and twelve bamboes of coffee are equal to seventy-eight pounds. The bamboe differs at different ports, &c. BENCOOLEN, or Fort Malborough, is an English settlement. Charges at this place are very high. I do not know whether American vessels are permitted to trade there at present. Of the Moka Trade. There is no regular season to get coffee at Moka. New coffee never gets into market. The caravans are so frequently robbed by the different tribes with which they are at war, and these disturbances are so general, that but small quantities of coffee can arrive safe at a time, which is stored as it gets in. When coffee is scarce, and a number of ships are there for cargoes, they have to wait for their turn to obtain them, for which ships frequently have been obliged to wait six months; but all those have obtained full cargoes. From 1804 to 1812, coffee sold at 18 dollars the picul of 1334 English pounds; and Moka coffee sold at Smyrna, in the Mediterranean, while I was there, in 1810, for 44 cents the English pound; and at the same time West India coffee sold for 21 cents. The business is done at Moka by an agent appointed by the government, who has the exclusive privilege of buying and selling cargoes. When it comes to your turn to load, you can bind this agent under a penalty to load you by a certain time and at a certain price, and that if there should be any pebble stones in the coffee, he will have it cleaned for you, the quality of the coffee always being the same. This agent charges 24 per cent. for transacting the business of ship and cargo. The agent will try to force you to take gums, which you need not take unless you choose. There is generally plenty of gum arabic, gum copal and saltpetre. Nothing will answer there but Spanish dollars, or imperial crowns with the impression of Maria Theresa of Germany on them. Spanish dollars vary a little sometimes in their value. They bring the coffee off to the ship in their own boats, in large baskets called canasters, containing 105 English pounds each: the boat will bring off from 60 to 100 at one time. Sugar has been taken from Batavia to Muscat, and coffee given in exchange. The coffee at Muscat is the same as that at Moka, as great quantities of coffee are taken from the neighbourhood of Moka to Muscat. Goat skins formerly were very cheap at Moka, and were a good article to take to the United States. A small present to the agent, such as a double barrelled gun, &c. will have great influence on him. When the captain of a ship first goes on shore at Moka, he must wait on the governor, and pull off his shoes before he enters his house. Ships lay one mile from the shore at Moka. Ships bound to Moka ought to be tolerably well armed, as the Arabs are a very piratical people. Tin, in bars, per quintal, 200 207 Tin, plates, per double box of 225 leaves each, A number of the above articles come out of the Black Sea from the Russian dominions, such as tallow, buffalo, butter, iron, besides cordage, hemp, sail cloth. Cordage sold at Smyrna in 1811, for 7 dollars per quintal of 125 pounds; Russia duck for 8 dollars the bolt, but not of so good quality as imported from the Baltic. I have been informed that the inhabitants of Smyrna do not now make quite that difference in price between West India and Moka coffee, that they did formerly, the Turks having been long in the habit of receiving coffee by the caravans from Moka, before the West India coffee was introduced there. This, of course, occasioned considerable prejudice in favour of Moka coffee, which time alone could subdue, but they may now have become more accustomed to West India. Prices of Exports from Smyrna in 1811. Goat's skins, per skin, Goat's wool, black, per chequee of 2 okes, 18 do. second quality, Yellow berries, 60 28 60 54 32 80 9 12 5 200 7 180 drams is one rotolo, or 1 pound, one hundred of which make one quintal of 125 pounds. One oke is 2 pounds, 45 of which is one quintal. Cotton wool and tin is sold by the quintal of 44 okes; all other goods are sold by the quintal of 45. A piastre at Smyrna is 20 cents; a piastre at Marseilles, is one Spanish dollar, &c. Exchanges at Smyrna. Amsterdam per florin, current, 31 days sight, 81 3 per cent. 5 London per pound sterling, 31 days sight 20 {ask 21. drawers 24 Opium at Smyrna in 1811, was 2 dollars 74 cents the pound, and after being put in tin cases of one picul each, and those put into wooden boxes and put on board, including all charges, cost 433 dollars the picul. The price of opium at Canton is very fluctuating, from 600 to 1000 dollars the picul. Bengal opium formerly was much preferred, and the difference of price between the Turkey and Bengal opium was considerable. But of late the Turkey opium is in nearly as great estimation as that of Bengal. The importation of opium into China, is prohibited by the emperor, but is connived at by the Mandarins, who receive 10 dollars per picul as gratification money, for allowing it to be bought and sold there. In the year 1811, a double duty✶ at Smyrna was exacted on cargoes in vessels under American colours; but those American vessels trading to Smyrna at that time, saved six per cent. by hoisting British colours, and claiming the protection of the British consul at that place. Since that time I have been unacquainted with the affairs of that place, not having been there since 1811. Articles suitable for the Isle of France, Bourbon and Batavia Markets, &c. Bordeaux Wine, in casks, cases, Flour in barrels, Sweet Oil, Macaronis, Champaigne Wine in bottles, Beef, and bottles, Madeira Wine, Wine de Grave, Pork, * This double duty was exacted at Constantinople also. |