564 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[Feb. t, 1898. 
reason to expect a less consumption in future. 
Indeed, the so-called “opening up ’’ of China, Corea 
and the East must tend to enlarge the demand, and 
America has steadily advanced her requirements of 
late years. ^ 
Stock December 31st. 
January to Packages. 
November. In Amsterdam In London. 
1897 
12,000 
16,000 
1896 
17,040 
22,190 
1895 
16,147 
27,450 
1894 
24,635 
32,066 
1893 
14,184 
37,841 
Price of unit at close Average price 
of year. 
London. Amsterdam. 
j • 
London. Amsterdam- 
7 cents. Id 4.70 cents. 
2.25 „ id 2.67 „ 
3 ,. §d 2.79 ,, 
2.80 „ 13-16d 3.95 „ 
3.86 „ id 4.28 „ 
Stock of quinine in London 3lst December, 189V 1^, 
1896, IL 1895 2, 1894 2J million ounces. 
1897 
1896 
1895 
1894 
1893 
l^d 
id 
^'-d 
13-16d 
FKOPOSED ALrEKATION OF COFFEE 
SALE RULES. 
A largely attended meeting of the coffee tiv.de was 
held last week at the L- ndon Commercial Sale Rooms, 
Mincing Lane, E.C., “to consider the advisability of 
alterino- the rule governing the i c nditions as to size and 
sale of fots offered in public sale,’’ Mr. Melville Wood- 
house was voted to the chair, and said the meeting had 
been called together to see whether some means could 
not be devised for facilitating and expediting the sale 
of coffee. If it could be done without in any way inter- 
fering with business they w'ould all be glad, but per- 
sonally he did not see how it could be done. He would, 
however, venture to make one suggestion, viz., that 
they should endeavour to be a little more punctual in 
the coffee trade. . , • 
Mr. G. W. Rouse said he received the following 
letter, which explained why the meeting had 
been ' called “ To the committee of the cofiee 
trade.— Gentlemen, we, the undersigned firms, have 
come" to the conclusion that the regulations now 
observed in public sales no longer meet present 
requirements, and that they prevent an important and 
lai-ge section of the tiade from attendir g to their 
properly. It is a fact tl at the sale of the 
considerable quantity of small lots absorbs an 
abnormally long time. .Single bags are continually 
put in at 20s, 30s, and 4Us under their value, and it 
often takes longer to sell a single bag than piles of 500 
bags. Sales are consequently dragged out, and the 
disposal of important quantities of coffee and the 
proper working of those sold are prevented through 
want of time. Besides such a tedious working is 
demoralising to those interested in miportant parcels, 
and not worthy of a grea t market. W e therefore think 
it would be advisable to dispose of all lots of less than 
fiiteen bags after the larger quantities have been sold, 
in fact, to bring them under the category of the so- 
called ‘odd lots,’ all quantities of less than fifteen bags, 
irrespective of quality and condition, to be considered 
odd lots. This arrangement would not inflict hardship 
on anybody— in fact, it would, we believe, have the 
opposite effect. It would enable importers to make 
the desired progress with the important part of ih. ir 
consignments, which is now continually in'erlered 
with ; it would enable the larger buyers to attend the 
public sales personally and to work their purchases as 
required, thus indirectly benefiting importers ; and it 
would not make greater claims on those interested in 
the purchase of small lots, and on the selling and 
buying brokers. We may add that the tea trade have 
successfully adopted a similar regulation. We recom- 
mend these our proposals to your careful and prompt 
attention, (Signed) Lansbiug & Co., R. Wales (Moffatt 
& Co. Khun & Co., C. BuckA Co., E. Sohluter & Cc,, 
F. Huth & Co., Mr. R. Meyer & Co., Krauss ar d 
Graeff.” Continuing, Mr. Rouse said that, according 
to the invitation in the letter, the committee which 
consisted of buying and selling brokers, was called 
together, and they unanimously came to the conclusion 
that the question bristled with momentous difficulties 
to the importers, and espiecially those who shipped fine 
coffees, and also to the home trade. Accordingly the 
committee came to the conclusion that they did not see 
their w ay to recommend any alteration in the present 
system. They felt certain that their friends who 
proposed the change did not mean to do any injustice 
to the importers, and did not contemplate that their 
suggestion would have that effect. The committee, 
therefore, acting on the saying that “ in a multitude 
of counsellors there is wisdom,” had thought it better 
to call a meeting of the entire trade, so that the 
whole question might be discussed and definitely 
sol tleci 
Mr. Schwartz 'F. Huth & Co.), in proposing a resolu- 
tion for the adojjtion of the change suggested in the 
letter, said that he and his friends wished to 
do the best for the market as a whole. The prin- 
cipal points of complaint and the remedies 
proposed had been embodied in the letter, and be 
hoped the trade would agree to the proposals they 
put foiw id. During the last few years, par- 
ticularly since their trade with Columbia had 
developed, an enoimous quantity of small lots 
bad been put upon the market, and it hod 
been felt by important sections of the trade that 
the sale of those small lots absorbed too much of 
their time, and made it impossible to conduct their 
business properly. He did not mean to argue that 
no attention should be paid to these small lots — on 
the contrary all due care should be paid them, but 
the large quantities should have the same chance 
as the small lots, and that was not the case 
at present. Nobody could dispute that it took 
longer to dispose of twenty lots of two or three 
bags each, than it did to dispose of a hundred 
large parcels. The alterations proposed would, he 
believed, get over the evil, and benefit all sections 
of the trade. It was the duly of every trade to 
arrarge their methods of business so that no harm 
should be imposed on anybody, and that he believed 
would be effected if the suggestion made were 
carried out. It could net possibly interfere with 
anybody if small lots were to be sold afterwards, 
and under such an arrangement he considered the 
importers should benefit equally with the brokers. 
Mr. Lansberg said that before any discussion 
took place he would like to suggest that a small 
conimiUee be aiipoiuted to deal with the matter, and 
report to another meeting. It was obvious that 
there were many differences of opinion on the 
question, which could not very well be dealt with 
at a large meeting. Let a committee be appointed 
to discus- the pros and cons of the matter, and 
then perhaps they might be able to recommend 
an arrangement which might suit the trade as a 
whole. 
Mr. R. Wales said that, as the meeting had been 
called to ventilate the question, he thought it would 
he advisable to get the views of some members of the 
trade before any resolution was proposed. If that 
were done they might be able to come to a soliPion 
of the difficulty w'hich would be satifactorily all 
round. 
Mr. W. J. Thompson thought there were very giave 
difficulties in the way of making the alteration, as it 
would practically releg>xte the finest coffee into the 
edd Icts- 
Mr. Davis said he would move the following re- 
solution : “ That this meeting is of opinian that the 
suggested change in the odd lots rule is not desir- 
able.” Hu said he bad taken the trouble to glance 
at hist spiring s catalogue, and if the suggested rule 
had been in iorce at least 80 per ce.-t of the boldest 
size East lucliaii coffees, and 90per cent of the pea- 
herrys would have been relegated to the odd lots. 
C uld anybody conceive a more manifest injustice to 
the importers than ^tbat — that the very finest piarcels 
of coffee Uiat cameRo Rhis country should be treated 
as cddlotsV He did not believe for an instant that 
