Deecmber i 1887.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 
Yet t'.e season opcni d luckily for buyers. The 
prospect of the Invest first crop ever known, 
couplod with a failii g demand in England, caused 
extreme caution, Indiscretions were committed ; men 
standing too near ih«- edge showed symptoms "f slip- 
ping into the wator, but recovered themselves alter 
a slight splash ; and buyers showed on the whole 
unwonted wisdom. 80 low indeed were the prices 
offered, and so slack was the demand at Hankow, that 
the Chinese held over a large stock ; uor was it till 
half the first crop had been settlod that the report of 
a serious deficiency in tho second crop gave life to 
the market and cause for congratulation to those who 
had bought early and bought well. And, as a result, a 
good deal of good first crop tea, judiciously bought in 
China and judiciously sold in this market, has paid. 
We say " judiciously sold," advisedly, for indiscretions 
there were, at this as well ns at tho 01 her end; teas 
were forced off by auctoi at a loss which might have 
returned a profit if more firmly held. On the whole, 
however, the earlier purchases came out fairly well, 
and lucky plungers have made small fortunes which 
they will no doubt proceed to lose with equal reckless- 
ness, in following seasons. 
Years ago, this combination of statistics and results 
would have caused a boom in China. It did produce 
the ell'ect of hardening the market, but again has proof 
been afforded that the lesson is partly learnt. Most 
men seem to have realised that, even if well-bought 
teas were coming out, the market hero would not 
support higher prices in face of Indian competition. 
Shanghai advices of Sept. 10th show that a drop of .61 
per ton in freight to London had been too much for 
the equanimity of some buyers, who had forthwith 
made a present of the opportunity to Chinese dealers 
by taking off their hands a quantity of tea which bad 
been practically unsaleable under previous conditions ; 
but the spurt was, we believe, temporary and partial, 
and was quickly checked by news from this end of the 
wire. The latest advices from Loudon can, in fact, 
scarcely have eucouraged a coutiuuance of operatious, 
as — while " dealers iu Indian teas are (we are told) 
doing a large business, and their heavy auctions 
bavo passed off with better spirit " — Chiua teas 
have continued dull; and ''buyers are apathetic 
and disinclined to operate, partly on account of 
tho oheapness and abundance of tho lower descrip- 
tions of Indian tea, and also from the fear of 
heavier shipments of inferior and common Congou 
later on." 
Cheapuess and abuudauce of Indian tea. and ap- 
proheusiou as to the action of buyers in China ! those 
seem to be the keynotes of the situation ; and it must 
be admito d that tho temporary rush which followed 
tho fall in freight justifies a measure of apprehension. 
A deficiency of "some 30,000,000 lb. in tho Chiua ex- 
port- 20,0<>(),000 lb. iu the North and 10,000,000 lb. 
ui the South — must have a temptiug sound in the 
ears of local buyers. At the same time they have 
learned by wire, long ere this, the fallacy of any 
expectation that the London market would spring under 
these couditions. " Common and medium h at Congous 
(runs .) contemporary circular) have suffered a sharp 
decline iu the public saleroom; nor does the dem itnl 
appenr iu any way stimulated by this lower rauge ol 
prices." When we heur, indeed, of new season "whole 
leal " selling nt Id. and IJd. per lb., we may well 
wouder what temptation there enn bo to repeat pur 
(bases of s lib stuff, Or what possible profit cm be I ma- 
in fid iu fuel of such prces. For oven fonrpenny tea 
.is [.1 be gathered, Bred, packed, conveyed t 1 in: rke . 
■hipped, insured, ban, lb d, and to pay duty, .is well as 
high price, I leaf. 
From whatever point of view, in fact, we regard tho 
position, we are brought in. vitably back to those two 
cruciil testa— pnvail f na inferiority of China tea, and 
Inereaaing severity ol Indian competion. stut j s i a 
fortnight shnwed a decline of 1 0 ,0110,01 M) ]l>. in 
arrivals of OhilM 1 04 us Compared with 1886, but a 
falUny <di in deliveries .ii*.i of 2,000,0001b m faoe , 
of ■ reduction >.t 1 ,000,0001b i., stack while the iu 
port of Indian teu had ri»en l.msiuufl lb., and tb» 1 
deliveries 1,000,0001b,, with an increase of nt.irK 
tl.000, 000 lb. iu stock. Tho moral is obvious that, I 
unless OLineso growers take to heart the warning 
uttered by the Inspector-General of Customs, they 
must be prepared to son a great source of in- 
come falling steadily away. A stagnant market, in 
face of a reduced export of 30,d0",000 lb. is a con- 
dition of things that conveys its own lesson. There 
is an ample demand, still, for good China tea. There 
is about it a delicacy of flavour which people who 
have been accustomed to it seek iu vain in the stronger 
Indian leaf; there is, of course, a demand too for 
inferior kinds, to mix with Indian sorts to make up 
the average tea of commerce; but it is abundsntly 
evident that greater care will have to be exerciced 
in preparation, and greater care in buying, to enable 
China dealers to hold their own against the growing 
competition. The trade will otherwise resolve i1 ell 
into the pure gamble which Mr. Ryrie described, and 
one in which Hie lucky hits will be fewer and ever 
further between where partially good seasons like 
1887 will poorly compensate for wholly bad ones like 
1886 ; and where tho process known as " survival of 
the fittest " will become more and more marked iu 
its operation among both merchants and credit-givers. 
L. # Gl Expifeiif. 
♦ 
THE DETERIORATION OP CHINA TEA. 
The following letters have been published at Shang- 
hai : — 
The Commissioner ok Customs to the Chamber or 
Commerce. 
Custom House, I 
Shanghai, 21st October, 1887. 
Sir,— The Inspector General of Customs having 
been iu communication with the Tsung-li Yamen on 
tho subject of the decreased consumption of China 
tea in the Kuglish market in particular, owing as is 
alleged to deterioration in the quality of the leaf, ex- 
cessive admixture of dust, etc., etc.. haB called on 
me to furnish him with a report setting forth what 
faults are found with teas placed on the Shanghai 
market, and what remedies can be adopted for their 
removal, iu order that through the instrumentality 
of the Yamen, detailed instructions may be framed 
for the general guidance of producers in the interior. 
I should add that the Yamen being fully impressed 
with the importance of the interests at stake is 
anxious to obtain the fullest information possible 
I shall be obliged therefore if your Chamber will 
give this matter its early and best consideration, 
and furnish me with any suggestions which it may 
think worthy of being submitted to Peking. To any 
members of the native tea guild, or to any individual 
local dealers which the Chamber may care to intro- 
duce, I shall be happy to explain personally as to 
the object of the information now sought for. — I have 
the honour to be, sir, your obedient servaut, 
A. Elgar Hobsox, 
Commissioner of Customs. 
Tho Chairman, Shanghai Geueral Charnbtr'of Oonmerce. 
The OuamufJi 01 Commerce to tiik i)ommis.siom.e 
or Customs. 
Shanghai Geueral Chamber of Commerce, 
Shanghai, 24th October, 1887. 
Sir.— I have the honour to acknowledge your letter 
No. 7s of the 21st instant asking for the Chamber's 
co-operation iu nuking a report asked fur by the In- 
speetor.Gei'er.il of II. I. M. Customs on the alleged 
deterioration, of teas placed on the Shanghai market 
and suggestions as to the best method for their 
improvement, which has tho immediate attention oJ 
the Committee, who propose in the first instance to 
publish the OOrresp ml. nee with the view of obtain- 
ing the information desired from all those interested 
in the subject, foreign as well as native, the results 
nt Watch will be communicated to you in due . onr."e. 
I have the honour to he, sir. 
your obedient servant, 
.1. J. Kl.sWICK, 
V'ioe-Cliairin.iii. 
To A. L. Ilobsun, Esq., Commissioner of Custom* , 
Shanghai, 
—IfouykoiH) Vaily I'ftu. 
