i8o THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [August i, i88i> 
by the success of the pastoral and mining interest. 
The former has been fairly started, and now the 
question is to make it pay ; and in considering that, 
it would be well to look for markets. First, there 
is the success of the latest system of sending beef 
to Europe. Should the Orient Company carry out 
their present intention of loading their vessels with 
frozen meat, and find it a success, Port Darwin will 
then find its geographical position of service, as the 
passage home will be eight days less than from 
Melbourne. Without the English market, I see 
difficulty in the way of the tquatters getting rid of 
any large quantity of beef here for many years, and 
the Java and Japan markets would be very limited. 
But horse breeding for India would most probably 
be a success, as horse9 thrive exceedingly well here, 
and would have the great advantage of arriving in 
India perfectly acclimatised ; and there would be 
much less risk of loss by sea voyage during the short 
smooth passage from Port Darwin as compared with 
the long and often very rough one from Melbourne. 
We have now some young stock born here, which seem 
of quite as strong and useful a build as their mothers : 
and their sires are unknown. With careful breeding 
they would, of course, be superior. 
Under the head of " gold mining," we read : — "This 
has been the only interest that has hitherto supported 
the Territory. People who, perhaps, are hardly aware 
of the existence of the Territory as a settlement will be 
surprised to hear that the export of gold in proportion 
to the population actually engaged iu mining or al- 
luvial diggings is much greater than any other country; 
but such is a fact. There are now only about 150 
Europeans and 2,500 Chinese on the reefs engaged in 
mining and the export of gold, as far as can be as- 
certained, is fully 20,000 ounces per year. Nearly 
half of this finds its way to Hong Kong in private 
hands, the Chinese being very fond of remitting small 
parcels by their friends for the support of their 
families." The yields have been very satisfactory both 
to Europeans and Chinese. "The regulations, both 
as to alluvial and reefing, are very liberal, the charge 
for a miner's right being only ten shillings a year, 
and one man can take up a block twenty-five yards 
by twenty-five yards ; two men, fifty by thirty yards. 
The annual rental for a quartz claim lease is only 
ten shillings per acre per annum, the leases running 
twenty-one years. The other known mineral ores in 
the Territory are copper, silver, lead, iron, and tin, 
all of fairly rich quality, and all of which will be 
duly developed in due time with cheap labor and 
carriage." Mr. Price adds: — -"In reference to the 
question as to whether I would advise any particu- 
lar class to try their fortunes on the Northern Terri- 
tory gold fields, I would certainly not advise married 
men to break up their homes, nor would I recom- 
mend unmarried men in good situations to come ; 
but to young, strong, healthy, and above all, strictly 
temperate young men, iu parties of two or more, I 
think they migbt give it a trial. Of course at gold 
digging all cannot succeed, but to men of the above 
class I truly believe they would have as good a chance 
of realising a small capital to give tbem a start in tbe 
Bouth as on any goldtields in Australia. Living is cheap 
and plentiful now at the reefs, and a party of men could 
live comfortably on about twenty-five shillings a week 
each, this not including liquors, which are both bad 
and dear on the reefs." Mr. Price gives his reason 
for believing in the futuro success of the Territory, 
as follows :—" Australia is bound, sooner or later, to 
make good and profitable use of her tropical portions, 
as she has done of her semi-tropical ; besides, it is 
simply impossible, in these days of rapid travelling, 
that the advantages of Port Darwin can be overlooked. 
A saving of seven or eight days' sea voyage, and that 
of the roughest part, is no slight advantage ; and in 
spite of any vested interest, it is only a matter of a 
few years until the whole of the mails, and most of 
the passengers, will arrive at and leave Australia from 
some port on the north coast, and there is no port to 
equal Darwin— a safe and extensive harbour, large 
enough to hold hundreds of vessels, where in a gale 
of wind a dingy could safely pass between the ship 
and the shore. A town not, like eo many tropical 
places, built in a swamp, but on a high cliff, where 
there is every advantage for cheaply building wharfs 
and jetties. In fact, at a glance one feels bound to 
excluim, 'Nature has intended Port Darwin fco be a 
great, place,' and so most certainly the northern door 
of Australia must be." Mr. Price concludes with a 
statement of what the Government of South Australia 
have done to induce settlement in the Northern Terri- 
tory, bonuses having been offered of £5,000 for the 
production of 500 tons of sugar; and a bonus of £500 for 
the discovery of a new alluvial goldfield: prospecting par- 
ties who meant bona fidevf ork have been liberally assisted;, 
roads with substantial bridges, have been made ; the 
port is free, and the residents of the Territory are 
in the unique and happy position of being untaxed, 
either directly or indirectly, though, as a natural 
consequence, the revenue (chiefly derived from rent of 
pastoral lands) does not cover the expenditure ; the 
administration of justice is cared for, and there are 
hospitals and a public library; the facilities for landing 
cargo at present are two causeways, but it is proposed 
to build, at a considerable cost, a jetty on iron piles, 
at which vessels can unload alongside at all times of 
wind and tide. "All these institutions cost a heavy 
annual sum, which is every year voted by th9 Legis- 
lature, and each year the Government Tj£';s any 
necessary Acts for the introduction of labor or other 
purposes, to induce settlement." Mr. Price adds : — 
"I have not touched on the subject of a railway in 
this article, chiefly because I have sent a long report 
upon that and other subjects which, in my opinion, 
will tend to develop the Territory, to the Minister. 
There can be no question of the great advantage of 
such communication; but while the people clamour 
for such a heavy expenditure, they should rememberi 
that everything is not to be left to the public purse. 
If the Government once see any bona fide intention tol 
invest money in the Territory, in gold mining orl 
agriculture, or planting something from which afl 
reasonable return may be expected, then it will "be J 
fairer to ask for better inland communication." Finally 
Mr. Price warns the public against statements which 
have been published abusing the Territory which, lie 
says, in most cases are written by men who, through 
their own fault, failed there, and naturally wish ta 
throw the blame on the place. 
Coffee Adulteration. — A good deal has been written 
lately about the excessive adulteration of coffee for] 
the home consumer, and I would call yonr atten- 
tion to the enclosed reports of five cases brought against 
Lancashire and Yorkshire Grocers for selling a mix-i 
ture as pure coffee. You will notice that analysis! 
showed the several samples sold to contain respectively 
25, 30, 60, 63 and 70 per cent of chicory ! It would 
be as well if the police had a hint to bestir them- 
selves a little more actively in protecting the public- 
against this class of frauds. — Ceylon Times' London. Coty 
The Lanka Plantations Company are once more; 
to the front iu securing valuable property — paying a 
good price for a good article. Their latest purchase 
is the Thotullagalla estate, Haputale, from Mr. S. 
Agar for £34,000. The plantation consists of 534 acres, 
of which 348 are cultivated, including (according to- 
our Directory) 40 acres of cinchona. We believe, 
however, that 80 acres have been planted with cin- 
chona. The Lanka Company has now a large inter- 
est in Haputale, and the influence of its Directors, 
and shareholders ought to be felt at home in refer* 
ence to Railway Extension. 
