Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/511

 ARTICLES OF EXPORTATION. 495 the sea-ports, — circumstances which render the transportation difficult. The only other mineral production which, in a commercial view, desen'es notice, is salt. All the salt used by the Indian islanders for culinary pur- poses is obtained from the evaporation of sea wa- ter or that of salt springs, but principally of the former. The abundance of salt springs which ex- ist, particularly in Java, is sufficient proof that there exist beds of mineral salt. The processes by which salt is obtained from brine have been already described in the notices 1 have given re- specting the useful arts of the islanders, and need not be here repeated. Java is the country of the Archi- pelago that affi}rds the principal supply of culinary salt, and the combination of local circumstances, which gives to that island a sort of natural mono- poly, have been already detailed. Along the im- mense line of its flat north coast there are many situations in which, from their natural advantages, salt is manufactured with wonderfully little labour, and, consequently, at a very low price. About 2 Spanish dollars the Coyang of 4080 lbs. avoir- dupois, or — per cwt. may be considered as about an average of the real cost of production. The capital expended is nothing, or next to nothing. The sun performs the whole process of evapora- tion, — the implements are but a few wooden rakes, spades, and baskets, and the only xcorhs necessary are the petty dikes of a foot high, constructed of the