Lisbon, Aveiro, and Algarve. The arrangement of the salines at Setubal is very simple. They form a vast reservoir, divided into squares, separated from each other by roads a little more than a yard wide, and all communicating with a main reservoir, which stores up the sea water. The water is admitted directly into these square tanks, where it evaporates and deposits its salt without any previous concentration or purification. In autumn the water is allowed to flow in so as to cover the entire salt marsh to the depth of 50 or 60 centimètres. In spring this water evaporates, and in the month of June the separation roads appear above the surface. The tanks are then cleaned out, left to themselves, and recharged from time to time with new supplies of water. Under the influence of the north-east winds which prevail at this season, the evaporation is very rapid, and after about 20 days each tank is covered with a layer of salt an inch and a half thick and almost dry. This is the first crop. The salt is collected, sea water is introduced anew into the reservoirs, and 20 days afterwards a second crop is gathered. But this is not evaporated to dryness, and the salt is covered with an inch or so of mother liquor, which is left behind on gathering the salt. If the season is favourable, a third crop is attempted, and in September the marsh is flooded over for the winter. In India the salt manufacture is a Government monopoly, and the tax produces about £6,250,000 annually. The native production would appear to be hardly sufficient, since duty amounting to £2,235,000 was received on foreign salt imported in 1876. The duty levied varies from Is. to 6s. 6d. per maund. The annual imports of foreign salt range from 600,000 to 900,000 tons. The quantity of salt imported and delivered from salt. works in the Bombay Presidency in the year ending March, 1867, was 5,403,718 maunds, of which 4,597,312 maunds were sea salt. There were 354 salt works in operation. Extensive salt fields exist at Shimpagah, a short distance above Mandalay, on the western bank of the Irrawaddy river. It is also obtained at other places in Burmah on a small scale. Large quantities could be manufactured at Shimpagah, but imported salt is fast taking its place in the market. The manufacture of sea salt is carried on on the coasts of Cochin China, and bids fair to become a prosperous industry. There are salines worked at Soc-Trang, Baria, and Bien-Hoa. The following is an estimate of the cost of carrying on the manufacture at the salines of Baria. Each hectare (about two acres) of saline is subdivided as follows: From which it results that to establish 200 hectares of "tables," it requires not less than 250 hectares of land. The working of one hectare of tables, or two and a half hectares of saline, involves the following expenditure:1500 francs at first, for feeding the workmen during the formation of the salines. If the first collection of salt is good, the workpeople are paid a second sum of 1500 francs, and the collection of salt is given over to them for their own benefit. The capital thus advanced amounts to 3000 francs. The second year the proprietors work on their own account, and collect probably salt to the value of 2000 francs. After deducting tax, etc., there remains. about 1200 francs of net revenue on the capital advanced, at different stages, of 3800 francs; that is to say, about 36 per cent. If the result of the manufacture or collection of salt is unfavourable, the salt makers improve their work during the second year without any further advance than the resulting product obtained for their own benefit. It results from these figures that to work 100 hectares of salt-pits, or 250 hectares of land, requires a capital of about 400,000 francs (£16,000). In Western Australia salt is collected from the Canning in its natural state, and it is evaporated from the water on the salt lakes on Rottnest Island, from Poolenup Lake, and from Lake Muir. The salt from Rottnest, evaporated at 226° F., contains 95'9 of pure chloride of sodium. The salt trade of the Bahamas and Turks Islands has been almost paralyzed by the high rate of duty levied in the United States. In 1873, salt to the value of £11,080 was shipped from the Bahamas; in 1876 it had fallen to £4,639. In several of the out islands of the group the inhabitants formerly relied upon the proceeds of salt-raking, and the islands upon which salinas are situated are not, as a rule, capable of producing anything else. For the last few years the industry has entailed a loss on all those engaged in it, and there is no hope of their condition being improved until the duty is reduced or entirely abolished. |