466 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST.  IJan.  i,  1896. 
Yes,  1 do.  While  I cannot  recall  any  serions 
accident.  I have  seen  boilers  which  ought  to 
have  burst.  Why  they  did  not  1 don’t  know. 
These  I may  say  were  in  Enroiiean  Iruids. 
Is  there  any  ])articular  tyjie  of  Iroiler  in  nse 
in  tea  factories,  and  is  that  pariicnlar  tyiie  ad- 
aptetl  for  rnnning  for  a considerable  j)eriod  with- 
out an  overhaul  ‘t 
The  boiler  most  in  nse  is  of  tlie  locomotive 
type,  rain^ing  on  an  average  from  12  to  H 
nominal  liorse-power.  With  that  particular  type 
of  boiler  little  inspection  is  recpiired  but, 
to  my  mind,  that  is  an  argument  in  favour  of 
compulsory  inspection.  In  this  country  the  water 
used  is  comparatively  free  from  lime  and  conse- 
nuently  the  formation  of  “scale”  is  less  than 
in  other  countries.  Steam  boilers,  so  far  as  tea 
factories  are  concerned,  date  only  some  ten  years 
bach  As  time  goes  on  these  boilers  will  sutler 
fronV  danger  will  become 
.••reater  There  is  a strong  tem|>tation,  especially 
when  a boiler  is  in  native  hands,  of  pnlting  olV 
renairsand  it  is  in  .all  such  cases  that  an  ()r.lin- 
ance  is  reipiired.  In  many  tea  t.actories  the 
workiii"'  of  engines  and  boilers  devolies  on  na- 
tives  aiid  the  Superintendent  or  the  S.  1).  may 
suneiaise  but,  from  the  very  nature  of  then- 
training,  they  cannot  be  expected  to  detect  any 
Haw  wriich  might  arise. 
A SYSTKM  OF  INSFICCTION. 
But  is  there  no  system  of  periodical  inspection 
at  present  such  .as  is  carried  out  by  the  boiler 
insurance  companies  at  home  ! 
Oh  yes.  Some  Companies  employ  a com- 
netent  ‘ European  engineer  who  i.s  well  <inahlied 
to  inspect  the  boiler  under  his  charge.  Ibis 
firm  undertakes  the  work  of  boiler  inspection. 
Once  a quarter  an  iiis]iector  makes  a round  of 
estates  in  the  Kelani  Valley  and  inspects 
tiie  boilers  in  use,  for  which  a certain  fee  is 
ebanred  There  is  his  book  and  here  is 
an  entry Estate  “safety  valve  leaking 
sli-htly’ ; otherwise,  boiler  in  good  order  ; 
eindne  not  so  clean  as  it  might  be.  a 
coov  of  the  report  is  sent  to  the  buperin- 
Liident  and  if  a third  copy  is  reiinired 
for  the  nroprietor  it  can  also  be  had.  Superin- 
tendents can  thus  keep  the  men  in  cliarg 
UP  to  the  mark,  and  the  responsibility  of  having 
re, .airs  done  lies  with  them.  Our  Kandy  hrm 
do  similar  work  Upcountry,  and  so  1 under- 
st.and,  do  Messrs.  Brown  Co.  of  Hatton  and 
other  firms. 
Then  is  this  sort  of  inspection  at 
Yes  1 should  say  that  most  of 
upcountry  are  visited  by  engineers, 
npcou  j -rilK  DANGEU  UFS. 
Then  w'hy  render  compulsory  what  is  already 
done  voluntaiily  . . , • . *1 
For  those  who  do  not  have  their  boilers  in- 
si.ected  It  is  in  these  eases  that  the  danger  lies. 
■ In  what  manner  would  you  propose  to  legislate? 
1 would  render  it  comi.ulsory  to  liavc  all 
boilers  inspected  at  least  once  a year,  either  by 
r Covernment  insi-ector  or  by  a competen 
• ppr  I am  in  favour  ot  the  latter  method 
bSsc  it  does  not  entail  tl.e  appointment  of  an- 
Ser  ollicial  and  l.ecause  the  owners  ot  l.oilers 
wo,  .1  ...Ml. 
a Covernment  oihcial.  1 hr  - 
li-irdsbii)  or.  inconvenience  because,  as 
sS  l ist  of  them  are  in  ,.ossession  of  certihc.ates 
of  eflKiency  for  their  boilers,  lo  such  as,  were 
t nossession  of  these  certificate  a license  miglit 
"e  S-cui  by  Covernment.  However,  as  regards 
.all  general  ? 
the  estates 
uses  rather  than 
use  no 
1 have 
as 
thelicensiiig  of  boilers  that  is  a m.atter  of  opiii- 
iom  I do  think  all  the  same  that  the  certificate  of  a 
competent  engineer  whether  oflici.al  or  unofficial, 
should  be  insisted  on  by  Ordinance. 
“A  COMPETENT  ENCUNEEi:.” 
Ill  the  case  of  an  unoliicial  insiiector  how 
would  you  define  a “ competent  engineer.” 
By  a “ coni])etent  engineer”  I mean  a person 
who  has  served  an  api.renticeship  to  engineering 
and  holds  a responsible  position  in  an  engineer- 
ing linn. 
Is  once  a ye.ar  often  enough  to  inspect  a boiler? 
I think  it  is.  Of  conr.se,  once  in  six  months 
would  be  more  likely  to  ensure  absolute  safety 
but  it  might  be  .a  c.ause  of  complaint,  as  an  i>is- 
pection  would  entail  cessation  of  work.  1 in, ay 
mention  that  under  Lloyd’s  Kiiles  a steamsliij.’s 
boilers  are  inspected  once  in  four  years  only.  Yes, 
once  a year  is  quite  often  enough. 
One  more  question.  How  will  the  new  Onlin.ance 
.allect  your  linn’' 
Not  \('iy  iiiiicb.  An  inspector  coming  ].oking 
about  niigbl  bother  ns  aliftle,  but  il  he  did  come, 
tbongh  I .say  it  myself,  he  could  not.  show  ns 
vi'iy  mneb  final  rei|uiied  lo  be  done. — Cood 
Morning. 
TEA  LEAD  PAPEB. 
With  reference  to  the  enquirj^  by  a correspon- 
dent the  other  day  in  regard  to  Tea  Lead  Pa].er 
we  wrote  to  Mr.  T.  C.  Anderson,  Jjjartniore  for 
the  favour  of  bis  o)iinion.  Mr.  Anderson  has 
been  good  enough  to  rejily  sending  ns  also  another 
sample  for  comparison,  and  from  his  letter  we 
quote  as  follows  : — 
“ My  opinion  is  unfavourable.  I and  others  have  tried 
it,  (or  similar  paper,  a sample  of  which  I send  j’ou) 
and  the  report  from  the  Lane  was  that  the  teas 
had  gone  off,  and  this  within  two  months.  My 
patent  lead  paper  is  infinitely  superior  and  has  the 
following  advantages  as  stated  in  the  specification. 
It  strengthens  the  lead  and  makes  it  more  .air-tight, 
thus  enabling  thinner  and  cheaper  lead  to  be  used, 
and  the  paper  being  inside,  it  prevents  the  contact 
of  the  tea  with  the  lead,  which  is  injurious  to  the 
tea.  The  only  disadvantage  it  has,  is  that  it  is 
slightly  dearer,  but  against  this  is  the  fact  that  the 
teas  are  better  preserved.  I have  shipped  tca.s  to 
South  Africa  in  this  lead,  and  in  the  usual  lead 
packets,  and  the  former  is  preferred,  and  to  South 
America.  I use  no  other.  The  Colombo  Commercial 
Company  imported  a consignment  on  tiial  some 
years  ago,  but  it  had  been  packed  in  London  in  a 
damp  condition  and  the  lot  was  unsaleable. 
A'AIHOUS  PLANT!  N(J  NOTE.S. 
The  Nahavii.la  Estate.s  Comfanv.— The 
Bc|,ort  of  this  Conquany  for  the  p.ast  year  will 
be  found  in  another  colninn.  It  shows  that  a 
good  deal  of  progress  li.as  been  m.ade-  both 
in  tea  and  coll'ee  cultivation,  and  that  while 
the  profit  for  the  p.ast  ycai'  b,as  been  such  as  to 
permit  of  <a  dividend  at  the  rate  of  20  per  cent  — 
.‘12,1  per  cent  was  tlie  exact  return  ; the  prospects 
for  tile,  ensuing  j, ear  are  also  very  satisfacloiy. 
We  coiigiatulate  the  sliarelmlders, — especially  .Mr. 
!l.  P.  M.acfarlane  (who  is  erelong  lo  f.-vke  a 
ivell-carned  boliil.iy) — upon  this  fortunate  st.ate  of 
mat.tcrs  and  trust  that  the  (’ompany  may  long 
continue  to  be  |nospei'ous. 
“Dominica  as  .v  1'Teu)  I'oit  C.\i>itae.”— We 
direct  .attention  to  tbe  article  on  this  subject 
which  we  (|Uotc  elsewhere  from  the  Financial 
News  and  to  Mr.  ,1.  H.  Barber’.s  letter  in  criticism 
thereof.  Both  will  be  read  with  a good  deal  of 
interest  here,  and  we  trust  that  we  may  hear 
more  on  the  .snhject  from  either  Dr.  Morris,  or 
Dr.  Trimen  who  is  at  present  in  England. 
