May r, 1888/] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 
737 
AN EXTENSION OF THE TEA TEADE. 
(From tho Ji> Utah Trade JoV/rnal, March 1st.) 
Is there scope for a much larger development of tho 
tea trade than has as yet been experienced ? lb seems 
curious, perhaps, thut such a question should he asked 
in connection with a trade which has grown marvel- 
lously during recent years. It may be thought to in- 
dicate a very dissatisfied and grasping state of mind to 
be continually desiring more. Nevertheless, if itis pos- 
sible to increase tho amount of business done, surely it 
is advisable to do it. Some very important customers 
of this country are largely interested in the trado, 
and anything that will promote their prosperity by 
extending the market for their produce will indirectly 
benefit us, because they will be in a position to pur- 
chase more freely. One phase of the subject which is 
of importance in this respect, is that, although our 
total trade in tea has increased, the demand for Uliinoso 
tea has fallen off. During tho past twenty-five years tho 
competition of Iudian tea has become so successful that 
during last year tho avorago monthly consumption of 
Indian and Ueylou tea in the United Kingdom exceeded 
that of Chinese toa. We are the largest purchasers 
and consumers of tea in the world. For a longtime 
tho consumption here has beeu growing. Last year 
wo consumed 110,00(1,01)0 lb. more than wo did ten years 
before. It is very satisfactory to note that the proportion 
of Indian and Ceylon tea used by us has grown enor- 
mously. In 1877 it was 28,000,000 lb. ; last year it 
had increased to 93,000,000 lb. In fact, as we have 
already indicated, inoro than half the tea used hero in 
1887 was grown in India or Ceylon. In 1885 the propor- 
tion of Indian and Ooylou tea consumed in tbis country 
was 39 per cent, of the whole. In 1880 tho proportion 
was -12 J per cout., and in 1887 it had risen to 51J per 
cent. This is satisfactory so far as it goes ; but shall 
wo bo able to keep up this rate of increase in consump- 
tion ? The production .of tea has increased greatly, 
and promises to continue to do so. Shall «ve be able 
to take it ? If not who will '{ Up to the presont time 
consumption has been facilitated by reducing the 
price. The reduction of import duties here has douo 
something, but tho more recent full iu prices has been 
owing to competition resulting largely from iucroased 
production. Iu 1879 fair medium pekoe was quoted at 
Is 8d per lb. ; at tho close of last your it stood at 10d. 
During the same time useful pekoe souchong fell from 
Is .id. to 9d per lb. That is a process which cannot go 
on indefinitely. To some extent the lower prices have 
been balanced by a smaller cost of production, the in- 
troduction of machinery, improvements in communica- 
tion, nnd the like, but that is a kind of thing to which 
thero must bo an end. At present prices it is doubt- 
ful whether the people of this country can be expected 
to oonsume the continually increasing quantity which 
we may except to receive from India and (Jeylon. But 
if wo cannot take the tea there will be a serious crisis 
in the trade, and a loss and depression in the tea-grow- 
ing countries that will he keenly felt here. Conse- 
quently the question with which we commenced this 
article arises— Can tho tea trade be increased ? If so 
how and where i* One firm of London brokers has 
called attention to this matter, and they urge that 
steps should be taken to develop a demand for tea 
iu other countries. It is not an easy thing to beget 
a new taste and fashion umongst a whole people ; but 
with energy, tact, and perseverance, much can be done. 
(Ircat Britain consumes more than 5 lb. of ten per 
head of her population. No other country, except 
our colonies in Australasia, approaches thut amount. 
No Continental nation uses much more than 1 lb. 
per head, and iu tho United States the consumption 
is vorv littlo above that. Tho suggestion that efforts 
should he made to push the use of tea amongst those 
nations which now use comparatively little of it is 
worthy of attention. This is desirable In the interests 
of our fellow-subjects iu India nnd Ceylon, who huvo 
invested considerable sums of money iu plantations 
thero. True, up to now it is the Chinese who have 
gone to the wnll, and Indian unci Ceylon tea planters 
huvo been able to rejoice in a regularly increasing 
sale. But, >s we have already intimated, tbat has 
beeu largely facilitated by equally regular falls iu 
prices. Further, tho competition of Chinese tea is 
likely to become more severe. Up to now Indian teas 
have had the advantage of Chinese in the important 
matters of quality and preparation J but their rivals 
are not disposed to allow their most important indus- 
try to bo taken from them, without a struggle. Al- 
ready steps have been taken to ascertain tho reason 
for tho, falling-off in the sales of Chinese toa and to 
remedy shortcomings to which attention has been 
directed. More care is to be taken in cultivating, 
collecting, firing, and packing the article. The in- 
troduction of improved methods and modern machin- 
ery is to he encouraged. We may therefore antici- 
pate that shortly China will make a great effort to 
recover lost grouud, and will put on the market an 
article that will make competition very keen. Con- 
sequently an extension of the tea market is very de- 
sirable. I low it is to be done is perhaps not very easy 
to see. The growers are the persons mainly and in 
the first place interested, and they will do well to 
give the matter their attention. The brokers to whom 
we have referred say, "The importance of pushing 
forward in sjin : manner tho consumption of British 
grown tea is so great that it might even be worth 
the consideration of planters, whether the establish- 
ment of some central institution for the development 
of now mirkets might not be established; for even 
though a considerable expense might at first be en- 
tailed, it would be far preferable to an eventual re- 
duction of many pence por lb. in the average price 
of British growu tea, and the lose of income to 
thousands our own fellow-subjocts. 

KUBY MINES OF BUEMAH. 
ROYAL OUOcJIUrillCAL SOCIETY. 
The ruby mines of Burmah formed the subject of 
the paper read on Monday night at the meeting of 
tho Royal Geogruphieal Society, Burlington House, 
General R. Strachey, c. s. I., presiding. The reader 
of tbe paper was Mr. Robert Gordon, c. K., who stated 
that he surveyed the ruby mining district north of 
Mandalay when the concessionaires, Messrs. Streeter, 
were request! cl to seud representatives to the mines. 
This district, which had hitherto been cosed to tra- 
vellers, could now bo reached very quickly compared 
with what was the case formerly. Rangoon could be 
reached by mail from London in 23 days, 150 miles 
thence to l'rome occupied by rail a few hours, and 
a three days' journey from l'rome brought the tra- 
veller to Mandalay. The ciuntry was described, and 
a railway, which was stated to have already brought 
about economic changes of the highest importance, 
was pointed out as possessing great interest as tho 
first instalment of the great iron highway for British 
commerce to South-Western • hina. A contiuuation 
of the railway 000 or 700 miles along the old trade, 
route to the capital of Yunnan and a further exten- 
sion to Soo-Ohow-Foo and to Ohung-King-Foo would 
open up the principal marts and the navigable chan- 
nel of the great artery of Chinn, the Yaogtse-Kiang. 
The expouditure of £11,000,000, of which £3,000,000 
had already been incurred, would bring Central China 
within 20 days' reach of London. He described in 
detail tbe country from Mandalay to the ruby iniues 
noticing its flora fuuua, diversity of race among its 
peoples, and its general features, speaking of it as 
presenting hill and vale, the ranges of hills varying 
from (5,000 ft. to 8,000 ft. in height. The principal 
villages of the mining district were Mogok, Kathay, 
and Kyatpyen. Kverything indicated tho possession of 
surplus wealth among the people. The residents iu 
tho larger villages rarely did nnv heavy work iu tho 
mines themselves, but engaged labourers. In regard 
to the relations of tho people with tho old Uurmuse 
(iovernmi nt, inquiry elicited that, though theoretically 
tbo people had no rights, yet practically everything 
indicate ! considerate treatment and kindly relations. 
All tended to show a settled and peaceable condition 
among the inhabitants iu recent times, with a greater 
accumulation of wealth among the headnieu than 
was possible elsewhere under native rule. No per- 
