Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/476

 460 COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION OF of Banca with those of Cornwall, he receives — the tax or quit-rent paid to the duke or sovereign, — the rent paid to the lords of the soil, — and partakes, nominally at least, in the profits of those who are more immediately the adventurers. Considered as a branch of the public revenue of the native so- vereign, the mines of Banca were divided intoj^'rc' departments, the administration of which was con- signed to as many native officers, usually residing at the court of Palembang. These persons had, accord- ing to the practice of the native governments, the whole powers of administration delegated to them, and conducted the civil and military government of their respective districts, as well as, what they consi- dered the more paramount, affairs of the mines. They delegated the charge of the mines to agents distinguished by the Chinese name of Kongsi. These kept the accounts of the mines, and at fixed staples had stores of provisions, tools, &c., made ad- vances to the adventurers, and received the tin at fixed rates. The adventurers may be described as bein^ at once labourers and adventitrerSy who work in common upon terms of perfect equality. The price which they received was an invariable, fixed, one of about six Spanish dollars per picul, or L. 1, 2s. 8d. per cwt., 57 per cent, less than the cost of Cornish tin. This, however small, nomi- nally must have been a fully adequate compensation for their labour, since it induced them to quit their 12