C>2-2 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[March 1, 1901.. 
was 23-lS cents per lb. The gross income derived 
from manufacturing tea for other estates was 
Rll,975 90. 
Allowing for Depreciation on the same scale as last 
year, the amount at credit of Profit and Loss Account 
for the year's working is B79,989'3<1 equal to 21 '30 per 
cent on the Capital of the Company, to which must be 
added a sum of R2,794'58 brought forward from last 
year, bringing up the total at credit of Profit and Loss 
Account to R82,783-92. An Interim J)ividend of 7 
per cent was paid on 30th July last, absorbing K26.250. 
The Directors now recommend the payment of a final 
dividend of 13 per cent, making 20 per cent for the 
year ; that a sum of R.5,000 be transferred to the 
Reserve Fund for the equalization of Dividends, and 
that the balance of R2,783-92 be carried forward to the 
current season's account. 
The estimate for this year is 343,750 lb. Tea on an 
expenditure of RS2,092 39, including a sum of E6,220 
for manuring. 
During the year under review Messrs. Alston and 
Poison resigned their seats on leaving the Island, and 
their places were taken by Hon. Mr. W H Figg and 
the late Mr. A E Wright, at whose loss the Directors 
desire to record their deep regret. Mr. Jas. Forbes 
was Appointed to fill the vacancy thus caused on the 
Board. 
In terms of the Articles of Association the Hon. Mr. 
W H Figg retires by rotation from the office of Direc- 
ort, but is eligible for re-election. 
The Bppointment of an Auditor will rest with the 
Meeting. — By order of the Directors, 
Whittall & Co., Agents and Secretaries. 
Colombo, 25th January, 1901. 
CEYLON MINING A.ND THE 
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 
We omitted the other day to refer to 
the promised Geologioal Survey of Ceylon 
as an indispensable preliminary to the devel- 
opment of the mining industry of the 
Colony. When this Survey is completed, 
the Government will be much better able 
to revise and formulate definite regulations. 
— In this connection we may refer to the 
discussion following on the reading of a 
Paper on "Metalliferous Mining in India" 
by Dr. Evans (ex-State Geologist and Chief 
Inspector of Mmes in Mysore) before the 
Society of Arts. We quote as follows - 
Mr. Alexander Rogers writes :— At the conclusion 
of the discussion on Dr Evans' paper yesterday I said 
that I had intended to lead the discussion in a new 
direction, but that I refrained from doing so because 
the lateness of the hour would not permit of my ex- 
patiating properly on the subject. I now write to ex- 
plain what my subject was, and to call attention to 
the subject of the mining regulations issued by the 
Goveinment of India, which appear to me admirably 
calculated to crush all mining enterprise, instead of 
encouraging people to develop India's great mineral 
resources, as they should do. This is specially the case 
in the part of Central India wl.ioh has not been map- 
ped in the Geological Survey map of the c untry, as 
it is here particularly that there is the largest field 
open for research. It is all more or less under the 
charge or administration of political agents, who, aa 
a rule, are military officers or men whose studies have 
not led them to inquire into such subjects. The 
greater, therefore, ia the necessity for encouraging 
the efforts of outsiders to ascertain and develop the 
resources which at present are lying dormant for want 
of exploitation. I propose now to give you an in- 
stance, which I can personally vouch for, of the 
method in which the supposed intention of the Govern- 
ment of India to open out the country is acted up to 
locally. There are two villages on the outskirts of 
a low range of hills in the Rava Kanta political 
agency to the north-east of Baroda, which contain- 
extensive deposito of the finest iron. Having dia 
covered those valuable deposits, which are particnlarJy 
rich in the villages mentioned above, I applied for a 
prospecting licence in them with a view to temporarily 
keep other prospectors out of the field, and suggested 
that a small sum of 50 rupees should be paid in each 
village. I received an answer that I had not complied 
with the rules of the Government of India by fixing 
on the exact spot where operations were to be carried 
out. 1 could not have done this without the advice 
of a mining expert. It was then suggested that the 
difficulty could be met by taking licences for the 
whole area of the two villages, which had never been 
surreyed, at the rate of 4 annas an acre. The esti- 
mated area came to 1.800 acres, so that the amoont 
demanded was 450 rupees, in addition to IfO as a 
deposit on each licence, or a total of 650. which 
would only have protected me for a single year. I 
wrote to expostulate with the Supreme Government, 
and was fiually offered by the Government of Bombay 
licences at 1 anna, in place of 4 annas an acre; that 
is, for 350 instead of 650. This has been finally 
declined, and 1 only bring it forward in order to 
thow the penny-wise-and-pound-foolish policy that 
is being pursued, a policy which appears to me well 
calculated to stop all mining enterprise. Prospecting 
or exploration licences of the protective character 
asked for should, I think, be granted gratis, some 
kind of security only being required in order to pro- 
vide against wilful injury to any property having an 
appreciable money value on the part of prospectors 
or explorers. I will not go fun her at present to inquire 
into the condition for mining licenses offered by 
the rules, but would suggest that such mining firms 
as J. Taylor and Sons should be consulted on the 
subject, especially with regard to such particalcrs 
as that no two shafts should be sunk within a certain 
distance of each other. 
Dr. Evans: — I cannot concur in Mr. Rogers's 
censure of the Indian mining regnlations. They may 
not be perfect but compare not unfavourably with 
those of other countries, if any one interested in 
mining believes a particular region to possess mineral 
wealth, he can take out an exploring licence at a cost, 
which varies in different parts of India, but never 
exceeds ten rupees. This gives him, it is true, no 
definite rights, but it is expressly laid down that in 
considering rivnl claims for mining concessions. " due 
regard will be liad to operations conducted under cover 
of an exploring licence." If a valuable deposit is 
found, but the limit of its occurrence cannot at once 
be readily determined, a prospecting licence may be 
taken out over a comparatively larger tract till a 
proper survey can be made. When this is completed, 
the licensee is entitled to a formal mining lease of the 
block he ultimately decides to select. In most other 
mining countries not only is the amount of mining 
land which the prospector can take up much less, 
but he can acquire no rights till he has actually 
" pegged out " the boundaries of this small area. Mr. 
Rjgers would have been far worse off in Australia, 
for instance, for there he would have had no means 
of safeguarding his rights while waiting for the 
arrival of his mining expert. I cannot regard a penny 
an acre, amounting altogether to £7 lOs., as an ex- 
orbitant charge for obtaining preferential rights over 
nearly three square miles for a whole year. The RlOO 
£16 13s. 4d ) is only in the nature of a deposit. 
A LABORATORY IN COURSE OF CONSTRUCTION.— 
" At liakgala, we have jusc learnt," a Nu'.vara 
Eliya correspondent writes to ua, " that a labora- 
tory is being buih ac the Gardens with .1 
special view to Research work being car- 
ried on there, as well as at Peradeniya, by 
Professors who come out to Ceylon for that pur- 
pose. Rooms are also to be put up adjoining the 
laboratory for the scientists to stay in. So far 
only the timber is being felled ready for the 
building, but they hope to have the work in haqcl 
slior tly." 
