COMMERCE — MONEY AND CREDIT
117
Disease has in recent years greatly reduced the produce of coffee. The quantity exported fell from 824,509 cwt. in 1879 to 299,395 cwt. in 1884, to 31,987 cwt. in 1894, to 18,605 cwt. in 1897. The exports of tea, which in 1884 amounted only to 2,392,975 lb., reached 85,376,322 lb. in 1894, 98,581,060 lb. in 1895, 110,095,193 lb. in 1896, and 114,466,318^ lb. in 1897.
The exi)ort of cacao was, in 1885, 7,466 cwt. ; 1894, 22,792 cwt. ; in 1895, 27,522 cwt. ; in 1896, 33,890 cwt. ; and in 1897, 35,121 cwt.
According to Ceylon returns the total imports from the United Kingdom in 1897 amounted to 25,957,311 Rs. and exports to 51,274,208 Rs. ; imports from India 62,473,892 Rs. ; exports to India 10,246,'716 Rs. The amount of trade with the United Kingdom is shown in the following table, according to the Board of Trade returns in each of the last five years.
— !
1893
1894
1895
1896
,1897
\
£
£
£
£
£
Imports from
Ceylon into
U.K. .
4,252,794
4,101,275
4,524,843
4,723,547
4,688,278
Exports of
British pro-
duce to Cey-
lon
902,477
947,858
983,733
1,005,828
1,031,481
The import of coffee from Ceylon into the United Kingdom was of the declared value of 3,001, 075Z. in 1879, 235,684?. in 1895, 68,967?. in 1896, 62,780/. in 1897. Other imports are —cinchona, 21,952?. in 1896, 12,380?. in 1897 ; coco-nut oil, 117,565?. in 1896, 105,622?. in 1897 ; cinnamon, 41,567?. in 1896, 52,869?. in 1897 ; plumbago, 90,821?. in 1896, 113,507?. in 1897 ; tea, 120?. in 1878, 1,244,724?. in 1888, 3,404,696?. in 1895, 3,799,713 in 1896, 3,728,166?. in 1897 ; cordage and twine, 57,332?. in 1896, 54,650?. in 1897. Manufactured cotton goods, of the value of 219,550?. ; iron, wrought and unwrought, 92,527?.; coals, 140,380?., machinery, 87,541?., formed the staple articles of British exports to Ceylon in 1897.
Shipping and Communications.
The total tonnage entering and clearing at Ceylon ports in 1897 was 6,704,747. In 1898, 187 sailing vessels of 13,458 tons, and 4 steamers of 629 tons, total 191 vessels of 14,087 tons, were registered as belonging to Ceylon.
Ceylon had 297 miles of railway ojien for traffic in 1897, and 215 miles have been surveyed and projected.
In 1897 there were 364 offices opened for post and telegraph business. There were 1,733 miles of telegraph wire.
Money and Credit.
The estimated amount of paper money in circulation on the 31st of T)ec.^ 1896, was 11,468,700 Rs. Five banks have establishments in Ceylon : the Mercantile Bank, the Bank of Madras, the National Bank, the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, and the Chartered Bank of India, London and China. The Ceylon Savings Bank in 1895 had deposits amounting to 3,320,663 Rs. ; and the Post Offfce Savings Bank (1895) to 848,274 Rs.
