778 T HE TROPICAL 
ia— es — — ~— i i i— — . ' ., 
within twelve months. The distribution of Brazi 
eoffee was a matter of hard work ; they had to dis- 
tribute various kinds of coffee, and they would not 
assist the operation by undertaking transactions for 
the delivery of one special quality within the next 
twelve months. They did not see that coffee had 
been diverted from the ordinary course : it went from 
the country of production to the country of consump- 
tion, without reference to terminal markets. A 
share of the Brazil coffee might be obtained 
in London, but only a share, and they would 
get more if they turned their attention to the proper 
method of distributing it. Havre merchants were oc- 
cupying all their time and money in gambling transac- 
tions ; last week, he believed, the transactions repre- 
sented three times the amount of coffee there. The 
real intention in the case of one of these contracts 
was not to make delivery, and if they in London 
would turn their attention to doing the real trade, 
they would get the best of it. (Hear, hear.) 
Mr. Walton aaid the Clearing-House was a 
fait accompli, and he would move as an amend- 
ment that this discussion be adjourned for six 
months. It was very difficult for one broker to 
talk about what other peeple did, or, for the 
matter of that, about what he did himself; but 
it certainly seemed a pity that orders for 100,000 
bags of coffee — 200,000, he believed, had been known 
—should be sent from London to New York, Hamburg, 
or Havre, when it might be done here. (Applause.) 
The stock of coffee at Havre was now maDy times 
larger than it was before the Olearing-House there 
was established. (Hear, hear.) 
After considerable animated discussion, Me. Walton 
drew up his amendment in the following terms : — 
" That this discussion be adjourned for &ix months, 
to enable the Section to see how the establishment 
of the Olearing-House will work during that time." 
That was then carried by thirty-six votes against 
twenty-two. — Indian Planters' Gazette, April 3rd. 
♦ 
GOLD IN CEYLON. 
(From our Galle Correspondent.) 
Galle, 21st April. 
Mr. A. D. Dominico informs me that he was 
the first to draw the attention of Government to 
the existence of gold in Morawak Korale. In the 
course of a visit, which he paid to Akuressa last 
month, he saw two nuggets above one ounce each, 
besides several smaller ones in the possession of 
the Constable Arachchi, which had been obtained 
while gem-digging at Deurangalla. Other gem- 
diggers had also secured gold, but not in such 
quantities. According to Mr. Dominico, the precious 
metal is quite loose and free from quartz, show- 
ing that gold exists in decomposed quartz on the 
surface of the primitive soil, so that the presence 
of a solid reef may be expected at not a great 
depth. The name " Deurangalla," or burnt gold 
stone, is derived from the circumstance that gold 
was obtained by calcinating the stone, and there 
is a tradition amongst the villagers, that in olden 
times gold-digging was under the patronage of 
royalty. The existence of abandoned pits is pointed 
out in support of this. 
On arriving at Matara, Mr. Dominico reported 
the oircumstance to Mr. H. P. Baumgartner, the 
Assistant Government Agent, who despatched Mr. 
Perera Mudaliyar of Gangaboda Pattu to Akuressa, 
and obtained specimens of the metal from the 
Constable Arachchi. On the 30th March, Mr. 
Dominico presented a petition to Mr. E. 
Elliott, the Government Agent of the Province, 
in which, after stating these facts, he added that 
" as there is no doubt that gold in paying quan- 
tities can be obtained in this Province, your 
humble petitioner begs that you will bo pleased to 
report the matter to Government, and to recom- 
mend tbat be may be assisted to oarry on operations, 
AGRICULTURIST. [May i, 1888. 
with a view to develop the resouroes of the country, 
Should the Government be sceptical on this point, 
your humble petitioner would further ask that 
some person of experience and scientific attain- 
ments be selected to personally visit the spot, with 
the object of ascertaining the truth of his state- 
ment." 
No reply has yet been received from Govern- 
ment, but, as I understand, that the work of pros- 
pecting in Morowak Korale will be at once under- 
taken by private enterprise, it is to be hoped that 
Mr. Dominico's exertions will not be unrewarded. 
He states that you may recollect his paying a 
visit to the Observer office in 1884, with samples 
of gold dust obtained from the Western Province. 
The same samples were shown to Mr. Leeohman, 
of Messrs. Leechman A Co. 
Beferring to the remarks in your editorial on 
this subject, Mr. Dominico explains that the metal 
discovered near Akuressa is not Australian, but 
Ceylon gold ; and he states it as a fact, that 
a nugget weighing sovereigns, and other smaller 
ones tvere secured by the diggers. Nuggets and 
pepitas were obtained, but there was comparatively 
little gold dust. He was confirmed in this opinion 
after washing the gravel on the occasion of hia 
visit to Deurangalla. 
TEA FOB AMEBICA. 
The prospectus of the Indian Planters' Company 
will be found given in full on page, 785, together 
with some very practical advice from a correspondent 
of the Indian Planters' Gazette, which is deserving 
the attention of Mr. Eutherford and our Planters' 
Association. Ceylon teas, no doubt, are more suitable 
than the bulk of Indian for distribution amongst 
the people of North America. 
We have, besides, the pleasure of calling attention 
to the following address from Mr. Pineo to the 
planters of Ceylon. It will be a question to consider 
and decide at next meeting of the Association, 
how far action should be taken through, or in 
co-operation with, the Indian Tea Company and 
through Mr. Pineo's agency, respectively : — 
To the Planters or Cetlon: 
Gentlemen, — To many of the men to whom be- 
longs the honor of developing and bringing to its 
present high standard the tea industry of Ceylon, 
I am an unknown quantity. To the old coffee 
planter and to those who furnished the sinews of 
war to carry on an industry that was, at one 
time, the backbone of the colony I am not, I trust, 
unfavourably known. Many a planter knows how 
earnestly I worked for his advancement, while pro- 
prietors and agents can testify to my zeal and 
energy in their behalf. 
Bad times, adverse seasons, leaf-disease and other 
causes contributed to bring about a disastrous con- 
dition of affairs as respects coffee, and ignoring the 
lessons sought to be taught by a Taylor and Arm- 
strong, we coffee planters concentrated our energies, 
thoughts, and best efforts in the development of an 
industry that we hoped would bring back to our 
coffers the many rupees lost or locked up in coffee. 
I allude to cinchona, which, doubtless, helped many 
of us very materially, but it did not restore pros- 
perity — or what is essential to all commercial 
undertakings — confidence. Then, and not until 
then, did we turn to our teachers and Salvationists, 
Taylor, Armstrong, and the Agars, and go in for 
the cultivation of that plant which is revolu- 
tionizing and recuperating the island. Then we 
discovered that Taylor at Loolcondera, Armstrong 
at Bookwood, Agars at Agarsland, Butherford at 
Mariawatte, Leechman at Carolina, Scovell at 
Strathcllio and others whom I cannot now remem- 
