ted, and long-shaped and small nutmegs,
although really cultivated, will be introduced at the lower duty, by
unscrupulous traders, as wild ones.

It may be added that duties of 12d. and 5d. do not, even if a
departure from the principle of charging on quality were
justifiable, represent the just proportional rates which ought to be
levied upon what are supposed to be, respectively, cultivated and
wild, as they are represented in the ordinary Price Current by the
highest and lowest prices, which are 3s. 10d. and 2s. The just
proportional duty ought to be on the lowest, not 5d., but 7d. The
duty, as first proposed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, of 1s.
per pound on nutmegs, without distinction, was perfectly
satisfactory to the planters, merchants, and the trade in general.

It is a mistake to suppose that a duty of 1s. would exclude the
so-called wild nutmegs. They would be imported in large quantities,
as the cost is low. In quantity it was 17 Spanish dollars per picul,
and there is no reason to suppose it would be more now. The finest
picked cost say 34 Spanish dollars.

In Pinang and Singapore for cultivated the price is 65 to 70
dollars.

The planters for the most part do not sell on the spot, but consign
here for sale on their own account.

London, May 23rd, 1853.

NUTMEGS IMPORTED AND EXPORTED TO AND FROM SINGAPORE.

Value of the
Imported. Exported. Growth of native growth.
piculs. piculs. Singapore. L
1841 2271/2 412 1841/2 3,323
1842 258 809 551 9,897
1843 1501/2 249 981/2 1,760
1844 52 282 230 4,131
1845 41 383 342 6,143
1846 79 331 252 4,526
1847 139 416 277 4,275

NUTMEGS EXPORTED FROM JAVA.

Nutmegs. Mace.
piculs. piculs.
1830 1,304 177
1835 5,022 1,606
1839 5,027 1,581
1843 2,133 486

IMPORTS INTO THE UNITED KINGDOM.
NUTMEGS, WILD AND CULTIVATED. | MACE.
Imports. Home consump. | Imports. Consumption.
lbs. lbs. |