May 2, 1904.] THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
783 
The Board thiuk these figures very gratifying 
showing, as they do, the beat results yet attained by 
the Company. 
The crops secured during last season amounted to 
690.729 lb. Tea (including 22,107 lb. from purchased 
leaf) and -ISO cwta. 1 qt. 15 lb. Cocoa, against 509,185 
lb. Tea and 372 cwts. 2 qrs. 21 lb. Cocoa during the 
previous year. The average yield of Tea per acre was 
722 1b. against 626 1b. for 1902. The prices realised 
for the Company's Tea compare favoui ably with last 
season, being 6gd per lb in London and Sl^ cents in 
Ceylou, against 6d. and 29J cents per lb. respectively, 
while an increased income has also again been derived 
from Cocoa. The average rate of exchange for the 
year was 1/4 9-32Dds per rupee. The Board have 
sanctioned the clearing of about 50 acres of laud to hi 
planted up in Rubber, which is now being proceeded 
with, and the cost of which is included in the estimates 
for the current year. The periodical reports from the 
Company's Visiting Agent, Mv Joseph Fraser, con- 
tinue to be of a satisfactory character, and the Board 
take this opportunity of expressing their appreciation 
of the good work done in the Company's interests by 
their Ceylon Manager, Mr James Anderson. Some 
holders of the part-paid Shares having expressed the 
desire to have the opportunity given them of paying 
np the uncalled balance of £5 per share, the fioard 
decided last December to give Shareholders this 
option, the money received to be utilised in reduction 
of the Debenture Loan, against which the uncalled 
liability stands as security. In response to the cir- 
cular issued on the subject, replies were received from 
the holders of 634 Shares accepting the option, atid 
£3,170 has been paid up in respect of these Shares. 
Out of this amount £1,500 Debentures were paid ofi 
on Ist January, and the balance, £1,670, has in the 
meantime been deposited in the names of Trustees to 
be similarly utilised on the Ist July next. In accor- 
dance with the Articles of Association, Mr G W Paine 
retires from the Board at this time, and, being eligible, 
offers himself for re-election. Mr John Dalgleiah, 
C.A , also offers himself for re-eleclion as Auditor. — 
G W Paine, Chairman. 
16, Philpot Lane, London, E.G., Slst M irch, 1904 
appointment of an Auditor for tho current year rests 
with the meeting.— By order of the Directors, Juuus 
& Creasy, Secretaries. 
Colombo, Uth April, 1904. 
THE DKAYTON (CEYLON) ESTATES 
COMPANY, LIMITED. 
DIRECrOBs' REPORT. 
The Directors have pleasure in submitting to the 
Shareholders their annual report and duly audited 
statement of the Company's accounts for the year 
ended 31st December, 1903. The tea crop secured was 
405,717 lb against an estimate of 423,5101b, the short- 
fall of 17,793 lb being attributable to unfavourable 
flashing weather throughout most of the year. The 
average net price realised was 42'43 cts per lb whilst 
the cost of production amounted to 27 o6 'cts per lb 
which includsu a sum of E12,872-19 spent on manure 
equal to about 3 cts per lb made tea. After making 
provision for irrecoverable Coast Advances, Depreci- 
ation of Buildings and Machinery, the amount at the 
credit of the Profit and Loss Account is E51,731-27 
equal to 9-06 per cent on the paid up capital of the 
Company. To this has to be added the sum of R5 384 
being the balance brought forward from last year 
less a sum of K52 79 for over-estimated stock and 
R583 50 expenses incurred in connection witli the 
Company's share in the Ynillefield Cart Road. The 
amount available for distribution is IhereforeRoT 173 27 
and the Directors recommend the payment of a 
dividend of 8 per cent which will absorb R45,760 and 
that the balance Rll,413 27 be carried forward to 
current year's account. In terms of the Articles of 
Association the Director to retire in rotation is tho 
Hon. Mr W H Figg who is eligible forre-eleotiou^ The 
THE OCCURRENCE OP THORIUM IN 
CEYLON. 
(To the Editor, "Nature.") 
Dear Sir, — The Government of Ceylon determined 
la.st year to carry oat, with the cooperation of the 
scientific and technical department of the Imferial 
Institu-te, a systematic survey of the economic min- 
erals of Ceylou. Mr A K Coomaraawaniy and Mr H 
G Parsons were selected to conduct the survey in 
Ceylon, and to despatch specimens of the minerals 
found to the Imperial tn.stitute for eiiemical exami- 
nation and commercial valuation. Among the 
specimens thus received were those of a mineral ex- 
isting in small black cubical crystals found in the 
refuse from gem washings near Balangoda, in the 
Sabaragamuwa Province, which had been identified 
by Mr Holland, a resident in Ceylon, as probably 
uraninite or pitchblende. The same mineral has 
been since observed by J.v Coomaraswamy in a vein 
of pegmatite at 'Gampola, in the Central Province 
of Ceylon, The specific gravity of the mineral was 
found to be 9'32, and an analysis by Mr GS Blake 
of the scientific staff' of the Imperial Institute fur- 
nished the following results ;— ' 
Per cent. 
76 22 
Thorium oxide ,, Th05 
Cerium oxide Ce03 
Lanthanum and didymium oxide La?05Di^05f ^'^^ 
Zirconium oxide .. z>03 trace 
Uranmm oxide U0.3 12-33 
Ferric oxide .. Fe203 0-35 
Lead oxide p^O o gy 
Silica .. siOa o-12 
9993 
The mineral is clearly not pitchblende, since the 
percentage of oxide of uranium is only about 12 per 
cent, whilst the principal constituent is oxide of 
thonun. (thoria), which is present to the extent of 
more than 75 per cent , an amount far higher than 
that contained in any mineral hitherto examined 
This mineral appears to be new and I suggest for it 
the ..arne of thorianite. Since it is radio active, it 
will no doubt be fouod to be an important source 
of radium or radio-active earths, and will probably 
furnish helium, points which will be investigated 
as soon as more material has been obtained. A 
second part of the same specimen furnished the 
following results on analysis ; — 
mu • cent. 
Thorium oxide ... Th03 79-24 
Cerium oxide ... Ce05 6 39 
Lanthanum and didymium oxide 'La203I>\203 0-51 
Zirconium oxide ., Zr03 s-gg 
Uranium oxide ... IjOS 11-lQ 
Ferric oxide ... Fci-OS 1 90 
Lead oxide .. pbO 9 0;; 
Silica .. siO;? £34 
lusolnble residue ... q.^ 
Specific gravity g-gs 
Ihe two sets of analytical data prove that the 
ill iterial has essentially a uuiform composition, 
the differences observed being apparently due lo 
inclusions of zircon in the second portion analysed 
In the meantime Sir William Crookes has received 
a specimen of the supposed pitchblende from 
Ceylon, and has found it to be radio-active to 
