IV 
the statistics of nutmegs. 
the produce. The average quantity of nutmegs annually sold by the Dutch 
East India Company in Europe during the last century has been estimated 
at 250,000 lbs, besides about 100,000 lbs sold in India. Of mace the 
average quantity sold in Europe was reckoned at 90,000 lbs per annum, 
and 10,000 lbs in India. The trade although so jealously guarded by the 
Dutch, has never been a very profitable one to them, the expenses being 
heavy. In 1779 the charges at Banda amounted to /146,170 and the 
revenues derived from the duties on imports &c. to /9,350 leaving an 
excess on the charges of /136,820 to he deducted from the profit on the 
spices; and the large quantities of spices frequently burned in Holland, 
on which heavy charges for freight &c. must have been incurred, must have 
also formed a serious deduction from the gross profit derived from those sold * 
T n 1814, when in possession of the English, the number of nutmeg trees 
planted out were estimated at 570,500, of which 480.000 were in bearing, 
including 65,000 monsecious trees. The produce of the Moluccas has been 
reckoned at from 6 to 7 hundred thousand lbs per annum, of which one half 
goes to Europe, and about one fourth that quantity of mace. The imports into 
Java from the Eastern Archipelago in 1843, consisted of nutmegs 740.33 
piculs, and of mace 218.06 piculs, and the exports consisted of nutmegs 
2 , 133.29 piculs and of mace 486.63 piculs. The amount of nutmegs 
exported from Java during the 10 years ending in 1834 averaged yearly 
about 352,226 lbs, and during the eleven years ending 1845 about 664,060 
lbs yearly. The quantity of mace exported during the first period averaged 
94,304 lbs yearly, and during the last 169,460 lbs yearly (See the Tables 
subjoined.) 
The average yearly consumption of nutmegs and mace in Great Britain 
is estimated at about 140,000 lbs. The produce of the Straits Settlements 
in 1842 was reckoned at nutmegs 147,034 lbs, and mace 44,822 lbs, thus 
being more than equal to the whole consumption of Great Britain. The rest 
of Europe it has been estimated takes about 280,000 lbs of nutmegs, and 
33,000 lbs of mace, India about 2 16,000 lbs ot nuimegs and 30,000 lbs of 
mace and China about 15,000 lbs nutmegs and about 2,000 lbs of mace. 
As these quantities, however, would leave a surplus production of nutmegs 
alone, above 250,ooo lbs, it is probable they are now coosiderab'y under the 
real amounts. In ten years from 1832 to 1842, the exports of nutmegs and 
mace from Pinang were trebled, and from the very great extension in the 
cultivation which is constantly going on, it is probable tint the same result at 
least will lake place in the ten years succeeding to the above period, 
viz: from 1842 to 1852. During these ten years from 1832 to 1842, the 
price of Nutmegs in Pinang fell for 10 and 12 dollars per thousand, to Pom 
4 to 5 dollars per thousand. They have since kept at the latter rate, owing 
no doubt to the means taken by the Dutch, who at present regulate the 
market, to maintain the price, but it must be no less evident that with the 
large accumulations which this occasions, and the enormous increase in the 
production, the price must sooner or later give way, as it has done before, 
and go down permanently to a considerably lower rate. If a decrease takes 
place at longer or shorter intervals, notwithstanding all the pains used by the 
Dutch to keep up the market, what would be the result were tbs spice 
monopoly abolished, and the trade and cu 1 tiration rendered free and unrestrict¬ 
ed ? There would, without any extension of the cultivation in the Moluccas, 
but merely from greater care and skill being applied by the persons who 
would probably embark in it, be a very considerable increase in the produc¬ 
tion from the present plantations. The produce being sent at once into the 
market, in increased quantities, to be sold for what it would bring, for private 
* Stavorinus’ Voyages &c, 
