the serious mortality which, after all, and when all 
deductions are taken into account, results from the 
two forms of African fever.* 
There is nothing here — nor in the very unpleasant 
experience in the lower districts and on the river of 
our critical correspondent — that, in our opinion, 
ought to frighten Ceylon planters, 'i hey have not 
only the fact of Mr. Johnston's own experience ; 
but that of Mr. Buchanan who has been out in 
Nyassaland, we suppose, quite fifteen years; while 
Mr. Moir and our own correspondent have afforded 
unequivocal testimony to the climate on the 
hills— the latter in the letter which we 
publish elsewhere today. So far then, as 
'"health" is concerned, we think Mr. Carr-on's 
comparison in his letter published yesterday, 
a very just one ; and we fully believe that 
under proper care and cultivation, coffee will 
grow as well in Nyassaland as it did in average 
districts in Ceylon — if not in " Uva," which old 
Dr. Thwaites' at one time said " was made' for 
coffee, just as coffee was made for Uva." 
DRAYTON (CEYLON) ESTATES COMPANY, 
LIMITED. 
GENERAL MEETING. 
The general meeting of the shareholders of this 
Company was held at No. 11 Baillie Street today. 
Present : — Mr. V. A. Julius (in the chair), Messrs. 
A. R. Wilson-Wood, H. Whitham, W. S. Forster 
(by Attorney), E. H. King-Harman and R. C. Grant 
by proxy. 
' The Chaiuman moved the adoption of the Report 
of the directois and statement of accounts to ;ilst 
December 1894, and a discussion took place with 
regard to same ; and in view of the representations 
made by shareholders, it was proposed by the Chair- 
man that the sum of 1115,000 be not placed to re- 
serve, but carried forward to next year. This was 
seconded by Mr. A. R. Wilson-Wood, and the 
report and accounts as amended were adopted. 
2. Proposed by Mr. H. Whitham, seconded by Mr. 
A. R,. Wilson-Wood and carried " That a dividend 
of 9 per cent. — making with the int. div. of 5 
per cent. 14 per cent, for the year — be declared, and 
paid forthwith." 
3. A letter from Mr. J. N. Campbell regretting 
his inability to offer himself for re-election as 
Director Having been read, it was proposed by Mr. 
H. Whitham, seconded by Mr. A. R. Wilson-Wood 
and carried " That Mr. A. W. S. Sackville be elected 
a Director in the place of Mr. J. N. Campbell." 
4. Mr. Hercules J. Scott was appointed Auditor. 
The following is the directors' report : — 
The Directors Beg '" submit the annexed balance sheet 
and profit and loss account fur the year ending 31st 
December 1894, which have been duly audited. 
After providing fur depreciation of buildings and machi- 
nery and writing olF the remaining two-thirds of cost of 
transfer and preliminary expenses, the balance of profit 
available is KS1,S14'35. The Directors propose that a 
dividend of nine per cent., making with the interim 
dividend of five per cent, fourteen per cent, for the year, 
lie declared, and a sum of 1115,01111 be placed to reserve 
and the balance R2,464'35 be carried forward to next 
year's account. 
The crop of tea secured was :i:i!),:i(Mt lb. against an estimate 
of 315,000 lb., and there were also 2(i,0U0 lb. tea made 
from bought leaf. 
The total cost of the 865,800 lb. tea, including bought 
leaf anil deducting profit on tea made for others, was 
26*67 cents per lb. exclusive of depreciation ; and estimating 
03 cents for lea unsold tin' nctt value realised was O.'i tiO 
cents, leaving a profit of 37 '03. 
27 acres tea were planted last season, and 25 acres arc 
cleared for planting. 
The coffee crop realised li 1 ,l.'i7 0:', anil the coffee has 
How been all cut out. 
* The unhealthiest months of the year for Euro- 
peans are undoubtedly May (when fcLe stagnant water 
of the rainv season is drying up), 'Inly (when the 
cold winds begin) and January (which is usually the 
hoight of the rains), -11. II. J. 
The Company's properties consist of— 
Ohayton :— Acres. 
Cleared for Planting . . 15 
Tea in hearing • . 674 
Young tea • - • .80 
Grass Land - . -8 
Timber - . . - 10 
Forest - . . -17 
Waste Roads, &c. • • - 79 
YUILLEl'IELD :— 
Tea in Bearing - . -200 
Cleared for Planting - . 10 
Forest and Timber • ■ 1ft 
Waste - - - -8 
Total - - 1,110 
The estimated crop for 1895 is 330,000 lb. 
Mr. J. N. Campbell retires from the Board by rotation, 
and is eligible for re-election as a.Director.— By order of 
the Boar 1 of Directois, H. \VhithaM, Secretary. 
COFFEE IN BRITISH CENTRAL AFRICA. 
The latest news is in the B C A. Gazette of 
Feb. 4th ; as follows : — 
Satisfactory prices have been realized on the sales 
of the past years coffee crop from British Central 
Africa. The crop at present on the trees, through- 
out the country, is a heavy one ; and the coffee ex- 
port of 1895 should more than double that of 1894, 
which was 74 tons (that of 1893 being 42 tons.) 
With the large increase in Export of coffee which 
can be now definitly looked forward to in the years 
1895 — 6 — 7, a really serious question is presenting 
itself to Planters in this country. The whole coffee 
crop requires to be sent down-river in the months 
of August, September and October. To send coffee 
away from the Shire Highlands later than November 
1st is to run risks of damage from rain on the jour- 
ney. The experience of shippers during the past 
season has been that it is almost impossible to send 
large quantities of perishable goods down the river to 
Tshiromo in the months of September and October 
the river is then at its lowest and no steamers, or 
barges of any size, can safely ply. During the past 
season, a barge loaded with coffee was sunk, and 
consignments were also damaged during the previous 
year. When it is borne in mind that even during 
the coffee exporting season of the now cm-rent year 
there will probably be some 200 tons to transport 
down to Tshiromo, and that each year will largely 
increase the export, it will be seen that a very serious 
question has to be quickly faced. Hitherto it has 
been supposed that some person or persons un- 
known were going to supply this Protectorate with 
a railway from Tshiromo to Blantyre, without the 
need for any exertion, expense, or trouble, on the 
part of residents in the country. We trust they may 
do so : but it looks highly probable that they wont : 
and this being the case it behoves settlers in R.C. 
A. to bestir themselvs on this question more than they 
hive done hitherto. Up to the present, endeavours 
in this direction have been mostly confined to criti- 
cisms of the routes which the Railway builders 
were supposed to be going to follow. The question 
really is, if settlers in B. C. A. are left to shift for 
themselves in this matter, Hon- are the coffee crop's <>/ 
1896 — 7 goint) to he carried to Tshiromo'! And it 
would appear to us that some speedy and really 
united action is necessary ; otherwise the time will 
be quickly upon us when we shall find the country 
full of coffee which there is no hope of getting to 
the coast before the rains: and there is little doubt 
] th.it any coffee kept in the country during the damp 
months will suffer in colour and quality, and consc* 
quently in value. 
Under any circumstances it is not possible to use 
boats and canoes, for the tiansport Of Coffee on such 
a river as the Shire between Tshiromo and Katunera, 
without serious risks which will cither prohibit in- 
surance, or render necessary the payment of very 
high premiums. 
We learn from Mr. John Moir. of Lauderdale Estate, 
Mlanjo, that the rainfall on that estate for the 865 
I days, ending with January 1895 was 101 inches, This 
