632 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [March i, 1890. 
The further business dealt with by your Com- 
mittee embraced consideration of a letter — I think 
from your Planters' Association, though of this I 
cannot write as of a faot — suggesting that steps 
should be taken towards further advertising Ceylon 
tea in the United Kingdom. Upon this subject 
the Committee resolved that it thought it 
would be advantageous to advertise in tbs 
United Kingdom as proposed, but think that 
if an opening could be found for effectual ad- 
vertising in Russia, America, the Colonies and 
elsewhere, the benefit to Ceylon growers would 
be larger, and that any advertising, to be 
effective, must be done on a large scale. 
It is not possible for me to tell you the nature 
of the communication which led to the adoption of 
this resolution. It may be presumed, however, 
that the question of providing the funds for giving 
effect to the suggestion, were it approved, was not 
omitted from it. 
The final matter to which the Committee devoted 
attention was a letter received from Sir Eoper 
Lathbridge on the subject of the tea duties, and 
dated January 26th. Into the matter of the dis- 
cussion which followed its reading it is impossible 
for me to enter. It may, however, be assured that 
many divergent views were expressed upon this diffi- 
cult subject; but that the majority of the members 
believed that the reduction would operate favourably 
may be gathered from the following resolution 
which received adoption. Besolved : — " That in 
the opinion of this meeting the reduction of the 
Tea Duty will be advantageous to the Tea Growers 
of Ceylon." 
With that transcript may be concluded my notice 
of this important conference of your committee, 
but its closing business leads me to furnish you 
below with a oopy of a second letter addressed by 
Sir Eoper Lethbridge to the Times, one which was 
intended, of course, as a reply to that by Mr. 
J. Alec Eoberts of whioh my last communication 
to you furnished you a copy. [Already given. — 
Ed. T. A-] 
Now although myself disposed somewhat to the 
acceptance of the view entertained by Sir E. 
Lethbridge as to the probable effect of touching 
the tea duties it is out of the question endeavouring 
to follow the main argument he employs in the 
above letter, because he has, unfortunately, based 
it on the total of the " importations," and not 
upon the figures showing the home consumption. 
We all know how large a quantity if the tea 
imported is re-shipped to other markets, and in 
the face of such a fact comment upon Sir Eoper's 
letter would be useless. 
But during the week an opportunity occurring 
for me to see Mr. Eoberts, this letter, and his 
own previously written one, were discussed. My 
view was expressed to that gentleman that Sir 
Eoper had missed the real point of attack to 
which his (Mr. Eoberts') letter lay open, pointing 
out that the assumption of 25 per cent increased 
consumption as the result of the superior strength 
of Indian and Ceylon teas could not be warranted 
by any known facts. Mr. Eoberts, when replying 
to my observation, remarked : — " Well, I admit that 
the assumption you refer to is based on theory 
only. This correctness could only be proved by 
time, which would show us whether the poorer 
consumers would drink their tea stronger, or use 
less tea to keep their beverage down to the level 
of the China infusion they are used to. My own 
view is that if they have been in the habit of 
putting two teaspoonfuls into their pots, they will 
continue to use the same quantity although getting 
a better result, and in that oase my calculation 
would hold good. If, however, they only put in 
75 per cent of Indian when they used before 100 
of China, in order to reduce strength, then, of 
course, I should be wrong. It 's impossible to 
say what their practice would be with regard to 
using either Indian or China tea, and therefore 
any accurate forecasting of the result of touching 
the duty ie equally impossible. Most of us agree 
with Mr. Sband that the weakening of customs su- 
pervision of tea imports would be a bad thing. But 
although asking for the removal of the whole duty, 
we only do so in the hop3 and expectation of a 
partial reduction. If sufficient duty) is left on to insure 
continuanoe of customs supervision, it is all that we 
want. I certaioly think the Government may lower 
the tea duty. You see it will add to the chance of 
their retaining the very powerful temperance 
vote, and as a concession to the poorer classes it 
will gratify a very numerous section of the 
constituencies. I may tell you that since my letter 
to The Times appeared, it has become apparent 
to me that the figures I quoted of increase of con- 
sumption from the Public Ledger must be in error. 
Other circulars than that I quoted from — although 
this was of one of the highest firms — give materially 
lower amounts, and therefore, until a reference by 
me has been replied to, the correctness of some of 
my assumptions must remain in doubt." 
The following reference to Ceylon appeared in 
the Investor's Guardian of last Saturday : — 
Ceylon, feom the Investors' Point of View, 
— Oa Monday night a paper was read at the Society 
of Arts by Mr. J. L. Sband, on the tea ooffee and 
cocoa industries of Ceylon, and in noticing these, he 
dwelt forcibly on the rapid development of industrial 
enterprise in that island during the last deoade. A 
leading feature in this growth of industry is the 
tendency to convert private estate property into 
Planting Companies. Formerly, the cultivation of tea 
in India was entirely, or nearly so, in the hands of 
Companies, whilst the reverse was the case in Ceylon. 
New Companies are fast absorbing private enterprises, 
and the time may come sooner than some anticipate, 
when the majority of tea plantations in the island 
may be owned by Limited Companies. Thus far, 
the career of tea Companies in Ceylon has been 
marked by uniform success. Dividends have been- 
declared from 15 to 5 per cent., and scarcely 
a month passes but some fresh Company 
or enlargement of a Company is announced. Nor is 
it only for the cultivation of tea that Companies exist 
in the island. There is a Cotton Spinning and Weav- 
ing Company, three Gemming and Mining Companies 
and Syndicates, a Tobacco and Cigar Manufacturing 
Company, a Company for the growth of the Coconut 
Palm, a Wharf aud Warehouse Company, an Hotel 
Company, several Ice Compares, a Steam Ship and 
Salvage Company, an Assembly Rooms Company, 
a Theatre Company, besides others, the names of which 
do not just now occur to us. All these facts emphasise 
the assurances given in Mr. Shand's paper of the 
undoubted expansion of Ceylon enterprise, and be it 
remembered, all of the above are the offspring of 
European energy, capital, and skill. In India, native 
capitalists have come largely to the front, but in Ceylon 
the rich -natives remain pretty much in the old grooves, 
and when any public move is made it is for the for- 
mation of " Associations for obtaining Government 
employ.'' 
4, 
Tobacco Sales in London. — At an auction sale 
of tobacoo in London on 30th Jan. a number of 
lots of Sarawak tobacco sold at very fine prices, 
such as 2s lid, 2s 9d, 2s 7d, 2s 2d, 2s Id, 2s, 
&o. Of course the fact that Sarawak is in Borneo 
is sufficient to tell in favor of the tobacoo produced 
there. If Ceylon tobaoco growers oould get suoh 
prioes they would be more than satisfied ! 
