rice was advanced; until about 1900 the government
paid fifteen florins per picul for coffee in parchment. All government
coffee was sold at public auction in Batavia and Padang, these sales
being held four times a year in Batavia and three times a year in
Padang.

Coffee from private estates, not under government control and operated
by European corporations or individuals, has now succeeded the
government monopoly coffee. Private-estate crops are sold by public
tender, usually on or about January 28 of each year. If the owners do
not get the price they desire in Batavia or Padang, the coffee is sent
to Amsterdam for disposal. Some coffees always are sent to Holland;
because the directors of the company get a commission on all sales
there, and also because the coffees are prepared especially for the
Dutch market. The Hollander wants his coffee blue-green in color.

[Illustration: COFFEE CAMEL TRAIN ARRIVING AT THE HODEIDA CUSTOM-HOUSE
FROM THE INTERIOR OF YEMEN]

[Illustration: LOADING BY THE OLD-STYLE HAND-LABOR METHOD]

[Illustration: HERE THE AUTOMATIC BELT POURS INTO THE HOLD A CONTINUOUS
STREAM OF BAGS OF COFFEE]

[Illustration: OLD AND NEW METHODS OF LOADING COFFEE AT SANTOS]

_Loading Coffee at Santos_

In Brazil, when the coffee has been rebagged and marked by both the
_commisario_ and the exporter, the coffee is again sampled. These
samples are compared with those by which the purchase was made; and if
right, the bags are turned over to the dock-master, who sets his
laborers to work loading ship. Two methods are used at Santos. The old
familiar style of hand labor is still in evidence--men of all
nationalities, but largely Spaniards and Portuguese, take the bags on
their heads and carry them in single file up the gangplanks and into the
hold of the ship. The dock company, however, operates a huge automatic
loading machine, or belt, which saves a great deal of time and labor. In
other Brazilian ports all loading is done by manual labor.

[Illustration: A COFFEE FREIGHTER ON THE CAUCA RIVER, COLOMBIA]

Recently, at the suggestion of the Commercial Association of Santos, the
minister of transport of Sao Paulo ordered that coffees destined for
legitimate traders should be transported during four days of the week,
and those of a speculative nature during the remaining two days. A
premium of as much as five milreis a bag has been paid by speculators in
order to obtain immediate transport.

_Shipping