SPECIAL REPORTS FOR FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION. 931
CEYLON.
Special report of Consul Walter A. Leonard, Colombo, Ceylon, November
1, 1915.

No important combinations in Ceylon.—There are no important
cartels, syndicates, or combinations of manufacturers native to Ceylon.
 The exports of Ceylon consist almost entirely of tropical prodacts,
 which find a ready market in industrial countries without being
pushed by combinations of selling organizations.
By referring to the kind of products Ceylon exports it will be evident
 why no cartels, syndicates, or combinations are necessary for
their further trade extension. In fact, two of Ceylon’s important exports,
 viz, rubber and plumbago (graphite), were restricted by embargoes
 to all neutral countries during several months of the present
war, and can now be purchased by the United States od other
neutral countries) only under certain restrictions. Tea and rubber
alone comprise about three-fourths of Ceylon’s annual exports. In
1914 of the approximate $70,000,000 value of Ceylon’s exports about
$50,000,000 consisted of tea and rubber and $20,000,000 of other tropical
 products of the soil.
No export bounties, preferential export freight rates, or other such
facilities are furnished by the Government of Ceylon to exporters.
On the contrary export duties are levied. «
Ceylon products organizations.—The only Ceylon products organizations
 in existence are of a commercial and industrial nature. They
do not concern themselves with exporting methods. These organizations
 are as follows:
Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.—The organization and purposes of
the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, located in Colombo, are similar
to those of chambers of commerce in the United States. The chamber,
 however, is reticent about giving information to any but its own
members, and in that respect may be considered quite dissimilar to
chambers of commerce in the United States, which freely give information
 to all inquirers. In fact, the purpose of the chamber of commerce
 seems to be to a great extent to promote trade between the
home country and Ceylon. The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce regulates
 the conditions for the sale of tea and rubber by auction. It
further regulates the rates of agency commission and brokerage, and
also the storage rules at the port of Colombo for plumbago and coconut
 products. The chamber of commerce has recognition from the
local government, and one of its chief functions is to bring trade matters
 before the governmental officials so that they may be best
treated to the best interests of the British Empire.
Planters’ Association of Ceylon—The Planters’ Association of
Ceylon is a sort of an agricultural society, with headquarters at
Kandy. It is composed of managers or firms interested in the planting
 industries of Ceylon, principally the products of tea. The purpose
 of this association is to promote the general welfare of the
planting community. It is not an organization concerned with foreign
 trade.
Tow Country Products Association.—The Low Country Products
Association is composed of native Sinhalese interested in products
of the low country (principally the southwestern coastal plain of