DIFFERENCES OF CLIMATE. 337 



the relative prices of woollens, or cotton yarn, and 

 tea in China, and their prices in England., Nor is 

 this a certain test, even if true in theory ; because a 

 number of disturbing causes affect and perplex the 

 calculation, such as monopolies, protective and dif- 

 ferential duties, bounties, and imposts generally. 



Thus the higher price of labour alone in Europe 

 would not be an infallible test against the power 

 of successfully competing with China in the culti- 

 vation of tea, as I shall, by-and-by, incidentally 

 show. A far safer comparison for our purpose 

 seems to me to be the cost at its seat of growth, and 

 the price at its place of consumption. 



The comparison, however, with which we have to 

 deal at present, is not between its cost of manipu- 

 lation in China and our colonies in general, but 

 between that country and India. 



The climate of China, as already shown, is a 

 climate of extremes ; that is, the cold of winter and 

 heat of summer are both excessive. Thus, while 

 the inhabitants of Calcutta are experiencing com- 

 paratively warm weather in the winter season, the 

 Chinese of Canton, in about the same latitude, are 

 clothed in their fur garments, woollen and quilted 

 cottons. 



Again, if we examine into the domestic com- 

 forts and habits of these two people, we find the 

 Hindoo satisfied with a small mud hut or shed, 

 which he hardly inhabits by day, preferring the 

 shade of a palm or other tree. An unformed piece 



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