Polynesian., 1851-11-15
Qbe polpnesian.
COFFEE PLANTING.

Being much pleased with the essay on coffee
planting, by Godfrey Rhodes Esq, published in
The three last PoIynesians, seni herewith, three
papers illustrating the mode in which coffee
plantations were formed in Ceylon in 1889 and
iS4O. the cost of forming them, and the system
of keeping the accounts. These papers were
sent to me, in London, at that time, 10y some
friends, who had invested large sums in the rich
lands of that fertile Island, at 5s. per acre, land
who advised me 10 do the same, to the exteM of
100000. did not do so, because according to
the data submitted TO me, the profits were SO
large an'i-sO certain, that formed the opinion
that the exuberanf capital Of Great Britain would
How IA, ~ such quantities as To stimulate produc-
iion and 'iepress The price of coff-e, in the home
market, To degree greatly below the lowest base
Of the calculations which Planters then ,lepen-
ded. have reason to believe that that ju,lg-
ment has, in a great measure, been confirmed bv
the experience Of subsequent years. In IS40,
the price which the PInner's ex xpected 10 realize
in England, was 100 to lSOs. per cwt., hut look .
ing, prOspec,ively, for the sake Of safety, tht y
hased their calculations upon price of at least
80 to IS shIlings. By Liverpool Price Current
Of the 9Th August last, ! find the price was
down to SO to 80 shilling> per cwt.; still believe
that coffee-planting in Ceylon, yields fair re-
turn on the capital invested. At the time refer
to, many ofihe merchants, civil and military Off
GERS, and Ca ptali>ts arriving from the West Indies
were engaging in sugar aud coffee plantations,
but particularly the latter. Young men from
Hamburg AMI other places in Germany, were also
fockinc to CeylOn with their small capitals temp
ted by the facility of investing them in land at IS
per acre. The nature of the title gwen will he
understood by the following exrnci from he title
deed Of one Of the estates held by friends Of mine
in London.
Extracts from Title Deed or Grant of Lands in
Ceylon.
"Grant on behalf of her Majesty of 49l acres 50.
| rood, 2,944 square perches, for fl43 l5s. 81 to
A. r. C. s. Co., to have and to hold for ever,
on yearly quit-rent of pepper-corn if demanded,
subject to such regulations may exist or be enacted
respecting lands, right of government to make roads
and bridges, and to timber, stone, &c., to keep the
same in repair, to the mines minerals gold, silver,
"copper" ron tin, lead and other metals &C., with full
powers of entry thereto and to work the same"
Given at Handy, in the Island of Ceylon, under
the public seal thereof this >29th day of January
| 1910. By His Excellency's Command,
(Signed.) J. TURNOYR, Act. Col. Sec.,
A true copy.
(Signed.) A. and R. C, s. CO.
With'a plan by the Surveyor-General attached.
But besides these, the local merchants were ex-
tensiveIy engaging in coffee planting, on joint ac-
count with friends at home. The parties resid-
ing at Ceylon, selected and bought the land and
undertook The entire management of the planta-
ripns without any charge or commission or other
remuneration, aud the parties at home advanced
the capital Both shared alike, for ever, after
the plantation had paid itself.
Very soon afterwards, ! believe, the price of
land was raised 10 COS. per acre, as was done IN
The Australian and several other British Colonies.
The statistical exhibits and c, the former
shelving the prohable expenses and produce OF
an estate of 500 acres for Ia years, and the latter
sh-wing the annual expenses of another estate OF
2 800 acres of which $50 had been cultivated, for
four years and three quarters, which here add,
are worthy Of attention.
ESTIMATED EXPENSE OF ESTABLISHING
A COFFEE ESTATE OF 300 ACRES IN THE
ISLAND OF CEYLON.