98 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST, 
[August  i,  1892. 
best  suited  to  our  requirements  ; and  nothing  should 
induce  us  to  depart  from  it. 
I was  informed  by  the  Madras  Government  that 
the  restrictive  quarantine  rules  enforced  at  the  Ceylon 
porta  were  doing  great  harm  to  free  emigration ; 
and*  moreover,  the  complete  and  sudden  stoppage 
about  February  1890,  of  all  access  through  the  North- 
ern parts  had  thrown  thousands  of  coolies  back  on 
their  own  resources;  given  the  country  a bad  name, 
and  altogether  done  incalculable  injury  to  the  poor 
emigrant,  as  well  as  the  Ceylon  Planter. 
At  Tanjore  and  its  neighbourhood  I met  many  old 
Ceylon  Canganies  and  Coolies  and  first  got  into  the 
regular  stream  of  emigration  Ceylon  ward. 
It  was  a purprise  to  me  to  learn  from  the  Collector 
of  Tanjore,  that  many  coolies  who  used  to  go  formerly 
from  these  parts  to  Ceylon  are  now  in  Burmah,  or  the 
Straits  Settlements,  but  he  could  give  no  explicit 
reason  for  this  change  further  thau  he  beard  it  was 
owing  to  the  Quarantine  rnles  enf  orced  at  Ceylon  ports. 
My  surprise  was  turned  into  astonishment  when  the 
annexed  table  of  imigration  from  Tanjore  ports  was 
showD  me.  The  full  table  and  the  corrected  one  are 
annexed, — bmt,  taking  the  totals  for  21  months,  about 
80,000  emigrants  from  Tanjore  ports  to  Burmah  aod 
the  Strait  Settlements  against  10,000  to  Ceylon.  This 
shows  a serious  discrepancy  against  us  and  a steady 
falling  off  month  by  month  against  Ceylon,  and  in  favour 
of  our  rivals. 
Negapatam  is  50  miles  from  TaDjore  and  is  the  chief 
seaport  for  the  district.  It  is  a town  of  considerable 
size  and  importance,  and  probably  contains  100,000 
inhabitants.  I made  npmy  mind  to  proceed  there  from 
Tanjore  and  go  fully  into  the  emigration  question  with 
Messrs  Adamson  McTaggart  Co.,  agents  for  B.  I.  S.  N. 
Co.,  at  Negapatam,  Tondi  and  Tuticorin. 
Mr.  McTaggart,  the  head  of  the  firm,  takes  great 
interest  in  the  Ceylon  labour  question  ; and  induced 
the  shipping  Company  to  put  on  the  ‘‘  Amra”  which  now 
runs  most  successfully  from  Tuticorin  to  Colombo;  and 
also  another  Steamer  Ihe  ‘•Afka”  between  Negapatam, 
Tondi  and  Paumben  to  Colombo. 
Both  these  lines  have  been  a great  boon  to  the 
emigrant,  and  the  former  has  proved  an  immense 
suocess,  hut  the  latter  only  a partial  one  owing  to 
the  Quarantine  rules. 
The  “Afka”  for  want  of  traffic  was  taken  off  for 
sometime,  but  Mr.  McTaggart  promised  she  should 
resume  running  shortly  and  be  agreed  to  reduce  the 
fare  for  Coolies  from  4 to  R3  per  head  from  Nega- 
patam and  Tondi  to  Ceylon.  So  there  will  be  a uniform 
rate  of  R3  per  head  for  deck  passage  from  Negapatam, 
Tondi,  and  Tuticorin  to  Coloml  o ; which  might,  with 
advantage  be  reduced  presently  to  R2  per  head  cr 
even  less. 
I found  the  Negapatam  B.  I.  S.  N.  Co.  Agents  very 
bitter  against  the  Ceylon  Quarantine  rules  ; and  the 
way  in  which  they  are  administered.  Indeed  they  are 
not  singular  in  this  respect ; for  wherever  1 went,  the 
lame  ory  of  abuse  from  officials  as  well  as  non-officials, 
against  our  obsolete  Quarantine  rules  and  obstructive 
policy  followed  me. 
I was  met  on  all  sides  with  the  same  inquiry,: — viz. 
“That  as  neither  Burmah,  Rangccrr,  Penang,  or  Singa- 
pore have  or  require  these  restrictive  regulatii  ns,  why 
should  Ceylon  need  them  more  than  places  equally 
large  and  important  as  herself  r ” 
As  far  as  lam  capable  of  judging  Quarantine  appear 
of  little  practical  use,  its  only  effect  is  (o  restrict  com- 
merce and  free  intercourse,  and  it  is  quite  out  of  date  ; 
and  it  is  our  duty  to  modify,  if  not  entirely  remove 
those  barriers  which  have  been  ere  ted  by  prejudice  and 
ignorance. 
However,  after  full  enquiry  from  numerous  sources, 
there  is  not  a doubt  in  nay  mind,  these  restrictive 
rules  have  cost  the  agricultural  inte.csts  of  Cejlon 
many  thousands  of  coolies;  and  that  it  is  mainly  to 
this  cause  that  the  shortness  o?  labour  during  1890- 
91  is  asoribable. 
Ceylon’s  troubles  in  this  respect  date  from  the 
stopping  of  the  North  Road.  I think  in  February  1890. 
&nd  its  disastrous  consequences  are  only  too  well  known 
to  need  repetition  bore. 
The  B.  I,  S.  N.  Co. .Agents  at  Negf.patam  gave  me 
copies  of  correspondence  with  the  Ceylon  Government 
on  the  Quarantine  question,  together  with  a memo  of 
their  own  opinions  and  experiences  of  the  same,  all  of 
which  are  annexed  hereto. 
If  the  Ceylon  Government  cannot  see  its  way  to 
remove,  or  at  all  events  greatly  modify  these  rnles, 
then  no  time  should  be  lost  in  starting  a new  port  of 
call,  eav  at  Negombo  on  the  mouth  of  Kelani  where 
the  Tamils  could  be  landed  free  of  all  restrictions,  and 
if  is  found  absolutely  necessary  put  into  Quarantine 
on  shore.  If  this  suggestion  is  found  impracticable 
then  a floating  Quarantine  might  be  started  in  the 
Colombo  harbour. 
The  old  districts,  from  which  we  have  heretofore 
drawn  our  principal  Labour  supply  are  Tanjore, 
Madras.  Trichiuopoly  and  Tinn&velly ; and  comprise 
a population  of  about  10  milbous.  They  are  so  near 
Ceylon  that  the  cooly  can  get  over  with  ease,  and 
at  a small  cost  of  money  and  time;  hence  the  traffic 
between  the  South  ports  and  Ceylon  is  constantand 
mutually  advantageous  to  the  people  of  both  countries. 
At  certain  seasons  of  the  year,  when  labour  is  iu 
demand  the  labouring  classes  of  the  Southern  di  trict 
flock  over  to  Ceylon  ; and  when  they  have  worked 
for  some  months,  and  saved  a few  Rupees  return  again 
to  their  own  native  villages  to  assist  in  harvesting 
the  crop  or  ploughing  their  ancestral  fields. 
This  free  emigration  is  an  admirable  system  ; gives 
confidence  to  the  employer  and  employed  ; and  keeps 
up  the  steady  flow  of  labourers  between  the  two 
countries;  and  it  should  be  fostered  in  every  possible 
way  by  both  Governments. 
There  can  be  no  doubt  that  private  and  publio 
works  are  on  the  increase  all  over  Southern  India. 
The  cultivated  area  is  also  steadily  advancing  year  by 
year.  Money  is  more  plentiful  than  it  used  to  be, 
and  it  is  the  general  opinion  of  native  officials  with 
whom  I came  in  contact  that  ere  long  wages  must 
rise  all  over  the  Presidency.  They  have  already  done 
eo  where  commerce  and  modern  industries  are  centred. 
At  present  a cooly  earns  from  3 to  4 annas  according 
to  locality  against  our  6 to  7 anna9  per  diem;  but  it 
roust  be  borne  in  mind  to  Ceylon’s  credit,  that  work 
and  wages  here  are  steady  and  uniform,  whilst  in  India 
they  vary  much  according  to  circumstances  and  locality. 
There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  best  attention  of  the 
Planters’  Association  should  be  turned  towards  making 
the  journey  for  the  cooly  to  arid  from  Ceylon  as  easy, 
cheap  and  attractive,  as  possible  ; and  with  that 
object  in  view  an  important  meeting  was  held  at 
Trichiuopoly  on  19:h  February  consisting  of  Mr.  W.  S. 
Betts,  Managing  Agent  for  S.  I.  Railway,  Mr.  H.B; 
MacTaggart  representing  Managing  Agent  B.  I.  S.  N. 
Co.,  Calcutta,  and  myself. 
Annexed  will  be  found  a copy  of  what  transpired, 
and  the  arrangements  entered  into  subject  to  the 
approval  of  the  Ceylon  Government  and  B.  I.  S.  N. 
Co. 
Our  object  was  to  amalgamate  rates  and  grant 
through  tiikets.  For  instance,  say  a cooly  arrives  at 
Chittoor  Station,  and  demands  a ticket  for  Nanuoya  ; 
he  would  be  provided  with  a through  paes  which  would 
cover  the  s’eamer  across  as  well  as  the  railway  journey 
up  to  Nnnuoya  ; and  besides  this,  he  would  be  protected 
and  taken  care  of  the  whole  way  through,  instead  of 
being  robbed  and  i 11  treated  eu  route  under  the  present 
no  method. 
The  cost  of  the  land  journey  would  be  exactly  1 cent 
per  mile,  and  lie  could  choose  between  2 routes  from 
Chittoor  to  Colombo,  as  follows  : — 
Chituor  to  Negapatam  peri  ail  R3 
0 
0 
Steamer  fare  to  Colombo 
„ 3 
0 
0 
Total 
R6 
0 
0 
Chittoor  to. Tutioorin  per  rail 
R4 
13 
0 
Steamer  faro  to  Colombo 
- 3 
0 
0 
Total 
R7 
13 
0 
