THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [March r, 1895. 
into the United Provinces more than three million 
pounds of tea, not including that of the Company, 
which does not profit an obolus on these shipments 
so successive and so prodigious ; whereas otherwise 
this Trade would hecome at the sametime both 
lucrative for it and legitimate for Private Individuals. 
14. A vessel laden with tea, with the ex- 
ception of the bottom, would contain certainly 600,000 
pounds, which when sold, one thing with another, 
at the rate of 20 sols, would yield the Company a 
return of 210,000 florins, and so with the rest in pro- 
portion to the sales. Now, except the cost of ship- 
ping at Batavia, which is reckoned at two percent 
of the purchase, as well as that of the auction in 
Europe, the expense of the voyage would not exceed 
the sum of 60,000 florins ; thus the Company would 
profit to the extent of 200,000, without any expendi- 
ture and without any other risk than that of the 
bottom of its vessels which would come to a million 
on five ships, besides 200,000 florins profit on the 
money in the return voyage. 
15. To the importance of these advantages might 
be added other accessory ones, but the particulars 
of which would perhaps be below what would be 
developed therefrom by the execution of the project, 
which, to say the least of it, would make the 
Company mistress of the private Trade of the Indies, 
and of the cash remittances in those countries. 
In the next chapter Cokkek is referred to as fol- 
lows : — 
Coffee was for a long time one of the Com- 
pany's most profitable products; now it seems 
likely to be a burden, so susceptible is Trade 
to vicissitudes. Pepper, on the contrary, with which 
it was overburdened, has at present such a con- 
siderable market in Europe, that in the consign- 
ments there is no fear of an over-supply. As to 
coffee, one cannot do better than accommodate one- 
self to the times. The company is sufficiently pro- 
vided therewith, so that, without having recourse to 
the public sales, it can be disposed of at a low 
price, were it at only six sols the pound, and lose 
sight of this article for some years. It is not thought 
that in this respect any nation is in a position to 
compete with us ; but it would be necessary for the 
coffee to be transpoted in special vessels, having 150 
feet of Keel. Each of these could easily hold a mil- 
lion pounds, especially if between the bales were 
scattered the oldest beans, less liable to moisture 
than the fresh. D. W. P. 
Croydon, Feb. 8. 
THE SELANGOR PLANTERS' ASSOCIATION. 
( Extracts from the Annua! Report, 189i. ) 
During the year 1894 six new estates and eleven new 
members were enrolled upon the books of the Association 
whilst the figures in attached statistics ohow an increase 
of 1,713 acres under cultivation and of 772 la bourers of 
all nationalities employed on estates. As in 1893, returns 
have not been received from four estates, but allowing 
for this and for the fact that the above figures are inclu- 
sive of a tapioca estate of 800 acres owned by a Chinese 
Towkay who this year joined the Association, it would 
nevertheless appear that some 1,000 acres of coffee have 
been opened up an over 500 more labourers employed 
on estates during 1894. 
This result cannot be considered as other than highly 
satisfactory and indicative of the rapidly growing im- 
portance and popularity of the planting enterprise. 
There is every reason to believe, moreover, that on al- 
most all of the already established estates considerable 
further extensions are to be made in 1895, and that 
several entirely new properties will be opened up in 
Klaug, Ulu Langat and other districts. 
The great fall in silver, added to the more than 
proportionate rise in coffee, which at the close of the 
year was quoted at about $45 per pikul, offers intend- 
ing investors a most favourable opportunity for bring- 
ing in their capital, and stamps the industry as one 
which, at the present moment, appears well worthy 
of attention. 
Your Committee regret that they are not in a posi- 
tion to give you estimates of crops for 1895, several 
proprietors of estates being unwilling that these par- 
ticulars should be published. It is worthy of note, 
as showing that confidence in coffee is not confined 
to Europeans, that during the past year a very large 
area has been planted in coffee all over the Htate by 
Javanese, Malays and Chinese. Iu fact, so much 
coffee is now being actually gathered bv natives in 
the District of Klang, that 'a Coffee Curing Company 
has been started there by Mr. HiiUeubach, audit is 
understood that the Manager. Mr. Gibson, has on 
many occasions been offered more coffee than he 
could possibly put through. 
At a geneial meeting held on 17th February, it 
was unanimously decided to invite Mr. A. R. Venn- 
ing, an old Ceylon planter himself, and at present 
the employer of a number of Javanese in the Govern- 
ment Gardens, to become an honorary member of 
the Association. In the letter of acceptance which 
was received from him, Mr. Venning intimated that 
he was still as deeply interested in planting as ever, 
and particularly in planting operations in Selangor, 
and your Committee feel sure that Mr. Venning s 
attendance at our meetings, besides ensuring to us 
his active assistance when such is possible, will go 
far to convince at least one member of the Govern- 
ment that the Association endeavours on all occasions 
to conduct its discussions in a moderate and fair spirit. 
Forest land in the District of Klang, which has for 
some time attra ted the attention of planters, is no 
longer to be obtained except at auction sale, and quit- 
rents, throughout the State have been raised from 25 
cents to 50 cents per acre. The Klang blocks to be 
sold in the early part of 1895 have all been surveyed 
by Government and, in addition, the construction of 
leading canals for drainage purposes has been promised. 
The Government have thus shown a desire to help the 
investing public over several initial difficulties, and 
the result of the sales will be a good indication as to 
how far these innovations commend themselves. It 
has been stated that in future not more than 320 acres 
will be granted to any one applicant except by right of 
purchase at auction sale, but your Committee, whilst 
recommending that a definite assurance should be ob- 
tained from the Gow rnment upon this point, have 
reasons to believe that a much larger area can still be 
obtained outside the Klang District, upon application 
to the Governor through the Resident. 
Alterations in Land Code. — An endeavour was made, 
culminating in a petition to H.E. the Governor, to 
bring about certain alterations in the Land Code, but 
altogether without success, and it is now on record 
that the Government declines to guarantee to plan- 
ters any sort of privacy or freedom fioni outside in- 
terference at the hands of miners, who may desire 
to work tin on the planters' land, though all the 
planter ask for is the option of working the tin him- 
self. It was also represent that there was no ade- 
quate provision in the Code for the equitable assess- 
ment of land acquired by Government for public 
purposes, but although the Chief Magistrate, 
who is not, and, is never likely to be an expert, 
has the absolute right to award any sum he chooses 
for land so acquired, irrespective of the assessors, 
valuation, and although the owner of the land has 
no right of appeal against his award, unless it be for 
$1,000 or less, still the Government is of opinion that 
such an entirely one-sided arrangement is equitable 
to all parties. It can only be hoped that the time is 
not far distant when the cultivation of coffee may fairly 
claim to be as important an industry to the State 
as tin-mining is now, and that the occasion may 
never arise which will justify any accusation that 
private land has been acquired by the Government 
at other than a fair and just valuation. 
Statistics of Estates in Selangob. 
j- 
^3 § Labour. 
Names of Estates. so > 6 _ jp 
cx-3 • on ? _ 2 • 
Ps g C^gcSj 
A eh § S >1eh 
22 Estate Totals . . 2,802 938 181 254 " 1.373 
16 Returns for 1893. . 1,0.-9 465 4S 88 601 
6 Increase in 1894 .. 1,713 473 133 166 
772 
