THE ASSAMESE. 81 



The writer of these papers has shown, that in the 

 Tartar country his teas cost him, landed in Calcutta, 

 2 cents. On Selling plantation, under the care of an 

 assistant, Mr. Locke, he made tea at 5 rupees for 80 

 Ibs.,* or about 3g cents per Ib. ; on Ballijan plantation, 

 in charge of another assistant, Mr. Peters, for 5 rupees 

 8 annas per 80 Ibs., or 3 T V cents per Ib. Or, if the 

 reader will refer to Java, he will find that tea had been 

 cultivated there under the very illiberal patronage of the 

 Dutch government, who lent funds to the planter, from 

 whom the government received the crops, and allowed for 

 expense of labor, manufacture, and profit for the planter, 

 only 21 pence sterling, or 5 cents, per Ib. This is suffi 

 cient to show that the cost of production varies from 2 to 

 5 cents per Ib. 



STATE OF THE PEOPLE IN ASSAM, AND THE SINGPHOO, OR 

 TARTAR COUNTRY, WHERE THE ABOVE TEA HAD BEEN 

 CULTIVATED. 



If this article seem to be a digression, it is for the 

 purpose of comparing the opportunities America has over 

 the above countries. 



The Assam country is the north-east frontier of the 

 British East India Company s territory, from 25 degs. 

 to 28 degs. N. lat., and 93 degs. to 95 degs. 30 min. 

 east long, of Greenwich. The Singphoo, or Tartar coun 

 try, lies over between that and west of China. The 

 Assamees are, perhaps, of all people, sunk to the lowest 

 state of degradation to which human nature can be 

 lowered. Opium, that accursed drug, has depopulated 

 one of the richest valleys that can be found. The tra- 



* Rupee = 50c. A inond is the eastern measure, and contain 80 Ibs. 



