6i8 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, [March 1, 1901. 
OUR PEARL-OYSTER FISHERIES AND. MR. 
SAVILLE-KENT, 
Last mail brings us a letter from Mr- 
Saville-Kent in wliich he states that he sent 
in his application to the Colonial Office 
for the appointment to investigate our Pearl 
Oyster Fisheries, backed by a strong testi- 
monial in his favour from Lord Avebury 
(Sir John Lubbock); but Mr. Saville-Kent 
feared he was too late, though he understood 
the steps to be taken with regard to our 
Fisheries had not been finally determmed on. 
Mr. Saville-Kent adds : — 
"I certainly feel conlident that within three 
or four years, and with the assistance and support 
contiibuied by the local oilicials, very substantial 
headway inighb be made towards both the re- 
establishment of the present fisheries and tlie 
inauguration of new and, what would in all 
probability eventually prove to be, still more 
profitable ones. I have read up the pamphlets 
and reports bearing on the case kindly forwarded 
me by Mr. CoUett, and was previously in posses- 
sion of those by Mr. Edgar Thurston and others. 
Their perusal has still further convinced me that, 
■with the advantage of my previous experience, 
the difficulties to be contended with are by 
no means insuperable, and I have in fact already 
sketched out some of the earliest and most 
essential steps in my plan of campaign that I 
should propose to follow or suggest, should the 
work in any form be entrusted to me." 
CAMPHOR INDUSTRY. 
One of the chief events of the year has been the 
fruition of the Japanese Government scheme for the 
conservation of the camphor-industry, which we out- 
lined in March last. As was inevitable, the monopoly 
which was created has entirely altered the condi- 
tions of the market, the speculative market to a great 
extent having been obliterated. The price was 
originally fixed at about 180s, c.i.f. in March, but 
since then values have considerably advanced, I90s 
spot being quoted in November and "pressed" at 
2053. For fluctuations in prices the palm must be 
given to refiners of German camphor, as no fewer 
than fifteen alterations have been recorded in 
1900. On the other hand, English refiners, who 
are 'not influenced by speculators to the same 
extent only raised their prices when absolutely 
necessary, and during the twelve months there 
have only been four advances, the year opening 
at 23 and closing at 2s iiA.— Chemist and Drug- 
gist, Dec. 29. 
« — 
PHOSPHATE IN THE MALAY 
ARCHIPELAGO. 
AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY. 
A discovery of censiderable importance to India 
has been made in a remote island of the Malay 
Archipelago. To make the story plain, it is neces- 
sary to go back some years when a party 
of scientists were sailing the seas in the now 
famous vessel the " Challenger." Amongst the 
most distinguished of them was Sir John Murray 
■who has recently been in India [spending a 
week in Oeylon first.— Ed CO.] This geutleman 
had studied the ([uestion of the deposits of the 
fleep-sea bottom, and when the "Challenger" 
was off ChiiT^tnias Island a lovely place in mid- 
ocean to the South of Java, he found phosphate of 
great purity in the haul brought to the surface 
from the bottom by the deep-sea drrt''ger. Now 
phosphate is an exceedingly valuable manure 
Treated with sulphuric acid it forms the super 
phosphate that is in demand for indigo culti- 
vation. Sir John did not let the matter rest. 
Phosphate on the sea-fioor might be valuable 
but it was not easy of access. It had been formed, 
he surmised, by the dropping to the bottom, 
through countless ages, of the remains of dead 
marine animals from the two geographical zones 
that here meet each other, the intermingling of 
water of different temperatures causing the mortal- 
ity to be excessive ; the fish from the waters 
of the north unable to stand the warmth of 
southern .seas ; those fro.n the south similarly 
discomforted by the colder current. The island 
hard by might have had an analogous origin, 
so he examined it. It proved a veritable phos- 
phate heap. Negotiations were commenced 
for its annexation. But years elapsed before this 
was affected. The British marine authorities 
indeed declared, at first, that the place was 
useless, and at one time mining operations 
narrowly escaped being undertaken under Dutch 
auspices. But at last the British fiag floated 
over the possession, and a number of borings 
were made, the result fully confirming the 
sanguine expectations of the discoverer. A 
European chemist was brought out to superin- 
tend the the operations, and now large quantities 
•f phosphate are being raised at a profit. The 
matter is of more than ac.idemic interest. Not 
only does it offer jiossibiiities of supplying an 
indefinite amount of the dressing needful for 
the indigo fields, but the process of preparing 
the raw article for application means a de- 
mand for sulphuric acid which may not be 
without effect ou the question of making the 
mining of the sulphurous copper ores of Western 
Bengal remunerative. — Bombay Gazette, Jan. 27. 
TWO ISLANDS SET APART FOR 
CULTIVATION. 
From the Globe of December 21st we learn 
that the United States Department of Agri- 
culture has set aside the islands of Panay 
and Panitani in the lolo Islands for the 
cultivation of India-rubber, as the Ainerican 
supply is failing. On the other hand reports 
from South America do not indicate any 
falling-off in rubber supplies fx'om the back 
country of the Amazon aswell as the Andean 
Valleys. 
NEW TEA MARKETS SUGGESTED. 
EAST AFRICA AND FIJI. 
There are two possible openings for establishing 
a trade in our medium teas that should not escape 
notice, the one in Mombassa, in East Africa, where 
not only are there many Indian emigrants among 
whose rations teamightwellbe included, and another 
inFijijthe coolie trade to which is assuming increas- 
ing proportions. The rate of coolie pay in Mom- 
bassa is, we are informed, £1 per month, but the 
rations come up to an extra £2, while once out of 
his indentures the laborer nets a clean £5. It is 
not only among the imported labor that we may 
look for consumption but there is a steady influx 
of people from all parts, and our informant (a ship's 
officer) says that there is quite as marked a pre- 
dilection for tea as for the home-grown coffee ; the 
latter, however, owing to the cost of labor give^ 
