36 
Spices. — 'There is only a small trade passing, and quotations are 
unaltered. At auction on Wednesday, Cochin Ginger was 
bought in at 65 s. per cwt. for medium and small native-cut. 
at 50.?. for small cut, and at 38,?. for Calicut brown rough, a 
few bags of slightly mouldy selling at 36^. 6d. per cwt. 
Jamaica mostly sold, with fair competition, at full prices to 
is. per cwt. dearer, common to ordinary at 37A to 42s., mid- 
dling to fair, 421. 6d. to 45J., and dull bold at 45^. to 46^. per 
cwt. Zanzibar Cloves are steady at 3 %d. per lb. on the spot, 
and at 3$d. for future delivery. Black Pepper remains quiet, 
with trade orders for Singapore at 6d. per lb., but there is 
very little doing tor speculation, only a few transactions being 
reported at 6d. to 6 T ^ d. per lb. for near and distant shipment. 
Singapore White is quoted 9 d. per lb. and Penang Sf^d. per 
lb. The quarterly auction of Cinnamon will take place on 
Monday next. 
Vanilla. — Although only a small supply offered at auction, the 
demand was poor, and only part sold, at about is. decline, 
as follows : — -Seychelles, 7 to 8 inches 15$. to 18.?., 3 to 7 inches 
Hi 1 . to 15.9. 6d., and common splits $s. 6d. to in,y. 6d. per lb. 
Mauritius, good 7 h to 8J inches 20s., to 7 inches i8.r. 6d. 
to 19s. ; 6 to 6| inches. 135. to 175. 6^. and common splits 105. 
to 15^. 6d. Bourbon, fair 5^ to 7 inches 1 5^. to 15^. 6 d. The 
export of Vanilla from Mexico decreased considerably both in 
quantity and value during 1900, as the frosts and rains in the 
early part of the year and the want of the latter at the proper 
season spoilt the plants, and the crop was subsequently lost. 
The quantity exported was 60,921 lbs. as against 133,676 lbs. 
in 1899, an d th e values were respectively £62,565 and £181,547. 
Vanilla is now receiving the attention of many of the American 
Agricultural Companies whose properties are in the State of 
Vera Cruz, and it is quite probable that the exports during 
1901 will, under normal conditions, be greater than in 1900. 
The weather for August. 
August has been a dry month in Singapore and the Federated 
Malay States. Malacca alone slightly exceeded the monthly aver- 
age ; i 1.58., having been registered at the General Hospital. The 
least amount fell at Klang, the month’s fall there being only 1.77. 
Appended is the Abstract of the Readings taken at the different 
Stations. 
S’ 
i 
v 
