ma 



fME *tkOPiCAL A^klCiJL'rUkiHT. 



t^LM. i, (886 



THE TEA SYNDICATE. 



20th August, 1886. 

 Sir, — The Tea Syndicate circular is now being 

 sent to all members of the Planters' Association and 

 will be supplied to others on application. I would 

 through the medium of your columns, desire to 

 irri^ess upon all those interested in tea the ex- 

 treme desirability of supporting the scheme by 

 contributing a little of their produce. The scheme 

 is, I think, the only feasible one for increasing 

 with some rapidity the number of our consumers 

 while wo are increasing our production, and for 

 establishing the wholesome stimulant of altern- 

 ative markets. Every one, I think, approves of the 

 idea and recognises the benefits to be derived, but 

 it should be clearly understood that barren ap- 

 proval is of no use, and if the planters of Ceylon 

 arf in earnest, and reay desire to see our teas 

 consumed in the Colonies, and America, they must 

 all help, for in such schemes, which at first may 

 require a little sacrifice, there is a tendency to be- 

 lieve that others will make that sacrifice, and a 

 desire not to interfere with their doing so. The syndi- 

 cate cannot conclude satisfactory arrangements un- 

 less we know approximately what quantity of tea we 

 will have to deal with during the coming season and I 

 trust that the circulars will be returned with 

 promise of some support, be it much or be it little, 

 and that superintendents will obtain the necessary 

 permission to contribute. The Syndicate will arrange 

 that those who desire it can, on shipping their tea, 

 obtain an advance of about thkee-fourths of its 

 value, and this no doubt, will be a convenience to 

 many — although the question has not yet been 

 definitely settled. I do not think any bulking of 

 the various teas will be attempted. Uniformity has 

 advantages, but it would be difficult to obtain and 

 has some drawbacks. It would do away with all 

 the individual incentive, which in an enterprise 

 like this is so necessary. Those shipping good teas 

 will naturally desire that they should go under the 

 estate marks, so that further orders for their teas 

 can be handed to them. In this way I hope many, 

 instead of sacrificing anything by contributing to 

 the Syndicate, will derive individual gain. I 

 should mention that the Syndicate has arranged 

 for the advertisement and sale of packets of Syndi- 

 cate Tea at the Colombo Hotels, so that all pas- 

 sengers will have Ceylon Tea brought prominently 

 before them. The quantity so sold will of course 

 be very small and unimportant, but the advertisement 

 of Ceylon Tea and the Syndicate's Australian Agents 

 gi\en by thet^e packets will be very valuable, and 

 our thanks are due to those whose public spirit 

 caused them to readily grant the privilege. — I am, 

 sir, your obedient servant, 



THOS. NORTH CHRISTIE, 



THE WORKING OF THE CEYLON TEA 



eVNjDICATE IN A BUSINESS POINT OE VIEW, 



_ Kandy, -Jlth August 1860, 

 SiK, — 1 trust 1 will not be considpred pie- 

 sumptuous if I venture to call in question certain 

 assertions made by Mr. Christie in his letter appear- 

 ing in your issue of "iSrd inst. I quote the passage 

 referred to : — (1) " I do not think any bulking 

 Of the various teas will be attempted. (2) Uniformity 

 has its advantages, but it would be difficult to 

 obtain and has some drawbacks, (3) It would do 

 away with all the individual incentive (?) which 

 in an eutorprise like this is so necessary. '' 



In answer to clause first, I do most sincerely 

 hope that bulking will be attempted for the first 

 reason given in clause No. 2, viz., that uniformity 

 /nz« its advantages. If it (s difficult to obtain, surely 

 the consisjftBient of individual teas is the laoet un- 



likely of all courses to be followed in obtaining it. 

 But again uniformity " has some drawbacks.^' Now 

 this appears to me to be unreasonable. A certain 

 amount of difficulty in obtaining the same I allow; 

 but that i.niformity in tea, which is expected to 

 find a place in a new market against tremendous 

 competition, has any drawback I do not allow. It 

 is a power in itself, to my belief, indispensable to 

 our new undertaking. 



The chief, and only drawback stated is that "it 

 would do away with all the individual incentive." 

 Is this the case ? Not necessarily, I think. 

 In the first place let it be remembered that pro- 

 prietors are not supposed to send their entire cro'p 

 through the Syndicate, but, as Mr. Christie has it, 

 only " a, little'fii their produce" in short a sub- 

 scription from their crop returns to aid an under- 

 taking which must materially affect every producer's 

 future prospects. 



Now, cannot the arrangements of the Syndicate 

 be such as to allow a certain amount of the 

 " incentive " element to remain in this subscrip- 

 tion to the Syndicate, as well as in the bulk now 

 shipped to London ? Is it necessary that the com- 

 parative value of individual teas be overlooked, or 

 that teas, up to and over a stated standard, sent 

 to the Syndicate, should not be fairly dealt with 

 in a fair division of proceeds, according to the 

 valuation put upon them before shipment by experts 

 whose decision is final ? 



Is there any reason why local valuation should 

 be less powerful as an incentive to the producer 

 than that of Mincing Lane ? I can see no reason 

 whatever, and I hold that the valuation of indivi- 

 dual teas in Ceylon, before bulking, is a plan 

 feasible in itself and unprcjudicial to " individual 

 incentive." 



As regards division of proceeds : whatever the 



valuation put upon individual teas, the value of 



I any individual consignment must form a certain 



portion of the value of the whole, and the proceeds 



as a whole must be divided accordingly. 



By this arrangement, each consignor gets his dues 

 according to the value of the produce he consigns, 

 and I regret that Mr, Christie has expressed any 

 opinion unfavourable to bulking as his opinion is 

 influential. I am in hopes, however, that he will 

 acquiesce with me in my opinion that the uniform- 

 ity of tea properly obtained may not be altogether 

 deterrent to " individual incentive." 



Having considered this question from our own 

 IJoint of view, suppose we turn to the buyer and 

 his incentive to continue dealings with an uuhuppy 

 agent who m;vek can supply him with tea that he 

 so liked at first. 



Also the feelings of the agent who, bound to 

 push Ceylon tea, is not in a position to give away 

 a sample of tea to a likely customer (as is the general 

 custom in America) without feeling that he is robbing 

 someone to pay somebody else. 



To attempt forcing the American market with one 

 thousand small lots, is in my opinion as futile as the 

 fire of one thousand rifles upon an armoured ship 

 of war, One big gun and one big shot is the weapon 

 to use. 



" Those shipping good teas," says Mr. Christie, 

 " will naturally desire that they should go under 

 the estate's mark so that further orders for 

 their teas can be handed to them." 



" A house divided against itself cannot stand."' 

 Individual brands may soon be in a position to 

 claim superiority to other brands in America, but 

 this is not the time tor them to do so. 



Hand in hand brothers ! Waive local contention 

 until your market is secured. Then and then only 

 can you afford to force the sale of individual 

 brands, 



