STATISTICS REGARDING INDIAN TEA. 203 



plantations in Northern India has increased in six years from 851 to 

 1,422, and the area from 4,246 to 7,466 acres ; the outturn from 1,311,113 

 Ibs. to 2,271,773105. These figures speak of great activity in production, 

 and show the necessity for every exertion being employed to open out 

 new markets. A combined Syndicate for all the districts in Northern 

 India, on the lines of the one now established in Calcutta, is suggested, 

 but how far this is practicable we are not at present prepared to say. 



The following, too, from the Tea Gazette this year is in 

 some respects hopeful : 



We see from the North China Herald that the exports of Tea from 

 Shanghai and the Yang-tse ports to England during the current year 

 have fallen off some six and a-half million pounds (8| per cent.), and 

 that there is also a decrease of some six million pounds in the quantity 

 sent to America this last year making a difference of nearly thirty per 

 cent. 



On the other hand, there has been an increase of nearly three 

 million pounds (45 per cent.) in the direct export to Russian ports. 

 Two large cargoes one of nearly three million pounds destined for 

 England, and one of almost two million pounds bound for Russia were 

 lost, so that the real increase of China Tea sent to Russia is only one 

 million pounds, which would reduce the increase to about 15 per cent. 

 The decrease of Tea sent to England becomes even greater, reducing 

 the receipts as compared with last year by nearly ten million pounds. 

 Another aspect of the question must, however, be considered . namely, 

 that the real displacement, i.e., in the amount of Tea destined for the 

 English market, would be only six and a-half million pounds, and it is 

 not safe to reckon on a recurrence of loss of such a heavy quantity by 

 shipwreck. 



The decrease of China Tea sent to America is almost entirely in 

 green Teas, there being only a falling off of 4O,ooolbs. in black, as 

 compared with one of over six millions in green Tea. The falling off 

 as regards the English market is much more evenly distributed 

 between the two varieties, the difference being greater in that of black 

 than of green Tea. 



While America takes from the Shanghai ports over four times as 

 much green as black Tea, England, on the other hand, takes eleven 

 times as much black Tea as it does of green Tea. 



These last facts might make it worth the while of planters in the 



