832 
i^HE TROPICAL AGKlbULTURIST. 
[Junk 1, 1900. 
£ B. a. 
To which has to be added the balance 
brought forward from 1898 .. 50O 9 5 
£8,401 11 2 
An Interim Dividend of 3 
per cent was paid on 
30th September, 1899 
absorbing .. £1,957 16 0 
And the Directors now 
propose to deal witli the 
balance as follows — 
(1) In writing off from 
coat of properties as 
Depreciation of Machi- 
nery, &c. ... 1,000 0 0 
(2) In payrnent of a 
final Diviileud (free 
of Income Tax) of 5 
per cent (making 8 
per cent for the year) 3,263 0 0 
,:,(3) In carryingforward 
, to next year the 
,i ■ balance of .. 2,180 18 2 
. £8,401 14 2 
These figures compare very favourably with 
the results for the season 1898, when the total 
dividend paid was 7 per cent, £300 was written 
off for JJepreciation, and £500 9s 5d carried 
forward. The prollb now available would ad- 
mit of the payment of a larger dividend than is 
proposed, but the Directors consider it prudent 
and desirable to utilise the present favourable 
opportunity forstrengthening the financial position 
of the Company by making a substantial deduc- 
tion from the cost of properties and by retaining a 
large balance in hand. 
Tiie following table gives the acreages and 
results for the year : — 
.9 w tc _di rL.S i> j5 
Estate. 55 ^ 
.a §.3 Working 
° T; a a-a » Profit. 
<1 -ri . , . - ^ _ 
£ s. d. 
'Aberdeen 3i7 139,3G1 402 24-Gl 5-68 9B8 3 3 
Calsay 3'2 171,577 488 27-1(5 7-23 2,009 1 10 
Duakeld 517 207,296 401 29-18 6 59 1,589 1 4 
Lnccombe 550 219,184 399 29-38 O'OS 1,181 12 0 
i^hornlieldand 
Gleneagleg 457 217,912 542 28-20 8-14 3,691 13 3 
RadellR- 405 202,452 500 26-87 7-19 2,670 4 2 
2,623 1,187,782 452 27-80 6-96 12,109 15 10 
From t!ie above particulars it will be seen 
that all the estates liave done well, Aberdeen 
and Luccoiube exhibiting a considerable improve- 
ment on tlic previous year's working, owing_ to 
tlio higher range of values established this season 
for low-grade teas. 
Tiie total acreage of the estates as on 1st 
January, 190O, was as follows : — ■ 
Acreage under Tea. 
Estate. 
Aberdeen 
Calsay 
Dunkeld 
■in 
342 
481 
■-2 .9 o .S 
^/a ©.a 
— 14 
10 13 
36 — 
Luccombi 550 — 
Thornfield and 
Glcneagles 457 — 
UdaKadeila 367 38 
Keholgama — — 
7 
67 
361 
365 
517 
550 
464 
462 
S £ ^< 
O (O 
119 480 
22 387 
79 596 
200 750 
48 
93 
322 
512 
555 
322 
2.644 
84 91 2,719 
The prospects in Ceylon for the current yea 
are favourable, aiid the Directors look forward 
with confidence to satisfactory results fioiu this 
.season's operations. 
In accordance with the articles of Association, 
Mr. J Bell-Irving retires from the Board at 
this meeting, ant', being eligible, otters him.self 
for re-election. .'. 
Messrs. W B Peat & Co. also ofter themselves 
for re-aiii)()intment as Auditors to the Coniiiany — 
By order of the Board, 
April 11 th. W, H. Bartlett, Secretary, 
STANDARD TEA COM!- ANY (CEYLON) Ltd. 
KEPOKT FOR 1899. 
The Profit and Loss Account siiows a profit on 
the working of the Estates in Ceylon of £12,524 
lOr. 6d, wiiicli with amount brought forward 
from last year, less interest and lioine charges, 
shows a sum of £11,4-25 Os. Id. available ••for 
division. 
In August, 1899, tiie Directors, under the powers 
entrusted to them, distributed an interim dividend 
for the six months ending 30th June, 1899, of 5 
per cent. (10 per cent, per annum), absorbing 
£2,915. 
They now recomended a Dividend at the rate 
of 10 per cent, (making 15 per cent, for the year) 
absorbing £5,950 ; the placing £1,000 against re- 
serve, and £700 against depreciation ; and the 
carrying forward to tlie next year £800 Os. Id. 
The Coffee ci-op was 393 cwt.; it realised 
about £1,100. 
The average Exchange for the Company as draw 
ers in Colombo was 1/4 9-32, against 1/4 5-.32 
in 1898, and l/.S 15-32 in 1897. 
Fine teas were again lower in price this , las 
season. Uda Pussellawa Teas sokl in Mincing 
Lane in 1899 averaged Id per lb. lower tiian the 
preceding year. 
The new Factory on Gordon, to deal with the 
produce of that Estate and Tnlloes, was; in work- 
ing order on 28th Match, 1899. 
The Directors have not issued any cf tlie Pre- 
ference Shares authorised ; as money became 
dearer last year, and in consequence there wa- 
little to be gained by disturbing existing arranges 
ments and substifuting Preference Shares for the 
loans. 
The Company's Properties at the close of 1899 
were 3,465 acres, with 1,919 acres of Tea con- 
sidered in full bearing, viz : — 
la Uda Pnssellawa— St. Leonard's, Coneygar , 901 
acres399 acres Tea bearing. 
Liddesdale 814 acres 145 acres Tea bearing. 
Bskdale 240 „ 220 
Gordon 386 „ 304 
Tnlloes 419 „ 237 ,, 
In Up. Maskeliya— Gouravilla and Up. Crudeu 705 
acres, 614 acres Tea bearing. 
Tiiere are also 405 acres Tea in partial bearing, 
and some 160 acres in addition planted with Tea. 
On St. Leonards. Liddesdale and Gordon 
Estates there is still some Coiree interspersed 
through the Tea. 
Mr. Alexander Brooke, the Director who retires 
by rotation, being eligible, oilers himself for re- 
election. By Order, A. Tkaffoed BeookE, - 
25, Fenchurch Street, Secretary, 
London, UtU April, 1900, 
