Jm.Y  I,  1896).  THE  TROPICA!. 
Tlio  sliort  accounts  published  in  reference  to  tho 
burning  of 
KINAGODDIO  TEA  FACTOllY 
near  Lunugalla,  lead  one  to  think  there  has  been 
some  foul  play  in  the  matter,  and  I h >pe  the 
rascals  may  be  punished  severely.  The  difficulty 
will  be  in  getting  good  reliable  evidence.  It  must 
be  very  annoying  to  the  proprietor  and  Sup'^rinten- 
dent,  ju.st  as  the  busy  flushing  months  ai’e  coming  on. 
My  attention  has  been  called  to  a communication 
in  your  “ Overland  ” some  time  ago,  from  a 
MR,  BELING 
in  reference  to  his  brother  here.  I have  not  time  to 
look  it  up  now,  but  he,  I believe,  stated  I had  for- 
warded to  you  some  information  that  was  wrong, 
or  too  previous  was  it  ? Nothing  of  the  kind, 
everything  was  correct.  Mr.  Beling  of  America  had 
nothing  to  do  loith  the  Ceylon  Importing  Coy.  of 
Davenport,  Iowa,  and  New  York  at  the  time  I wrote 
By  the  way  this  Coy.  has  now  nothing  to  do  with 
New  York. — They  have  closed  up  there  some  con- 
siderable time  ago,  and  I believe  W.  Beling  of 
America,  is  at  work  with  aW.  Bottomby  of  “ Assam,” 
selling  Indian  tea. 
I corresponded  with  the  Ceylon  Importing  Company 
of  Davenports  Iowa,  and  furuished  all  the  information 
I could  for  them  as  requested.  I have  written  to 
Ceylon  praising  them  for  their  efforts  in  introducing 
our  teas,  and  cannot  understand  what  promp’.ed  your 
correspondent’s  somewhat  unfriendly  remarks.  I am 
surely  not  to  blame  that  Mr.  Beling,  of  America, 
neglected  to  inform  his  friends  as  promptly  as  he 
might  have  done,  of  his  movements,  or  change  of 
address.  I merely  mentioned  the  matter  casually,  as 
an  item  of  new.s,  or  gossip.  I have 
never  belittled  Mr.  Beling  or  his  company  or 
their  efforts  to  push  “ Ceylous  ” here,  and 
my  criticisms  of  our  worthy  Delegate  have  been  fair 
and  open.  I take  it  he  holds  a public  position, 
drawing  his  salary  from  the  Planting  Community, 
and  is  therefore  open  to  criticism,  and  where  that 
is  honest,  and  based  upon  three  years’  experience 
in  close  touch  with  the  trade  here,  it  can  do  no 
harm.  Our  Delegate  is  all  right,  and  not  so  thin- 
skinned  as  is  “Mr.  Beling  of  Ceylon.”  However  I 
will  endeavour  to  make  my  letters  more  interesting 
in  future,  by  leaving  out  all  mention  of  Mr.  Beling 
or  his  movements. 
TIMES  MUST  BE  IMPROVING 
in  the  old  country,  for  the  figures  published  by  the 
Board  of  Trade  for  the  1st  quarter  of  the  year, 
to  31st  March  last,  show  a tremendous  increase  both 
in  imports  and  exports,  compared  with  1895.  I 
trust  'this  improvement  will  continue  throughout 
the  year. 
I was  glad  to  learn 
THE  IMPORTS  OF  “ CEYLONS  ” TO  CANADA  AND 
AMERICA 
were  increasing  so  largely,  and  I hope  America 
will  soon  take  10,000,000  lb.  I forgot  to  mention 
the  strong  point  Mr,  T.  Fairhurst  made  by  the 
Bussian  Campaign.  He  ss.ys  our  teas  are  well 
know’n  and  are  being  pushed  in  Canada  hg  the  trade; 
less  money  must  he  spent  here,  and  eveiy  i ff’ort  put 
forth  in  Ru -'ia.  Here  I may  note  that  the  Hon. 
Giles  F.  '.valker  has  never  lost  sight  of  this  point, 
and  has  ever  been  a strong  advoente  of  Russia  re- 
ceiving a share  of  available  funds,  this  is  as  it 
should  be. 
THE  “bellicose”  SENATE 
are  still  making  a laughing-stock  of  themselves  to 
the  world  in  general,  and  the  better  class  of  the 
people  and  press  here.  They  want  to  “ lick  ” some- 
body, not  much  matter  who,  but  as  the  good  papers 
point  out  (those  not  written  for  the  rabble)  the 
Senate  had  better  give  them  something  wherewith 
to  tight,  as  they  have  no  guns,  few  ships  and  fewer 
sailors  and  marines.  This  is  the  fact,  and  after  all 
the  bullying  bluster  of  the  last  few  months,  the  great 
Naval  appropriations,  which  were  to  enable  America  to 
wipe  everything  off  the  face  of  the  earth  except  America, 
have  dwindled  down  to  a paltry  sum  for  three 
battleships  and  12  torpedo  boats  ; the  former  tak- 
ing from  three  to  five  years  to  finish  I I will 
arrange  to  send  you  regularly  the  leading  “weekly” 
•> 
AGRICULTURIST.  17 
which  I am  sure  will  prove  very  interesting  to 
Ceylon  readers.  The  opinions  of  the  “ Argonaut  ” 
are  alwaj's  quoted  respectfully  in  L m I'm  and 
elsewhere.  This  publication  is  intensely  American 
ill  the  best  sense  of  the  word,  and  tho’ougbly 
patriotic,  not  written  for  'he  rabble  and  the 
1 wer  classes  of  peculating  politicians.  It  is 
strong  for  decency  in  all  things,  the  Press  in 
particular  .and  is  “ down  ” on  the  national  trails, 
vulgarity  and  display,  which  culminate  in  appraising 
everything  at  its  dollar  cost,  irrespective  of  artistic 
merit  or  true  value.  A case  in  point  was  the  recent 
Vanderbilt-Marlborough  wedding,  with  its  rehearsals 
in  church,  like  some  theatrical  or  circus  performance! 
My  next  will  bo  written  from  the  Sunny  South, 
probably  describing  some  of  the  beautiful  “ Floral 
Fiestas”  that  take  place  in  tho  early  summer  all 
over  the  state.  The  elections  of  beautiful  young 
ladies  as  queens,  to  preside  in  state,  with  court 
ladies  and  attendants,  Ac.  Ac.,  are  now  going  on. 
And  now  Mr.  Editor,  with  Salaams  to  yourself  and 
your  readers,  I am,  yours  truly.  T.A.C. 
MU.  CHAS.  LEDGER  AND  THE  DUTCH 
GOVERNMENT. 
In  our  issue  of  March  illst  we  printed  the  letter 
in  which  the  Dutch  Minister  of  the  Colonie.s  re- 
fused to  entertain  .Mr.  f.edger’s  application  for 
additional  reniuneriition  in  re.spect  of  .services 
rendered  by  him  thirty  years  ago  in  .sniiplying 
tlie  Dutcli  Government  with  South  American 
cincliona-seeil,  Mr.  Ledger  lias  addres.sed  to  the 
Dutch  Government  a s[)irited  re]>ly  to  their 
refusal  of  assistance.  He  says  : — 
When  in  186,5  I sent  the  cinchona-sced  (the  origin 
of  the  now  famed  “ Lodgeriaua  ” variety  to  my  brother 
ill  Loudon,  the  then  Consul  for  Holland,  was  introduced 
to  him  by  the  late  Mr.  ,J.  E.  Howard,  who,  among 
other  statements,  said:  “In  Java  they  are  scienti- 
fically cultivating  and  propagating  the  cinchona 
more  successfully  than  our  own  Government  are 
doing  in  India.  We  are  w’orking,  too,  in  the  greatest 
harmony.”  With  the  understanding  that,  after  con- 
sultation with  his  Government,  a fair  price  would  be 
paid  for  it,  half  of  tho  seed  (about  201b.)  was  handed 
over  to  the  Consul.  No  price  was  demanded.  Some 
twenty  days  after  400  florins  (about  36/.)  was  sent  to 
my  brother.  Now,  I would  respectfully  ask  tho  Hon. 
Minister  who  were  the  experts  that,  without  trial  of 
assay,  took  upon  themselves  the  responsibility  of 
valuing  what  was  more  than  standard  gold  at  the 
price  of  copper  ? That  the  valuation  was  not  fair 
was  admitted  when,  sixteen  years  later,  a further 
and  quite  inadequate  100/  was  paid  to  me  by  your 
Hon.  Government. 
In  all  my  appeals  for  justice  or  return  of  moneys  ac- 
tually expended  by  me  in  adding  so  materially  to  the 
wealth  of  your  country  and  people  I have  only  once 
asked  for  a “reward,”  and  to  that  I was  impelled  by 
despair  on  finding  myself  destitute  tinough  uufore- 
s.:en  misfortune  in  my  old  age. 
For  eyevv  pouud  p-.id  to  me  your  lion.  Govorii- 
ment  has  g.fiueo  hundreds — iiay,  tiims  .uid  ^ — of  pounds, 
wiihout  t.iking  into  account  future  liches.  I re- 
spectfully apologise  lor  trespassing  ou  your  time  and 
attention.  I am  desirous  that  in  due  time  the  public 
may  be  informed  as  to  the  true  “ character  of  the 
commercial  transaction”  the  Hon.  Minister  quotes 
as  reason  for  refusing  the  respectful  appeal  for 
reimbursement  of  moneys  expended  by  me,  and  so 
enormously  adding  to  the  wealth  of  your  hou.  country 
and  people. — Your  humble  servant, 
(Signed)  C.  Ledger) 
Mr.  Ledger  has  a good  case,  and  he  cannot  be 
blamed  for  stating  it  with  vigour.  But  we 
fear  that  Ministerial  skin  is  too  thick  to  be 
penetrated  by  any  representations  on  Mr.  Ledger’s 
part  or  on  oiir  own.  It  umnld  have  been  a 
o-racious  and,  we  think,  a u’ise  act  of  the  Dutch 
Government  to  have  given  a small  pension  to  an 
old  gentleman  whose  efforts  have  admittedly  been 
a source  of  great  wealth  to  Holland  and  her 
