The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1873-07-31
PEPPER, opIUM, AND cAMPEos
A Great Change ia VaIues.--Pros-
poets of AN Opium Famine.


|, AGreat Change ia VaIues.--Pro
+ poets of AN Opium Famine.
: From the New York Evening Post July
) The war now waged in Sumatra {
fects not simply the Dutch and Atche
nese, but the inhabitants of all civiliza
7 countries, by cutting off the usual supp
of pepper A marked rise In the valG
I of the article has consequently oceure
! in this market, and a further sdvant
is highly probable.
A years supply of pepper for tn
, country varies from $4,000 to 7e,OO
bags, or pickles." as they are techn
cally termed, each of which contain
from 100 to 100 pounds. At the be
ginning of the Atcheen war there yer
about Is, 900 bags in the United States
of which very little is now left in tn
hands of dealers. The total shipment
received this year amount to but bou
%, 900 bags, which we're made up ron
last years crop. Usually the new roI
is harvested in January, and exported
here from then till midsummer, but this
year the crop was neglected, in cmse-
quence of the war, and large par Of
it was lost. Nearly all the Malay laor-
ers have been pressed into the ranks,
and as pepper requires the most careful
cultivation, it is probable that there will
be 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 Su
matra was from SO to S11 per bag. L
gradually rose to SIS, and is now held a
S14.60. Slight recent reduction is due
to the fact that no vessels have lately
been sent there in consequence OF the
war, to bring away what little pepper
there is still in the market, and there
has therefore been no active demand al
the old points of export.
Pepper has advanced from an average
price of Is cents per pound, duty paid,
to from 49, cents for Sumatra, and 193
cents to 20 cents for Singapore. Private
advices confirm the reports that the wal
is likely to continue, and it is therefore
probable that pepper will become ex-
tremely scarce, with corresponding rise
in value.
The Atcheen war has also occasioned
a considerable advance in the value of
nutmegs, but as these are obtained from
the Malacca Islands and other places
besides Sumatra the supply is not likely
to be reduced like that of pepper.
In other respects the spice market is in
its normal condition, save that the sup
ply is slightly in excess of the demand.
#.. OPIUM.
A much more sudden and startling
change has very recently occurred in the
value of opium The usual crop in
Turkey, from which this country is sup
Piled, amounts to about 5000 cases,
each case containing 40 pounds. 1t is
chiefly distributed between America,
England, and China. This year every
thing appeared to be favorable for good
yield, and at least an average yield was
confidently expected till short time ago,
when advices were 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 2, 900 cases.
About 2, 900 cases more are said t.
constitute the whole stock of Turkisl
opium now 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 our custom-houses.
The average consumption of Turkish
opium throughout the world is estimated
at 400 cases per month, or 4, 800 in al
year, so that great scarcity is inevitableI
if the reports from Smyrna be correct.
No supply for our market can be OBJ
tanned in India as the grade of the In
dian opium is such that it could not bel
admitted into our ports. Persian opium
was formerly an important product, butt
since the great famine in Persia its Gull
ture has been neglected, and instead Of
thousands of cases, as in former years,
it is reported that this years crop will
not be more than 400. Moreover, that
kind of opium could be used in this
country only in the manufacture of NOR
phia.
This condition of affairs has caused
opium in bond in this city to advance
in price from SIS per pound, gold, to
So %, gold within the last six weeks If
the unfavorable reports are fully con-
frmed, it is believed in the trade that it
will continue to advance enormously,
and not improbably reach the figure of
about five years ago, when, under SINH
lar circumstances, opium was sold for S11
per pound in gold.
CAMPHOR.