470 
THE TRDPICJIL AOI«t50LTUR1ST. 
[January i, 1892. 
Mr. J. L. Sband told me afterwards that he had 
been asked to speak on the paper, but gave me 
preference— all of which shows how the authority 
of " Ceylon" is looked up to !) My remarks were 
somewhat as follows : — 
" My Lord, ladies and gentlemen,— I am full of 
admiration for the clear, concise and practical way 
in which Mr. Maxwell has prepared his paper 
considering the largeness of his subject. Some of 
us may have regretted the omission of all re- 
ference to such administrative difficulties as may 
be connected with the repression of gambling, the 
regulation of the opium trafiSc and sale of intoxica- 
ting drink; but we can understand how impossible 
it would be to find room for all that might be 
said. My interest in the planting divisions of the 
Malay Peninsula arises through prolonged residence 
in Oeylon and the opportunity of watching closely 
the rise and progress of the Straits Settlements. 
But before alluding to this, I would venture on 
one correction of Mr. Maxwell's paper where he 
speaks of the probable reason why, on the 
peace following on Waterloo, Java was given back 
to Holland, namely that it was essential to her 
vitality as a European Power. It must be remem- 
bered that the British had taken Ceylon as well 
as Java from the Dutch and that to the former 
England had no claim due to previous settle- 
ments or occupation, such as told in the case 
of Java ; but the explanation we have always 
had why the much larger and richer island of Java 
was given back in place of Ceylon, is that it was 
urged that Ceylon was vital to the holders of India 
— that the grand naval harbour of Trincomal^e- 
espeoially was the key to the Bay of ByHgiil, 
and commanded the traffic of Calcutta, Madras 
andKangoon. I mention this fact because i( has an 
important bearing on certain controverted questions 
of great interest to us in Oeylon at present, (Hear, 
hear.) It is very satisfactory to hear of the large 
surplus revenue saved in the Straits to devote to 
Bailway Extension and other public works, and 
one cannot help regretting that a similar wise 
policy was not adopted in Ceylon many years 
ago with reference to the proceeds from 
Crown Land Sales and surplus railway receipts. 
I also cordially endorse Mr. Maxwell's opinion 
that the Dutch language ought to be learned 
by Straits cadets, for a recent visit to Amsterdam 
showed me how much of great value to adminis- 
trators, planters aud merchants was published in 
that language. But now to turn to "planting," 
I must be remembered that between 1881 and 
1886, some 400 planters left Oeylon in consequence 
of the failure of " Coffee" and wandered all 
round the tropical and sub-tropical world. The 
Straits Settlements, Sumatra and North Borneo 
especially got a large share — the last was indeed 
named "New Oeylon." Others went to Queensland 
and New South Wales, Fiji, Natal, West Indies, 
South and Central America— the President of Guate- 
mala got a Ceylon planter to open a model coffee 
and cinchona plantation, and in 1884 I followed 
some of our ex-planters to California and Florida 
where they were orange-growing. But in the Malay 
peninsula — at Johore and at Perak — some of them went 
to work on the old products, Arabian and Liberian 
coffee, and although they experienced the usual 
proportion of disappointment as pioneers, still it is 
gratifying to know that a certain amount of success 
has been achieved with the promise of a good 
deal more. I know this from private as well as 
official reports, and it is one of the great advant- 
ages of Straits planters that from the outset they 
have the countenance and assistanoo of most 
Bympathetic and interested ollioials. (Hear, hear.) 
It has not boon bo always in Oeylon. For plantois 
there too, there is offered forest land on the easiest, 
cheapest terms ; there are roads and railways 
ensuring cheap transport, and freight to Europe 
must always be safe at economical rates. As to 
labour supply, experienced planters of the right 
sort with a liberal enlightened Government can 
be trusted to overcome any difficulty in this direc- 
tion. But now, as to the all-important matter 
of the products to be cultivated : I have a strong 
opinion that the Straits planters would do wisely 
to make coffee and pepper their principal products, 
as two articles the demand for which at present and 
in prospect is likely to exceed the supply. In respect 
of coffee since the failure in Ceylon, India and 
Java, the world is nearly altogether dependant on 
Brazil and no one can tell how soon the large crops 
there may fall ofi or be interfered with by revolution, 
&c. Then in the Malay Peninsula, the conditions 
are favourable for overcoming the fungus peqt 
(should it appear)* which ravaged Ceylon and 
India : isolated plantations on virgin soil surrounded 
by forest can be opened, and heavy crops securing 
high prices have already been reaped: I must 
certainly offer a word of warning in respect of 
tea which is already in danger of being overdone, 
as falling prices show, in Ceylon and India. 
("Oh!") I speak as much in the interest of 
Ceylon planters now connected with the Straits as 
of our own tea planters. Unless new markets are 
got for our teas, no one would advise more tea 
land to be opened. I have just returned from 
Austria and Germany where I have been trying 
to get the people and dealers to use more Ceylon 
tea, and in Holland I was much annoyed to find 
how little the Java tea planters bad done to make 
a market for their product which, instead, is nearly 
all sent to London. — In conclusion. My Lord, I 
would with, I am sure, the concurrence of Australian 
colonists present, press the importance of developing 
the planting (or farming) industry as well as 
mining in the Straits. No country dependent on 
the latter alone can be said to be in a stable 
position. As regards the "stream gold" to which 
Mr. Maxwell alluded, I am reminded of an Indian 
saying in reference to this most widely distributed 
of metals, it is that the natives of Southern 
India when they have no other work go and work 
for gold in the nearest river and make two panams 
(3d) a day and it is on record that one made one 
day four fanams (6d). (Laughter and applause.) 
Lord Brassey moved a cordial vote of thanks 
to the lecturer in appreciative terms, to which 
Mr. Maxwell responded, thanking the various 
speakers and proposing thanks to the Chairman, 
and so at 10 p.m. ended a very largely attended 
and pleasant gathering. 
♦ 
SOUTH INDIAN AGRICULTUEAL PRO- 
VERBIAL PHLOSOPHY. 
C Concluded) 
Of the next series of proverbs Mr. Benson says : — 
By far the most interesting series of sayings, &c. 
regarding the feasons are those which follow, No, 117 
to 196. These are all based oa a system whereby 
the year is divided into 27 astral periods, called 
ICarthulu, which are specified on the margin. By these 
the ryot regulates all his agricultural operations, and 
it is thus that a, study of the sayings affords a very 
good idea of the characteristics the ryot expects, 
de ires, aud dceiids in the weather throughout the year. 
The great bulk of the sayings refer to the bnsieet 
part of the agricultural year, which is usually over 
except in bo far as harvest is concerned, by December. 
Rain early in March is unusual, but occasionally 
* It has long existed in Java and the Straits, 
tiiuagh not quite with such viraleut effect aa in Oeylon 
and ludia.— Ed, T.A. 
