May i, 1890.] THE TROPICAL 
To the Editor. 
PROGRESS IN CHILI: 
A NEWS LETTER FROM FALCA, CHILI, S. A. 
Falca, Ohili, South America, Jan. 16th. 
Gentlemen, — I believe it is a heavy task to give 
you some news that may be interesting for the 
readers of your valued publication. The dis- 
tance that separates your oountry from mine, is 
so large that a long time may pass before these 
lines reach their destiny. Nevertheless I hope, my 
news though not very recent will be well received, 
bearing the character of an international salutation. — 
The oommeroe of Chili has got rather important 
these last years. The exportation of wheat and wine 
from the southern provinces, and that of nitrate, 
oopper, silver, lead and borax in the northern ones 
has placed Chili as an important factor into the 
European market. Still, the importation of foreign 
articleabeing strongerthan the exportation of national 
products, all the metallic money leaves the country 
and we know but banknotes. Chili, with a population 
of about 3 millions, has more than thirty banks. 
Our dollar (peso), which has a nominal value of 48 
penoe, is good only for 25. In a short time we 
shall have a new man-of-war, called the " Arturo 
Prat " in honour of our great sea hero of this name. 
With this new acquisition our navy will get the 
best of all South America. Taking a map and 
looking at the shape of Chili, you will see that 
there is no country in the world with so large an 
extension of coast, the whole country resembling 
a long snake being extended from the twentieth 
degree of southern latitude till Cape Horn. The 
new vessel is 99 metres long by 18* large, has 
6,800 tons and her velocity is calculated at 17 miles. 
The Chilian Government is showing much zeal for 
public instruction. More than $5,000,000 is the cost 
of new Bchools and lyceums in construction. Every 
citizen has the right to send his children to school and 
to the University at Santiago without paying one 
oent, the Government paying teachers, professors, 
books, &c. Were it not so as it is, I believe we 
had fewer lawyers ; Faloa, a city of 25,000 souls, 
has about sixty of them and a court of justice 
with more than a thousand pending processes. 
A great number of European emigrants arrived 
by the last steamers, the Chilian Government having 
entered into a bargain with an agent for a supply 
of 30,000 persons. We need so many strange 
workmen because twelve new railways are in con- 
struction, and almost all the Chilians are engaged 
in agriculture and mine work. The prioe of these 
new lines is near £4,000,000. 
The good news that arrive mail by mail from 
the mine districts will contribute to a general 
melioration of business. Some movement has been 
observed in sale of aotions of mines, in actions of 
new sooieties and in rehabilitation of several com- 
panies that had lost every oredit. We know that 
several of the last Strait steamers have taken to 
Europe specimens of metals which were sent with 
the intention of searching capitals destined to give 
impulse to several enterprises that find at home 
neither the necessary money nor the protection 
they need. Some gold metals figuring among the 
specimens are of an excellent quality and give 
good hopes to the mine masters and to the towns 
situated in the neighbourhood of tbo mine districts. 
For the nitrate market an indioision whose origin 
is still unknown, is observed, 
97 
AGRICULTURIST. 769 
Should anyone of the Ceylon Observer's 
readers be in want of special information about 
agriculture, trade and commerce of South America, 
be sure that I shall have the greatest pleasure 
in giving them the intelligence they ask for. — I 
remain, gentlemen, yours truly, 
EICARDO PREUSELLE. 
CEYLON TEA IN AMERICA. 
THE NEW DEPARTURE. 
New York, Feb. 22nd. 
Dear Sir, — A matter of great import to Ceylon 
has just taken place in New York. A very small 
event here, where such things, the mere opening 
of another store, are an everyday occurrence, a 
mere iota in this busy city's daily doings. Ceylon 
however has very great and grave interest in it. 
I refer to the opening of the depot of 
The Ceylon Planters' American Tea Co." 
Perhaps two-thirds of the citizens of New York 
never heard of Ceylon. The remaining third prob- 
ably only from their hymn-books 1 This has given 
them most edifying, and valuable, information as to 
poor Lanka's spices, and her much maligned men, 
still flourishing I trust, notwithstanding the sweeping 
condemnation, but tells them nothing of tea. 
In order to avoid misunderstanding, and to start 
fairly, it is necessary to inform you that the Ameri- 
can citizens, as I know them, are the most 
ignorant people I have met. I refer to the 
New York citizens. " 'T is true, 't is pity." I have 
known them now for six months. 1 have come 
into direct contact with them, daily and nightly. 
I have spoken to thousands and thousands of 
them, on the absorbing question of " Tea." For 
was I not in oharge of the tea kiosk at the American 
Institute Fair of 1889, from 10 a. m. until 10 p. m. 
There I smiled pleasantly outwardly, wept and— - 
worse inwardly, and wished I could have mur- 
dered whilst I smiled, for I went through a most 
terrible ordeal. I had no conception that a people 
could be so woefully ignorant about a daily article 
of diet, as these people are of tea. "Oh 't is pitiful 1 " 
Vast numbers think it is manufactured, and I 
daresay they are right 1 for your Yankee can manu- 
facture anything. I must give him that credit. 
Let us "give the devil his due.'' 
These are the people we have come to save, to 
teach, to educate and to tell them what tea is, 
and to induce them to leave the ensilage, which 
tbey have been enjoying so long— to drink really 
pure tea, quite an unknown quantity in this oountry. 
To you it will appear a very simple matter to 
induce them to leave a bad article for a good one, 
You are mistaken, the task is Herculean. Has not 
Bunyan described such an encounter against 
ignoranoe ? Does not the donkey prefer his 
thistle ? Does not the dog return to his vomit 1 
In all fairy tales has not the dear little prince 
most astounding difficulties to overcome before he 
is finally victorious over the ogres " Ignorant 
Routine " and "Egotistic Cunning " ? Let us con- 
gratulate ourselves that the prince always is vic- 
torious, eventually ! 
Such a combat is about to take place. The 
combatants have entered the arena. 'T is no puny 
affair, the combat promises to be severe, bnt I see 
British pluck and enterprise is well backed by 
oapital, without which he is helpless, utterly helpless I 
If capital deserts him he will be done for 1 The 
combat in short is a matter of " Time and money." 
Have I not been skirmishing for six months, don't 
I know what I am writing about ! If the Planters' 
Company oan only afford the funds, if they only lja.Y8 
