PRICES OBTAINED BY THE CHINESE PLANTER. 113 



PRICES OBTAINED BY THE CHINESE PLANTER. 



I HAVE stated in the foregoing pages, that between the 

 planter and the purchaser of teas for America, there 

 were a great many who derived their bread by selling it 

 from one to another, who may be called the middle men 

 of the trade. The people who make their living on tea- 

 trading in China are innumerable. And through the 

 agency of whom the price of tea is raised to 20 cents by 

 the time it reaches Canton, and 1G cents at Shanghaie, 

 per Ib. average.* 



If it was possible for an u outside barbarian" to calcu- 

 late, and deduct the profits per Ib. and expense of inland 

 carriage, to either Canton or Shanghaie, it would be in 

 reality found that the cultivator was very poorly paid. 



First, there is the rent of land, calculated by GutzlafF 

 a $1 50 per acre. There is the interest he has to pay 

 on advances to him (to purchase corn, &c., which his 

 land under tea might have produced him,) 75 per ceutf 

 Tlu-n say a poor man has an acre of tea, and that it pro- 

 duced him 300 Ibs., and that he realized 7 cents per Ib., 

 he would only have 21 dollars ; that would be a poor 

 means of support especially when the interest of money, 

 government revenue, and rent of land were paid off. 



Now the Hong laborers, or Coolies, get 15 shillings 

 sterling, or 45 dollars yearly, and their diet and lodgings. 



The shoe makers, according to Rev. Mr. Smith's evi- 

 dence, get nearly the same wages. 



The tea packers, are allowed about 36 dollars a year, 

 and diet. 



* Average price of the teas exported to England, 

 f The legal interest is 86 per cent 



