Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-07-23
Vhe family Circle.
Pepper, Opium and CamphOr.

Pepper, Opium and CamphOr.
The war now waged in Sumatra affect.
not simply the Dutch and Atcheenese, bu,
the inhabitants of all civilized countries, BY
cutting off the usual supply of pepper. A
marked rise in the value of the article ha.
consequently occurred in this market, anc
further advance is highly probable.
A years supply of pepper for thi,
country varies from $4,000 to 10000
bags, or "pickles," as they are techni-
caly termed. each of which contains from
100 to 100 pounds. At the beginning Of
the Atcheen war there were about Is ,OOC
bags in the United States, of which very
little is now lett in the hands of the deal
ers. The total shipments received thi.
year amount to but about $4,000 bags
which were made up from last years crop
Usually the new crop is harvested in
January, and exported here from then
till midsummer, but this year the crop
was neglected, in consequence of the war
and large part of it was lost. Nearly
all the Malay laborers have been pressed
into the ranks, and as pepper requires the
most careful cultivation, it is probable that
there will be a failure of the crop next
year also.
AS nearly all our pepper is derived
from Sumatra, this state of affairs could
not fail to produce rise in prices. Six
months ago the value of pepper in Suma-
ira was from 50 to sll per bag. 1t
gradually rose to SIS, and is now held at
Sl4.6O. The slight recent reduction is
due to the fact that no vessels have lately
been sent, in consequence Of the war to
bring away what little pepper is still in
the market, and there has therefore been
no active demand at the old points of ex-
port.
Pepper has advanced here from an av-
erage price of sixteen cents per pound,
duty pa d, to from eighteen and three
quarter cents to nineteen cents for Suma-
ira, and nineteen and three-quarters cents
to twenty cents for Singapore. Private
advces confirm the reports that the war
IS likely TO continue, and it is therefore
probable that pepper will become ex-
t'emey scarce, with corresponding rise
~ value.
The Atcheen war has also occasioned
considerable advance in the value of nut
megs. but as these are obtained from the
Malacca Islands and other places besides
Sumatra the supply is not likely to be re-
duced like that OF pepper.
N other rpspppt. Spioa RI 10 ~
It's normal condition, save that the supply
of cassla is slightly in excess OF the demand
OPIUM.
A much more sudden and startling
change has very recently occurred in the
value of opium. Tue usual crop in Tur-
>ey, from which this country is supplied
amounts to about 5000 cases, each case
containing l40 pounds. 1t is chiefly dis
trlbuted between America, England and
China. This year every thing appeared to
De favorable for good yield, and at
least an average crop Was conf Iently ex-
pected till short time ago, when advices
we're received that one half OF the crop had
been destroyed by the hot winds 1t is
now reported that the entire product Of
this year, which is now harvesting, will
probably not amount to more than 1000
cases.
About 900 cases more are said to con
Stitu,e the entire stock of Turkish opium
DOW on hand in this country and Europe,
most Of which is in Europe, as the greater
part is Of an inferior grade, which could
not pass cur custom houses. The average
consumption of Turkish opium throughout
the world is estimated at 400 cases per
month, or 4 800 in a year. so that great
scarcity is inevitable if the reports from
Smyrna be correct.
No supply for our market can be OBJ
tanned from India, as the grade of the
Iudlan opium is such that it could not be
admitted into our ports. Persian opium
Was formerly an important product, but
since the great famine in Persia its culture
mas been neglected, and instead of thou
sands of cases, as in former years, it is
reported that this years crop will probably
not be more than 400. Moreover, that
kind of opium could be used in this coun-
try only IN the manufacture of morphia.
This condition Of affairs has caused
opium in boud in this city to advance in
price from S. per pound, gold, to 1925,
gold, within the last six weeks. If the
unfavorable reports are fully confirmed, it
IS believed in the trade that it will con-
tinue to advance enormously, and not
lmprobably reach the figure of about five
years ago, when, under similar eircum-
stances, opium was sold for Sill per pound
in gold.
CAMPHoR.
Camphor is another article in the price
of which great change has occurred in
this market, but in this case the alteration