352 GREAT COST OF TRANSIT. 



the principal traders to Japan, Formosa, Manilla, 

 and the Eastern isles. 



The expense of transit across these mountains 

 amounts to no less than 1 tale, 2 mace, 5 candareens 

 the pecul ; which is more than one third of the 

 whole expense of carriage, though the pass is not 

 one seventh of the whole distance, nor the time 

 occupied one fifth of the whole time necessary for 

 the transit of tea to Canton. Nor can the teas be 

 moved out of this province without incurring an 

 expense of five times the amount necessary for 

 shipping them from the port of Foo-chew-foo. 

 Such is the importance of this port : and whatever 

 contingent advantages may render other ports 

 desirable, still these advantages can never lessen 

 the importance of the port of Foo-chew-foo. The 

 saving which may be effected in boat-hire alone has 

 been shown to amount to 300,000/. per annum. 



The usual route by which the black teas are 

 sent to Canton, is through the province of Kiang-sy. 

 They are first transported down the river Min in 

 Fokien to the small town of Tsong-gan-hien, whence 

 they are carried, by porters, an eight days' journey, 

 over mountain passes to Ho-keu, and the rivers of 

 Kiang-sy, which conduct to Nan-chang-foo and 

 Kan-chew- foo ;and then, suffering many transship- 

 ments on their way, to the pass of Ta-moey-ling, 

 in that part of the same chain of mountains which 

 divides Kiang-sy from Quon-tong. At this pass 

 the teas are again carried by porters — the journey 



