i6 
THE  TROPICAI.  AGRICULTURIST. 
[July  i,  1896. 
and  willingly  contribute  its  share  towards  the  safety  of 
the  magnificent  Empire  of  which  it  is  privileged  to 
form  a part.  With  great  pleasure  I read  yesterday  the 
letter  from  our  worthy  me  n'ler  in  Council,  the 
Hon’ble  Giles  E.  W'alkei,  .ui  the  subject  of  the 
“ Military  Coiilribution,”  and  he  takes  a fairmmded 
and  statesman-liko  view  as  opposed  to  a narrow 
and  selfish  one,  of  the  question.  Ceylon’s  responsi- 
bility does  not  end  with  the  “3  mile  radius”  out- 
side Colombo,  Galle  and  Trincomalce  : our  produce 
has  to  reach  London,  Australia,  and  now  Amenca 
and  Canada  are  to  be  large  consumcis  also,  and  we 
must  contribute  some  share  of  the  cost  of  the  pro- 
tection afforded  our  produce  by  the  British  Fleet, 
on  this  long  journey. 
The  extracts  given  from  time  to  time  from  Major 
Wilson’s  report  on 
THE  CEVLON  GOVERNMENT  R.UEW.iY 
are  most  interesting  reading,  but  what  will  be 
the  result  ? Will  there  be  any  improvement  ? 
Will  the  report  be  pigeon-holed  with  so  many 
others  ? Kates  ai’e  high,  consequently  working 
expenses  must  be  high,  if  they  absorb  about  the 
same  proportion  of  revenue  as  in  other  lines,  where 
rates  are  very  much  lower.  This  is  a point  that  is 
often  lost  sight  of.  m • 
My  meeting  and  c mversatioii  with  Mr.  1.  J^air- 
hurst  of  China  and  Ceylon,  the  well-known  pro- 
prietor of  Ferham  and  St.  Andrews  estates,  gave 
me  great  p'easure.  t ^ ^ i.  u-  • 
It  is  about  19  years  since  I first  met  him  m 
Bogawantalawa,  I think  it  was  his  first  visit  to 
Ceylon,  when  he  was  on  the  lookout  for  an  in- 
vestment. lie  accompanied  Mr.  G.  Kollo  (of  whose 
death  I was  sorry  to  hear),  and  I recalled  this  fact 
to  him.  I was  told  at  the  hotel  office,  Mr.  Fair- 
hurst  was  in  his  room,  and  was  going  towards  the 
Elevator.  When  he  came  down  by  it,  (this  may  sound 
rather  strange),  I stepped  forward,  and  knew  him 
at  once.  Tliis  is  most  flattering  to  his  youthful  ap- 
pearance, and  as  luck  would  have  it,  the  day  was 
his  birthday,  which  fact  he  had  forgotten.  We  had 
a Ion"  reminiscent  chat,  and  interesting  facts  were 
given  me  about. 
• THE  “AMERICAN  CAMPAIGN” 
for  Mr.  Fairhurst  had  been  all  over  the  States  and 
Canada,  where  he  had  met  your  worthy  delegate  and 
Mr.  Blechj  nden,  Mr.  Fairhurst  spoke  of  the  difficulty 
he  experienced  in  repeating  orders  for  Ceylons  to 
come  up  to  standards,  and  the  hr -ken  and  dusty 
character  of  many  grades  of  Ceylons  that  should  not 
have  these  characteristics  at  all,  and  compared  themt 
very  disadvantageously  with  the  fine  bold  clean  teas 
from  India.  I lay  stress  on  this  point,  so  that  it  may 
he  remedied  by  Ceylon  men.  1 saw  Mr.  Fairhurst 
off  on  the  China  stiamer  on  the  8th,  meeting  a 
number  cf  the  leading  tea  importers  and  brokers. 
He  was  glad  to  have  the  loan  of  your  latest  Onedand 
issue,  which  I had  received  on  the  7th  iust. 
1 have  heard  some  rather  distressing  rumours  abou 
MR.  JOS.  H.  STILES, 
Director-General  of  the  British  Empire  Exposition, 
Montreal,  Canada.  I have  heard  that  the  proposed 
Exposition  has  been  abandoned,  and  that  there  is  some 
difficulty  in  Mr.  Stiles  meeting  the  heavy  obligations 
he  is  under  as  Director-General,  for  a large  sum  al- 
ready expended  in  furtherance  of  the  now  abandoned 
undertaking.  1 hope  he  will  eventually  succeed 
in  making  satisfactory  arrangements  and  meeting  all 
his  obligations,  as  he  was  well-liked  here  and  most 
honourable  in  all  his  dealings. 
I am  sorry  my  approaching  departure  for  South- 
ern California,  (during  the  1st  week  of  May)  will 
deprive  me  of  the  pleasure  of  meeting  once  more 
MU.  R.  V.  WERSTER, 
as  ho  is  not  expected  to  reach  here  until  about  the 
15th  prox.  I hope  he  will  have  a more  than  ever 
successful  and  pleasant  trip  this  time.  Several  bro- 
kers and  business  houses  wish  to  meet  him,  and  I 
will  lovve  the  njoessary  “ introductions,”  and  hope 
some  beneficial  trade  will  result. 
Another 
EASTER  SUNHAY 
has  come  and  gone,  Hero  we  had  a very  wet 
day,  much  to  the  disappointment  of  the  ladies 
no  doubt.  I braved  the  cleinont.s  in  the  even- 
ing ami  went  to  Grace  Church,  Episcopal.  The 
music  was  of  a very  high  order.  It  was  a "festival” 
service,  no  sermon,  )irayors  and  singing,  male  voices, 
colo  and  qnurteUe.s.  I have  assisted  at  many  chinch 
decorations,  both  in  the  old  country  and  Ceylon, 
but  I have  never  seen  anything  so  pure,  chaste 
refined,  and  artistic,  as  were  the  decorations  on  this 
occasion.  Nothing  but  white  flowers  was  used,  with 
maiden  hairs  firms,  and  smilax ; the  effect  was  very 
beautiful  and  elevating.  I found  myself  in  the 
Stanford  pew  ; the  late  Senator  and  Millionarie 
Stanford  having  built  and  endowed  the  magni- 
ficent University  in  memory  of  his  lamented 
young  son  Stanford  junr.  after  whom  the  famous  seat 
of  learning  is  named.  Nothing  but  white  lilies  of  all 
kinds  were  used,  from  the  beautiful  and  fragrant  lily 
of  the  valley  to  the  largs  Calla  lily,  some  white 
pinks  or  carnations,  and  camelias  were  also  used, 
and  the  perfume  was  almost  overpowering. 
I notice  many  cf  the  papers,  with  circulation  of 
from  10,000  to  90,000  persist  in  calling  them  Eucharist 
lilies;  and  in  talking  of  the  Erench  prince  who  has 
been  somewhat  prominent  lately,  they  write  of  his 
relationship  to  the  “Due  De  Chartreuse”  (presum- 
ably Due  De  Chartres.)  Probably  a large  number 
of  Americans  will  imagine  he  makes  the  liqueur  of 
that  name,  as  the  Benedictine  monks  make  the  li- 
queur named  after  them  1 In  writing  of  the  advance  of 
the  Egyption  forces  up  the  Nile  mention  was  made  of 
the  arrival  of  the  British  Expedition  at  Wadi-Alfalfa. 
Wadi  Haifa  was  meant  I suppose,  but  where  ig- 
norance is  bliss,  “ tis  folly  to  be  blistered,”  I un- 
derstand Alfalfa  is  the  clover  food  stuff,  I think 
called  in  Ceylon,  Luceru. 
I was  the  means  of  securing  from  my  friend  Mr. 
Cawston,  the  proprietor  of 
THE  I'AMOUS  OSTRICH  FARM  IN  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 
a fine  donation  of  Ostrich  feathers,  eggs,  and  pho- 
tographs, for  the  Park  Museum  here.  'The  curator, 
a Mr.  Wilcomb,  a most  intelligent  gentlemen  in- 
formed me  they  would  soon  be  in  a position  to 
effect  “exchanges,”  and  when  talkingof  our  tine  Museum 
at  Colombo,  he  asked  me  if  I thought  anything  could 
be  procured  from  there.  Now  I am  sure  Mr  Haly  must 
have  many  things  ho  could  exchange  profitably.  He 
must  have  dozens  of  duplicates  of  such  things  as  the 
famous  cobia  de  capello  (skins)  also  tic  polonga 
and  other  deadly  snakes,  cheetah,  bear,  jackal,  Ac, 
&c.,  also  some  of  the  prettier  birds  and  insects.  I 
will  be  very  glad  if  you  can  inform  me  as  to  the  like- 
lihood of  obtaining  any  of  these  as  exchanges.  It  will 
do  Ceylon  no  harm,  as.  during  the  first  year  of  its  ex- 
istence, tliisMuseum  was  visited  by  over  500,000  people, 
a much  larger  number  than  attended  the  world-famous 
Smithsonian  Institute  ! From  the  Planters’  Associa- 
tion samples  of  all  the  different  grades  of  teas, 
both  fancy  and  commercial,  would  be  acceptable,  and 
of  benefit  to  Ceylon  I am  convinced.  I would  respect- 
fully direct  the  attention  of  A.  W.  Stopford  Sackville, 
Esq.,  to  this,  and  the  expense  to  the  “ Thirty  Com- 
mittee” would  be  very  little. 
The  annual  meeting  of 
“ THE  association” 
was  most  successful,  and  the  hearty  vote  of 
thanks  to  Mr.  A.  Melville  White,  tho  re- 
tiring Chairman,  thoroughly  wcll-deseived.  I con- 
sider that,  during  the  last  decade,  with  Walker, 
Kelly,  White,  and  now  with  Sackville,  the 
Association  has  been  most  fortunate  and  its 
usefulness  and  prestige  well  maintained. 
SIR  WEST  RIDGEWAY 
appears  to  have  made  very  favourable  impression 
on  his  arrival  amongst  you,  and  I sincere!}’  trust 
there  will  be  more  common  sense  and  less  red  tspe 
and  obstruction  evinced  in  the  matter  of  roads  and 
other  requirements  for  tho  good  of  the  countrv,  than 
has  lately  been  the  case.  You  have  a goot\  man, 
and  although  ho  is  already  famous  in  many  ways, 
his  appointment  to  Ceylon  maybe  considered  " the  tide 
in  his  affairs.”  which  will  I hope  “ lead  on  to  for- 
tune.” May  ho  “ take  it  at  the  Hood,”  and  so  carry 
Ceylon  along  with  himsolf  to  fortune. 
