190 



Report on the manufacture of Tea,, and on the 



as examining the papers on the tiles, rubbing' them with chalk, turning 

 them round, and reversing them. Sometimes half a split bamboo is 

 placed in front.and un.ler the tiles, with a piece of paper on it, to receive 

 the lead that falls down, so that it may not come in contact with the 

 ground. This lead is every now and then taken up and put back into 

 the boiler. A maund of lead may make about twelve or thirteen boxes, 

 which will hold forty pounds. There are also two other tiles, about a 

 cubit square ; these are used for making the tops of the canisters, which 

 are generally of tin only, but can also be made from the above mixture. 

 It is necessary in making this sheet-lead, to hold the sheets up and ex- 

 amine them ; for if not properly prepared, there are sometimes a number 

 of very fine holes in them, which are not perceptible when lying on the 

 ground or table. On this account the first twenty sheets of lead are 

 thrown aside and rejected, even without any examination. When the 

 tiles have become nice and warm, it is then the fine and even sheets, 

 without holes, are obtained. Befoie a sheet-lead canister can be made, 

 it is necessary to have a model box made to fit into the wooden box, that 

 is to hold the sheet-lead canister ; on this box or shell the sheet-lead ca- 

 nister is made. It has a hole at the bottom to prevent any suction in 

 putting it in, or drawing it out of the box or canister; and in- 

 stead of a top it has a bar of wood across, by which it is drawn 

 out. For soldering, tin, with the eighth or tfrelfih part of quick- 

 silver, and some rosin are used. The wood part of some of the 

 boxes is covered with paper pasted on and dried in the sun, To 

 give the paper on the boxes a yellow colour, a mixture of paste with 

 pulverized and sifted saffron is laid on and dried. The paper on the 

 corners of the boxes is ornamented by means of a wooden block with 

 flowers carved on it ; on this bit of wood very thin paper, cut to its size, 

 is placed, and a mixture, consisting of pulverized saffron, indigo, and 

 water,having a deep green colour,is laid singly on each bit of paper with 

 a brush made of coco-anut fibres. These slips of paper are put one above 

 the other, twenty thick, or as long as the paper takes the impression of 

 the carved wood below. When the corners of the boxes have been or- 

 namented with this paper and dried, another mixture, about the propor- 

 tion of four seers of oil to three seers of rosin, boiled together, is appli- 

 ed with a coco-anut brush over all the boxes as a finish ; after these are 

 dry they are ready for the Tea, 



