Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/477

 ARTICLES OF EXPOIlTATIOy. 46l country, and to subject themselves to the inconve- nience of living in a new uncleared country, and, of course, not in a very favourable climate. The actual price paid, however, must have been greatly lower than this nominal one, for the Kongsis^ or native agents, were in the practice of supplying them with necessaries at exorbitant prices, as an example of which it may be stated, that rice was delivered to them at the rate of 5 Spanish dollars per picul, six times its price in Java, and certainly not less than 150 per cent, above its natural price on the spot. The whole price paid by the British administration when it took possession of Banca, including management, transportation, &;c. was only 8 Spanish dollars the picul of 133; lbs. avoir- dupois, or L. 1, 10s. 3d. per cwt. Such are the extraordinary facilities, or the small quantity of la- bour expended in producing the metal, and bring- ing it to market. The difference between the price actually paid for the production of the tin, and the selling price, consists of the jwofits of stock, and the rent of the mines, but perhaps chiefly, or, indeed, in all likelihood exclusive- ly of the latter, as it is not to be imagined that profit is likely to accrue from the wasteful and im- provident management of a trading sovereign. This price on the spot has generally been about 12 dol- lars, so that the average proportion of the rents of mines in Banca may be reckoned about one-half o^ their produce.