22 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
[July  t,  1895. 
An  interim  dividend  of  5 per  cent  for  the  half-year 
ending  80th  September,  181)1,  amounting  to  R‘21),20<h 
was  paid  on  the  19th  October,  189-1.  The  sum  now 
available  for  distribution  is  K92,2U‘2‘27  ; the  profit  for 
the  year  representing  21  per  cent  on  the  Capital. 
The  Directors  recommend  that  the  available  amount 
be  disposed  of  as  follows,  viz.; — 
Depreciation — Buildings  10  per  cent  on 
E21,443T2  E2,114-81 
Machinery  L5  per  cent  on 
RU;,802-04  = E2,44.5-80 
E4, 589-81 
Reserve  Fund  ..  ..  ..  E10,00<j-00 
Dividend  at  13  per  cent  . . . . R7r),920  00 
leaving  to  be  carried  forward  to  the  next 
account  . . . . . . . . El,ti92-8(> 
E92,202-27 
The  prospects  for  the  season  1895-98  are  favourable. 
The  crop  has  been  estimated  at  100,IXX)  lb.  of  Tea. 
Mr.  F.  W.  Bois  having  left  the  island  on  19th  Febru- 
ary, has  resigned  his  seat  at  the  Board,  and  on  the  in- 
vitation of  your  Directors  Mr.  Henry  Bois  has  become 
a Director-. 
In  terms  of  the  Articles  of  Association,  Mr.  Dunbar, 
one  of  the  Directors,  retires  by  rotation  ; but  being 
eligible,  offers  himself  for  re-election. 
It  will  also  be  necessary  to  appoint  an  Auditor  for 
the  new  season. 
Mr.  J.  C'.  Dunbar,  who  also  represented  Mrs. 
May  Ryan,  and  Mr.  (\  G.  Ryan,  presideil  and  the 
others  jn-esent  were  Mr.  T.  Maekie  (renresenting 
also  Mrs.  Maekie,  Mrs.  8tronacli  anu  Mr.  A. 
Cantlay)  ; Mr.  H.  Bois  (who  also  represented 
Messrs.  W.  B.  Baring  and  F.  W.  Bois);  Mr.  D. 
S.  Pace  as  attorney  for  Mr.  Vi.  Jackson  ; Mr.  R. 
Davidson  as  representing  Messrs.  M’.  Taylor  and 
R.  Collinson  ; .Mr.  D.  R.  Marshall,  and  Mr.  Vi. 
Moir  as  re])resenting  the  agents  and  secretaries. 
Mr.  Moir  read  the  noticecalling  the  meeting  and 
the  minutes  of  the  previous  meeting. 
The  CilAiUM.VN  in  moving  the  adoption  of  the 
report  said  it  showed  an  improvement  on  the 
])revious  one,  last  ye<ar’s  eroj)  being  exceeded  by 
•27,000  lb.  of  tea,  while  the  cost  of  the  tea  laid 
down  in  Colombo  was  less  than  last  year,  being 
29-49  cents  as  compared  with  31?^.  The  29-4!) 
cents  included  3'40  spent  on  manure  ami  the 
upkeep  of  a large  cattle  establishment. 
Their  tea  bad  realized  (i-2’18  per  lb.  as 
compared  with  571.  per  lb.  last  year.  The 
))nrs])ect  for  the  coming  season  was  very 
favourable.  He  had  lately  gone  over  the  estate 
as  Visiting  .Agent  and  in  his  repoi't  to  the  Secretary 
he  stated  tluit  he  saw- a considerable  improvement 
in  the  general  condition  and  appearance  of  the 
jiroperty  simm  the  Company  acquired  it  two  years 
ago.  Tlie  estimate  for  the  coming  year  was 
4nu,(li)0  lb.  tea.  Whether  they  would  continue 
to  have  the  good  prices  that  they  had  obtained 
this  past  year  he  could  not  say,  Imt  they  ho)ieil 
for  the  best.  He  ought  to  mention  that  since 
the  rei>ort  had  been  drawn  up  they  had  rec^eived 
telegraphic  advice  from  Boiubm  to  the  etleet  that 
thei^  was  R3, 100  to  be  added  to  the  amount 
reali.sed  for  tea  sold  during  the  year  bringing  ui» 
the  amount  to  be  carried  forward  to  R4,800. 
Mr.  M.vh.sii.vu,  seconded  ixnd  the  report  was 
unanimously  adopted. 
( )n  the  molioii  of  Mi'.  D.widson  seconded 
by  Mr.  Pack  a dividend  of  13  per  <-ent 
was  declared  making  a total  of  18  i)cr  cent  for 
the  year. 
'Pile  CiiAiUM.VS  said  that  acconling  to  the 
.Articles  of  Association  it  fell  to  him  to  retire 
this  year,  but  he  was  eligible  for  re-election 
and  was  willing  to  serve  again. 
On  the  motion  of  .Mr.  M.vu.siIAU;  seconded  by 
jyjr.  DA^■II.).80N,  Mv.  Dunbar  wa.s  re-elected, 
On  the  motion  <»f  Mi-.  Mai;sii.\i.i,,  seconded  by 
Mr.  Pa<'K,  Mr.  .lolin  (Inthrit^  was  elect e«l  auditoi’. 
A x'ote  of  thanks  to  the  Cil Aili.M.tN,  proposed 
by  Air.  M AfJ.sil AKl.,  terminateil  the  proceedings. 
OPIUM  OR  QULNINE  IN  FEVER 
C.\8ES. 
The  report  of  the  Opium  Commission  contains 
expression  of  an  opinion  that  we  think  will  be 
open  to  much  criticism  and  dill'erence  of  view. 
In  Ceylon,  as  in  all  fever-haunted  countries, 
this  (juestion  must  be  pronounced  of  more 
than  ordinary  interest.  The  repmt  referred  to, 
more  than  insinuates  that  opium  may  be 
(juite  as  etlicient  a prophylactic  as  quinine  iti 
the  treatment  of  fever.  It  may  ]ierha{)s  be 
thought  that  those  interested  in  Ceylon  might 
be  scarcely  unprejudiced  judges  on  this  ilietuni. 
It  is,  of  course,  the  case  that,  as  a cinchona- 
growing country,  and  as  one  that  has  suffered 
heavily  by  the  .serious  fall  in  price  of  this,  Ceylon 
should  desire  to  see  the  use  of  the  bark  extended. 
At  the  pre.sent  time,  and  at  the  j>resent  rate  of 
consumption,  it  is  little  likely  that  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  cinchona  tree  in  Ceylon  can  be  made 
profitable.  Java,  for  various  reasons,  mainly  of 
soil  and  climate,  has  given  this  island  the  go-by 
in  this  |»articular  case.  Until  prices  may  ad- 
vance there  is  no  likelihood  of  our  planters  here 
being  able  to  recover  lost  ground  ami  able  suc- 
cessfully to  compete  with  the  Dutch  Colony  in 
this  ))rotluction  of  Cinchona  bark.  Any  chance 
that  there  may  be  of  this  advance  in  the 
future,  must  certainly  be  largely  nullified  if  it 
it  is  to  be  accei)teil  on  the  report  of  the  Com- 
mission that  opium  may  be  used  as  elfectively 
in  cases  of  fever  as  is  quinine.  What 
we  desire  in  this  matter  is  to  hold  the  balance 
fairly  between  ihe  value  of  the  two  prophylactics, 
if,  indeed,  opium  is  to  be  rightly  cla.s.sed  as  such. 
Let  us  for  the  sake  of  argument  concede  that  the 
two  drugs  ma^  be  taken  as  on  a level  as  regards 
both  their  lu'eventative  and  curative  effects  in 
fever.  Having  for  that  reason  conceded  this, 
we  may  pass  on  to  consider  the  further  (juestion 
as  to  whether,  while  ([uinine  would  be  moi-ally 
innooious,  the  same  can  l>e  said  for  the  use  of 
opium  and  the  other  drugs  allied  in  character. 
Whatever  the  Commission  may  report  as  to  the 
general  effects  of  the  use  of  opium,  no  resident 
in  the  East  will  <leny  that  it  possesses  a fasci- 
nation tending  to  lead  from  its  moderate  to  its 
immoderate  use.  Jaxcm  the  Commission  does  not 
deny  the  lianefnl  results  of  the  last.  And  we 
have  in  ( ‘cylon  numerous  cases  around  us 
justifying  the  (contention  that  these  follow  in 
all  such  instances.  Now  (juiniiie  has  no  fascinating 
(lualities.  To  most,  we  should  .say,  it  is 
absolutely  nauseous.  When  resorted  to  therefore 
it  leaves  no  temptation  to  u.se  it  .save  for  its 
immediate  curatixe  effect.  As  regards  o))iuni — 
alxvays  assuming  for  argument  that  its  anti-felu-ile 
(jualities  are  c(iual  to  those  of  (piinine— the  ca.'-e 
is  entirely  dilferent.  Once  anyone — xvhether  Eu- 
ropean or  native — Itecomes  accustomed  to  its  use, 
the  habit  of  resorting  to  it  is  liable  to  increase. 
It  is  a many-sided  drug.  Its  effects  in  Ihe  earlier 
stages  of  use  are  pleasurable.  It  soothes  the  brain 
and  relieves  the  oft-experienced  trouble  of  insom- 
nia, and  in  many  other  xvays  exercises  a .se- 
ductive iidluence.  And  yet  xvhat  can  be  more 
shocking  to  xxilness,  or  moi'e  (h'basing  to  exery 
good  instinct  of  our  nature,  than  the  results  tif 
tlieconstant  resort  to  the  drug'/  If  for  no  other 
reason  than  tliL,  we  should  advLe  people  not  to 
