May 1, 1900,1 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
T59 
PROPOSED NEW DOCK CHARGES IN 
LONDON. 
A statement issued by tlie London Chamber of 
Commerce reads : — " When powers were originally 
given to the dock companies of London it was 
provided, in order to maintain the freedom of 
the port, that lighters and craft should have free 
entry into the docks to deliver or discharge bal- 
last or goods to or from on board of vessels lying 
therein. At tlie beginning of last year, however, 
certain rates were imposed by the dock companies 
on coastwise craft engaged in this work. Under 
the auspices of the London Chamber of Comnierce 
(Cement Trade Section) the action of Burham 
Brick, Lime and Cement Company, Limited, v. 
the London and India Docks Joint Com- 
mittee was thereupon brought before Mr. 
Justice Mathew in the Queen's Bench Division, 
when it was decided that the new charges on 
sailing barges employed ' in carrying cement and 
other goods from the Upper Medway to be dis- 
charged into ships lying in the defendants' 
docks, and in receiving goods from ships lying- 
in such docks' were 'wrongfully demanded,' 
and ' must be repaid.' Parliamentary powers are 
now being sought by the Dock Companies to 
impose dues of this nature, and, if obtained, it 
is estimated that the trade of London may be 
burdened with an additional contribution to the 
companies of over £700,000 per annum. As the 
dock dues, rates, and charges already levied in 
London are alleged to be heavier than at any 
other port in the kiagdom or on the Continent, 
any further addition to the present high charges 
would be disastrous to the trade of London. 
Already notices have been issued by foreign 
commission houses warning their clients of the 
intended increase of London charges, and re- 
commending transhipping services at Antwerp, 
Hamburg, or Rotterdam. A similar course was 
adopted during the great dock strike of 1889-90, 
which, as is well-known led up to the holding 
of stocks abroad, and the merchant when sell- 
ing goods to the London market oi'dered lots 
by wire, to the detriment of London warehouse- 
keepers. Should the dock bills become law this 
course would most probably again be adopted. 
Amongst other public and mercantile bodies 
opposed to these bills as now drawn are the 
following : — The Corporation of the City of Lon- 
don, the London County Council, Association of 
Master Lightermen and Barge Owners, General 
Produce Bi'okers' Association, Wharfingers' 
Warehouse Keepers' and Granary Keepers' Asso- 
ciation, London Flour Trade Association, Home 
and Foreign Produce Exchange, Limited, Whole- 
sale Spice and Rice Dealers' Association, Indian 
Tea Association, Tea Buyers' Association, Ceylon 
Association, London Corn Trade Association, 
Barge Owners' Protection Society, Colonial Wool 
Merchants' Association, Short Sea Traders' Asso- 
ciation, Wine and Spirit Association. Every effort 
is consequently being made to oppose the bills 
now before Parliament, or to have them re- 
ferred to a Parliamentary Committee, with 
power to consider the whole subject of port 
administration." — Home & Colonial Mail, Mar. 9. 
— 
GUANO IN SEYCHELLES. 
Writing from London on March 9th, 
Mr. .Tohn Hughes says :—" Probably Ceylon 
planters are not awaie that in certain 
of the oiit-lying islands of the Seychelles 
there ai'e deposits of Phosphatic Guano 
which from its comjiosition is specially 
suitable as an ingredient of a good Tea 
manure. Already a few cargoes have 
been delivered in this country and samples 
have been submitted to me for analysis, so 
that I can testify to the quality from per- 
sonal knowledge. I understand that this 
guano has been used for sugar-cane in 
Mauritius in conjnnction with sulphate of 
ammonia, the two materials making an ex- 
cellent mixture ; for the guano itself con- 
tains only about Irj per cent of ammonia 
and requires more nitrogen in the form cf 
sulphate of ammonia to be added in order 
to render the mixture suitalile for sugar-cane. 
It is intended to develop the working of 
this deposit, and no doubt the guano will 
be brought to the notice of Ceylon planters, 
as the material is in my opinion admirably 
adapted for tea manures for, it is not too 
stimulating like Peruvian and other highly 
nitrogenous guanos, which are quite un- 
suitable for tea and coffee. It would be 
interesting to hear whether there is 
any local knowledge of this Seychelles 
Guano, and the object of these few lines is 
to direct attention to the matter for further 
inquiry." 
THE LVIPERIAL BUDGET AND TEA. 
We give in our daily the full report of that 
portion of the budget speech and debate refer- 
ring to our staple. From the point of view of 
the Imperial Government, it is impossible to 
find fault with the increase of the duty by 
2da lb. at this time, and no serious opposition, 
or criticism even, was offered on the pro- 
posal. The large clearances of tea in antici- 
pation of the rise, are referred to in Mes.srs. 
Gow, Wilson &\Stanton s Circular (given as a 
daily Supplement) and are also the occasion of 
the following pithv paragraph by Messrs. Geo. 
White & Co.:— 
As indicating the anxiety of the Trade to fore- 
stall any advance in the tax, 5,542,241 lb. were 
released from Bond on the 3rd, and 17,183,638 lb. 
on the 5th inst., making the unprecedented total 
for two days of 22,725,8791b., representing nearly 
£379,000 sterling. 
The disorganisation of the trade following on 
the new arrangement, caused the postpone- 
ment of the usual weekly sales. — The Rood 
Lane firm furnish us with some suggestive 
figures this time in respect of the home con- 
sumption of tea in Great Britain, showing 
how it has risen from 3"42 lb. per head 
of population in 1866 to 5-98 lb. in 1899. 
Ceylon tea only appears from 1885 when 
3,217,000 lb. were taken off, while last year 
the quantity was no less than 85,137,945 lb.! 
China tea has fallen from 97i millions lb. in 
1866 to 23.i millions lb. in 1899 ; while Indian tea 
has risen fromi.j millions lb. to 134 millions lb. 
in the same period. 
The Grape Farm.— The following letter 
is from Mr. T, J. Harris, of the Jamaica 
Public Gardens, to the Jamaica Agricultural 
Society : — 
" Sir,— I am desired by the Director of Public 
Gardens to inform you that he considers it 
necessary for me to again visit the grape farm 
at Newport, to note the progress of the vines, 
and to carry out any work that I might Ihul lo 
be necessary. He also suggests that if you 
thought of visiting the farm shortly, we may go 
together to save expense, if not I am to proceed 
alone." 
" A Grape Farm " is what should be started 
at an early date in the Northern Province of 
Ceylon to test the country for viticulture, 
