•rHE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [October i, 1887. 
Controller in the neighbourhood, and lodged a com- 
plaint regarding the valuation of the tobacco delivered 
by them to their employer. They however did 
not care to inform him that they had committed 
deeds of violenoe on the estate, had threatened to 
illtreat a European overseer, and had refused to depute 
three men to see the Controller instead of going to 
him all in a body. These shortcomings were brought 
under their notice. They however refused to return to 
the estate, upon which they were all marched off to 
prison. t 
The Battaks, too, have taken to harassing the plant- 
ers. Those of the Rayah tribe have fallen out with the 
Sultan of Deli's people, and have proved so defiant that 
the Controller and a force of armed natives have pro- 
ceeded to the seat of disturbance. The Rayahs are ex- 
pected to get the worst of it. These troubles have every 
prospect to prejudicially influencing the work on estates 
in the neighbourhood. Other Battaks seek to injure 
the planters by fire raising. On one estate they laid a 
bangsal stored with tobacco in ashes, and fired two 
others widen only escaped a like fate by the prompt 
xend ring of assistance. To admit of the fire gaining 
leadieraold petroleum had been freely used. The in- 
cendiaries left behind them several threatening letters, 
intimating that the action they took had for object to 
avenge the murder of a tribesman years ago on the es- 
tate by other Battaks. The manager of the estate had 
nothing at all to do with the murder. 
♦ 
THE PP.ESENT POSITION AND PBOSPECTS 
OF THE COFFEE MARKET. 
London, August 25th, 1887. 
A vear ago we drew the attention of our friends to the 
strone position of coffee, and the probability that an 
advar!ce P would take place before long. On the 1st Sept- 
ember, 1886, the European stocks of coffee had decreased 
to about 145,000 tons, against an average of 217,000 tons 
in the previous three years. The rise which we foresaw 
did take place, and was carried, during the first five 
months of 1887, to a point which few people anticipated a 
vear ago. Prices are high now, and it is worth while examin- 
ing whether present rates are justified by circumstances, and 
by the prospects of the article for the future. _ _ 
We stand now much as we did in 1886. The stocks in Europe 
and America on August 1st were estimated ay : — 
1887 188b iBt» 
Tons Tons Tons 
Pur0De 154,000 155,000 220,000 
fS States :::::::.. u,™ 33,000 _» 
Total 195,000 188,000 250,000 
188 i' 1883 1882 
Tons Tons Tons 
r .. r(ro e 226,000 217,000 185,000 
Si States":..: ^OOO KfiOO 21,000 
Total 257,000 240,000 : 06,000 
With the exception of the stocks remaining at Rio and 
Santos on 1st July (estimated at 29,000 tons against 
25 000 tons in 1880) and what remained of the old crop 
Tu' the interior, furobably less than in previous seasons- , 
the 1886-7 Brazil crop may be said to have been all 
received in Europe and the United States and tq . bs in- 
cluded in the general stocks, whilst scarcely anything has 
hew, .shipped as yet of the new crop. The exports from 
jira/il to Kuropeaanu the United States tor twelve luonthsend- 
niir ;i(i'li June, amounted to:- 
' Vj 1885-6 1881-5 1883-4 882-3 1881-2 
,•,„,' Tons Tons Tons Tons ions 
HttWO 33M00 3^,000 313,000 391,000 328,000 
.j), an average ot 350,000 tons in the last six ) ears. 
Uurn.tr the -awe time the crop in 1 Java have been 1 - 
1880-7 lb8».B 1884-5 1883-4 882-3 1881.2 
Tom/ Tons Uoiis Tons Toua Tons 
G8.UU 13000 82,1.00 87,000 8U.0UU 76,000 
or'un avereg, of 72.000 tons in the last six years. 
We have now entered, however, upon a season which is 
l.MT tu wiln.ss an extraordinary tailing oit >n our sup- 
blto from Hie two leading producing countries. O ving to 
roTrm wet and cold at the critical time of blossom- 
™ and .ub.seq.u-nt unfavourable weather, l ie Brazilian 
are turning Mit extremely small. The Bio and 
flrnrt have been unanimous in announcing for months 
Sail a g "tt du-iiuninthe oat.nrn, which is estimated, as 
,. axi,nuin.al 1 ,000,000 bags or 240.000 tons for both crops 
White! "ev..rul lir...» estimate the yield ut not more than 3 to 
'■n,l n \'r!, ] Z?* '<t new erOP. which began on July 1st, and 
.,„'„ ,„„ „,,',„ date to 314,000 bags for llio and Santos 
(against 737,000 bags in 1S66 and 877,000 bags in 1885 J 
are, so far, a striking confirmation of the Brazilian esti- 
mates. The prices of 80s to 85s obtainable in Europe would, 
in ordinary circumstances, induce the most strenuous efforts 
on the part of planters to hurry their crops to market, 
yet Brazilians hold their coffee with the greatest tenacity at 
prices which arefrom 5s to 10s per cwt. above those ruling in 
the consuming markets. 
In Java, where leaf disease has been committing great 
havoc, the weather has also been unfavourable, and the 
result is the smallest crop known for may years. The 
Government crop will propably not exceed 30'),000 bags, 
to which may be added 200,000 bags from private 
plantations, say, 500,000 bags together, or 31,000 tons, 
against 68,000 in 1886, and an average of 72,600 tons in the 
lastsix years. 
Brazil and Java are not likely to contribute more 
than 275,000 tons for the twelve months ending 30th June 
1888, against 415,000 tons in the previous season, and an 
average of 422,000 tons in the last six seasons. From no 
other quarter are there any indications of an increase in 
the production, which might to some extent counterbalance 
the Brazil and Java deficiency ot some 140,000 tons. 
As at the rate of consumption in 1884 and 1885 (about 
620,000 tons, exceeding 400,000 in Europe and 200,000 in 
the States) the production of coffee was just equal to 
the requirements, whilst the diminished supplies of 1886 led 
to a reduction of 70,000 tons in the stocks at the end of 
that year, it follows that the short supplies expected for 
the present season will be totally inadequate to the world's 
requirements, and that a considerable shrinkage of con- 
sumption must necessarily take place, otherwise the stocks 
now held, together with the supplies for the next twelve 
months, would be entirely absorbed, which is inadmissable. 
This can only be brought about by high prices, under 
the influence of which the trade have already been restrict- 
ing their purchases during the last few months, leading 
to a considerable decrease in the deliveries ; but there 
are strong indications that invisible stocks in consumers' 
hands are getting everywhere exhausted, and that a more 
active trade demand will soon set in, and we cannot 
help thinking that we shall then see prices carried 
to a higher level than we have seen them yet, as we 
greatly question whether the real consumption of coffae 
has been affected much, so far, by the enhanced price of the 
article. 
We have left out of calculation any effect on prices 
from the movements which may arise in the several 
markets where large bull and bear speculations are carried 
on. The apparent supply of coffee may at times appear 
to be largely increased, whilst at other times the demand 
for real coffee to cover bear sales may add a powerful 
stimulus to the trade demand, and thus lead to excessive 
fluctuations. 
European Statistics.— Twelve Months. 
1886 1885 1884 
Tons Tons Tone 
Import 373,000 434,000 400,500 
Delivery ... 440,000 425,000 402,000 
Stock 31st"l)ecember 124,000 190,500 184,500 
1883 1882 1881 
Tons Tons Tons 
Import 467,000 334,500 406.500 
Delivery ' 432,500 387,500 369,500 
Stock 31st"becember 186,000 151.500 144,500 
European Statistics.— First Seven Months. 
1887 1886 1885 
Tons Tons Tons 
Import 258,000 215,000 288,000 
Delivery .... 228,000 250,000 252,000 
Stocks lstAugust 154,000 255.000 220,000 
1884 1883 1882 
Tons Tons Tons 
Imports 250,000 310,000 262.C00 
Delivery 219,000 244,000 221,500 
Stock 1st August 226,000 217.0C0 185,009 
Pbices. 
1887 1886 
Jan. June Aug. Jan. Aug. 
1st 3rd 25th 1st 25th 
Middling Plantation 80/ 108/ 99/ 62/ 73/ 
Good Ordinary Guatemala ... 65/ 99/ 87/ 42/ 50/ 
Uood Ordinary Java (Amster- 
dam) 39 Jc. 58§C 54 §C. 25|c. 31c. 
Good Ordinary Sautos 
(Havre) 77f. 124f. UK. 46§. 58 . 
Fair Rio (New York) #14|- #20^ 920 f»3f $10i 
1885 1884 
Jan. Aug, Jan. Aug 
1st 25th 1st 25th 
Middling Plantation 65/ 64/ 75/- 61/ 
Good Ordinary Guatemala 47/ 43/ 53/ 46' 
Good Ordinary Java (Amster- 
dam 28c. 34c 35c. 27c. 
Good average Santos (Havre)... 53f. 45ff 71f. fit. 
Fair Bio (New York) ffl m 
