28TH JUNE 1893, Nos. 576, 576A, 576B, 576C, REVENUE .
23
3. Working.—In his letter No. 67, dated 25th October 1892, explaining certain
discrepancies noticed by Government in the report for 1891-92, Mr. Lawson stated
that 10 acres of ground uprooted at Naduvattam were really replanted in April and
May 1892, and that the figures relating to these plants would come into the statistics
of 1892-93. It does not, however, appear from the statement No. 7 appended to the
present report that any new trees were planted in any of the estates during the year
under review. This requires explanation. Statement No. 7 shows that 1,779,894
trees were standing on the several estates at the commencement of 1892-93, and that
21,749 of them were either coppiced or uprooted during the year, leaving at its close
1,758,145 standing trees.
4. The balance of bark in stock at the commencement of the year was 416,858 lbs.
and consisted of 133,322 lbs. of crown bark, 269,357 lbs. of red bark and 14,179 lbs.
of magnifolia. The crop harvested during the year was 106,338 lbs. of crown bark
and 13,145 lbs. of red bark. The quantity disposed of during the year was
144,492 lbs. of crown bark, 15,321 lbs. of red bark and the whole of the magnifolia in
stock, i.e., 14,179 lbs. or 173,992 lbs. in all. Of the bark disposed of, 171,717 lbs.
represent the quantity utilised for the manufacture of sulphate of quinine and solid
febrifuge, and the remainder the bark supplied to the Madras, Bombay and Mysore
Medical departments, to the Imperial Institute and to private parties. The balance
outstanding at the close of the year was 95,168 lbs. of crown bark and 267,181 lbs.
of red bark or altogether 362,349 lbs. Mr. Lawson states that crown bark was princi-
pally used in the manufacture of quinine, and that it was thought desirable to work
chiefly upon the inferior classes so as to relieve the godowns which were choked. If
it was essential to clear off inferior kinds of bark in stock, it is not clear why red
bark, of which there was an enormous quantity in store, and which is poorer in
quinine than crown bark, was not more extensively made use of.
5. The quantity of sulphate of quinine and febrifuge in stock at the close of the
previous year was 2,653 lbs. and 1,355 lbs. repectively. During the year 4,933 lbs.
and 3,139 lbs. of the two drugs were manufactured at the Nedivattam factory and
3,204 lbs. of quinine and 2,609 lbs. of febrifuge were supplied to the Medical Stores
departments of Madras and Bombay, to the Mysore Durbar and to private parties. The
balance outstanding at the close of the year was 4,382 lbs. of quinine and 1,885 lbs. of
the febrifuge. The quantity of these drugs purchased by private parties was very
small, having been only 32 lbs. of quinine and 8 lbs. 8 oz. of febrifuge. It is evident
that the annual outturn of the factory is likely to be in future, as it was during the
last two years, considerably in excess of the requirements of the Government Medical
department and that there will always be a sufficient quantity of the drugs in stock
to meet all demands. The Bengal Government now advertises in all the official Gazettes
and some of the leading newspapers the fact of their quinine and febrifuge being
available for sale to the public, and Mr. Lawson may with advantage publish similar
advertisements both in English and in the vernaculars in the Fort St. George Gazette
and occasionally in one or two of the leading newspapers of this Presidency.
6. The Government observes with satisfaction that there was a very material
increase in the number of indents received from the several Collectors for quinine
packets, the number of powders sent out during the year under review having been
170,400 as against 37,000 in the previous year. In G.O. No. 1252, dated 13th
December 1892, the Government desired Mr. Lawson to embody the district reports
on the subject of the sale of the powders in his annual administration report, but the
Government of India having subsequently fixed the 1st July as the date on which the
administration report should be submitted to them, it was found more convenient to
allow Mr. Lawson to review separately, at a later date, the reports received from
Collectors.
7. In paragraph 6 of G.O. No. 995, dated 22nd September 1892, reviewing the
report for 1891-92, the Government remarked that the question of making certain
modifications in the existing arrangements for the packing and sale of quinine pow-
ders was then under reference to the Board of Revenue and the Surgeon-General, and
that orders would be passed on receipt of their replies. This question has recently been
disposed of in G.O. No. 347, dated 28th April 1893, in which it has been decided to
discontinue the distribution of jalap with quinine powders, and, with the permission