7to 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [April 1889. 
by sea is now free from duty, and all restrictions. 
* * * Only the manufacture and the first sale of Salt 
are a Government Monopoly ;" and he adds, that "the 
same amount of revenue could not be raised so cheaply 
and with so little inconvenience to the community m 
any other manner." 
These observations apply, in our opinion, most fully 
to the Salt Monopoly in Ceylon; the article is abun- 
dant, the price most reasonable, the revenue derived 
from it considerable, and the tax on the people is 
moderate in the extreme, and easily collected. 
Here, as at Madras, the manufacture or collection of 
Salt is conducted exclusively on account of the Govern- 
ment. The manufacturers contract to furnish Salt at 
a fixed price, and the Government dispose of the Salt 
also at a fixed price, through their own Agents, to 
the dealers and others who resort to the Government 
stores for their supplies ; but beyond the first sale the 
Government do not meddle. The manufacturer can 
only make for Government, and the purchaser, in the 
first instance, must buy from Government, but after- 
wards he may sell hia Salt where, and as he pleases, 
without further interference. 
Some of our readers may be interested in the 
details of the manufacture and collection of salt, 
which are as follows : — 
The Proprietors of Pans at Putlam engage Natives 
of India, as well as residents of the District, to pre- 
pare the pans, making advances of money to them. 
Each of these pans requires two or three labourers, 
never more than three. At the end of May, after the 
rains, they begin to prepare the beds, which process 
occupies about a month and a half ; first of all, the 
water is let in from the lake upon the beds, and al- 
lowed to remain a sufficient time thoroughly to soak 
the ground. It is then drawn off to the adjoining 
pans, and the mud is all removed from the beds, 
which %,re then finally prepared by stamping and a 
coating of white sand, when the water is let in again 
upon them, and the Salt is produced in due course 
by evaporation. As soon as the first crop is gathered 
fresh water is let in for a second formation, and thus 
the process is repeated three times, and sometimes, 
though rarely, four times in a season. A kind of 
rake with iron teeth is used for breaking up the Salt, 
and a wooden scraper for gathering it. The Salt is 
thus collected without the slightest admixture of mud, 
and is left for two or three days on the dividing dams 
to dry, when it is removed to the kottoos by labourers 
especially engaged for the purpose by the proprietors 
the manufacturers not being required to perform this 
service. At the termination of the Salt-harvest, the 
residents depart to their villages, and the natives of 
India return to their homes. 
The system of collection and storage pursued at 
Jaffna, as detailed in the papers received from Mr. 
Dyke, is as follows. 
As soon as the formation of salt in the pans at 
Seviaterruo is sufficiently advanced to admit of its being 
gathered, the manufacturers commence operations ; 
the Salt collected each day is heaped on the high 
grounds, or bunds, which divide the rows of Salt-pans ; 
here it is allowed to remain exposed to the sun, for 5 
or 6 days, in order that it may go through a process of 
sweating, and become dry enough to be stored. At the 
expiration of this time, it is weighed and received over 
from the manufacturers, who are generally paid on the 
spot, but sometimes at the Cutcherry, the sums due to 
them. Tinder any circumstances no delay takes place 
in settling with them, as soon as the Salt is sufficiently 
dry to be received into the stores on the margin of 
the Salt-pans, or removed at once to the stores of issue ; 
and no delay is allowed to take place in the removal of 
the Salt loft at the pans, to the stores, whence alone it 
is iHsued on sale. 
The cost of weighing at the pans at Seviaterrue, is 
gld. per 100 cwt*. The Salt is weighed in the presence 
of a person nominated by the storekeeper, and is then 
removed in carts, under hia charge, to the stores, where 
it ia received over by the Storekeeper, without any 
further verification. 
The coat of weighing and transporting the Salt is 
entirely borne by the Government, the manufacturer 
beipg required simply to carry it from the dama or 
bunds, where it is heaped, to the margin of the pans, 
where it is weighed and taken over from them, at llo lb. 
the cwt., for which they are paid 3gd. 
In addition to the large produce of the artificial 
manufacture, considerable quantities of naturally 
formed Salt are obtained from the Leways at Karn ivay 
and Velliparaway. Here the labourers, who work from 
6 a.m. to 3, p.m., deliver the Salt collected each day, at 
the rate of 115 lb. to the cwt., for which they receive 
31d. After being weighed, the Salt is made up into 
heaps on the high ground near the Leways, and properly 
secured against the weather, until it can be removed to 
the permanent stores at Tondamanaar. The removal 
is effected both by carts and coolies ; the latter carry- 
ing on an average, 75 lb. each. 
At Hambantotte, where only naturally formed Salt is 
produced, the system, as ascertained in the course of 
our enquiry, is somewhat different. The Salt is carried 
by labourers to the margin of the Leway, where it is 
measured the same day in bushel measures, and the 
weight of a tew bushels bavipg been taken, an average 
is struck by which to calculate the total weight of 
the day's collection. The labourers are paid at a daily 
rate of hire, varying from 9d to la 3d, and sometimes 
Is 6d per diem, and are required to collect a certain 
number of bushels, according to the nature of the 
formation, and the difficulty of collection. It would 
not be practicable to take the account by weight at the 
Leways, on account of the strength of the wind, to 
which they are greatly exposed ; and also because it 
would cause great delay in receiving over each day's 
collection from the gatherers. The Salt is formed into 
heaps at the Leways, each heap containing from 1,01)0, 
to 2,000 cwt. or more. The heaps are covered with 
cadjans, so aa to be properly protected againat damage 
by rain. There is always a reduction of from 9 to 12 
per cent, on the estimated quantity, when it comes to 
be weighed and received into store, owing to the drying 
and draining process which the Salt undergoes, whilst 
lying at the Leways : for, of course, as the Salt is 
measured the same day that it is collected, it is heaped 
in a very moist state. As soon as the weather permits, 
that is after the rains of October and November have 
ceased, the removal of the Salt into store commences. 
This is effected by carts employed on contract, at a 
certain fixed price per cwt. according to the distance at 
which the heaps are from the stores. It is carried on 
with the utmost expedition, not only to save the cost 
of watching the Salt at the Leways, and to diminish the 
chance of loss by peculation, but also to complete 
operations before the dry weather sets in, and destroys 
the pasturage for the Bullocks in the neighbourhood 
of the Leways. 
With some modifications in the direction of better 
storage and the employment of convicts at 
Hambantota, the processes of manufacture and 
collection are still, we believe, much the same as they 
are above described. 
The result of our reading and reflection is, that, 
except the Pearl Fishery monopoly, which, Miss 
Martineau's nonsense to the contrary notwithstand- 
ing, is beyond question, there is no monopoly 
more justifiable, innocent and beneficial than that 
of salt as it exists in Ceylon, Relaxations have 
taken place in favour of fish curing and we have 
no doubt a similar course would be pursued in 
regard to agriculture were a good case made out. 
BRITISH BORNEO TRADING AND 
PLANTING COMPANY. 
An extraordinary general meeting of the British 
Borneo Trading and Planting Company (Limited) was 
held at Cannon-street Hotol yesterday, for the 
purpose of sanctioning an agreement for the, sale of 
15,878 acres toa company entitled the Segaliud (Borneo) 
Tobacco Company (Limited.) 
The Chairman, in moving the resolution, stated 
that it would be in the recollection of the shareholders 
that at the ordinary general meeting held on January 
