
The Annual Report op the Colombo 
Commercial Company. 
With this you will receive an early oopy of the 
report to be presented to the shareholders of the 
Colombo Commeraial Company on Wednesday next. 
The particular oharaoter of the business carried on 
by that Company, its dual nature, which inoludes 
transactions of a more private kind than have to be 
referred to in the Reports of oompanies restricted to 
planting operations only, necessarily renders the 
reading of its Report of less general interest than 
most others I have to send you. Nevertheless it 
may perhaps be said that the very fact of that dual 
nature renders progress made by the Colombo Com- 
mercial company more strictly a gauge of the general 
prosperity of your local trade than does that of 
merely planting oompanies. In this sense, therefore, 
although no great suooess is a3 yet olaimed for the 
operations the Report deals with, the Ceylon public 
may feel gratification at the statements made ; for 
not only are the holders of preference shares to 
be paid in full their olaim of 6 per cent, but those of 
the ordinary shares will also receive a small 
dividend. This, of 2 per oent only, is certainly not 
a very grand one, but it will be something to those 
who have often hitherto of late years had to go 
without any at all. 
The figures given in the acoounts are olassed so 
generally that it is impossible to say whether the 
net profit made of £2,538 odd during the year has 
been due to the planting or to the oommeroial 
