May i, 1885.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
779 
CEYLON TEA IN AMERICA. 
One special' reason for encouragement in the big 
campaign which may be said now to be fairly 
opened for the distribution and sale of Ceylon and 
Indian teas throughout the United States, is found 
in • the very favorable rates of Customs duty on tea 
entering the ports of the Republic. The United 
States Customs tariff indeed shows that tea, coffee 
and chicory, pass in free of duty; but on any other 
substitute for coffee save chioory, a duty of 3 cents 
pd' lb. (equivalent to ljd or 2d) is imposed. It 
is rather hard on coffee to have even free ohicory 
competing ; but as regards tea, the product is to 0 
cheap to encourage substitutes and the encourage 
rnent which freedom of customs taxation affords i 
ought to act as a great spur to extension of 
business. But unfortunately as the United States 
Consul shows in a letter appended, exemption from 
duty depends on the produce being carried in 
American vessels, and even then produce coming from 
east of Suez has to pay 10 per cent ad valorem, while 
if carried in British ships another 10 per cent 
is levied. On our teas however, even 20 per cent 
ad valorem (or 15 cents on, say, 75 cents value) will 
be far less than the English duty of 6d per lb. 
while if the' trade prospers as we hope it may, 
an American steamer might be got to take a load 
of Ceylon teas direct from Colombo to New York. 
Remembering that in the year commencing July 
next, the supply of coffee — hitherto the great 
beverage of Americans — is to be very short, there 
could not be a more opportune time for bringing 
in and offering as a fitting substitute a liberal 
supply of good, pure teas, — teas, we venture to 
say, such as when properly infused, our American 
oousins have hitherto had little or no experience 
of. Coffee and tea seem to be free of duty in 
Canada save if they are imported from the United 
States when there is a levy of 10 per cent ad 
valorem. Canada however is already a free con- 
sumer of tea, the ratio being 3-80 lb. per head of 
population against only 146 lb. for the States. 
If the latter only came up to the standard of 
the Dominion, during 1889-90, it would mean an 
additional consumption for America of wellnigh 150 
million lb. of tea ! This is too much to expect all 
at once, but in the course of four or five years if 
coffee does not take a turn in Brazil, it is quite 
possible suoh result may be attained. 
Meantime, we are glad to learn that " Oolong" 
tea has been very successfully prepared on well- 
known Ceylon estates, one invoice selling in London 
at 3d. per lb. above the average got for ordinary 
teas. A large shipment is now being prepared, and 
it is uot unlikely that in order to suit the pre- 
valent American taste, a good deal of " Oolongs " 
may erelong be sent from Colombo to New York. 
It is encouraging, moreover, to read in an article 
in the American Grocer "on developing trade": — 
" if the average buyer demands tea of ordinary 
quality go to work to induce him to use a higher 
grade that will better please his palate and 
at the same time afford the seller a more generous 
profit. " Such is the advice tendered to Amerioan 
doalfrs in tea, and we trust they may try to put it 
in practioe, — We append the useful letter with 
98 
which Mr. Morey has favoured us as follows : — 
United States Consulate at Ceylon, 
Colombo, 18th April 1889. 
Tea is free of duty in the United States when 
imported direct from the produoing country in Ameri- 
can bottoms. 
All merchandize produced east of the Cape of 
Good Hope is liable to 10 per cent ad valorem 
duty if imported from a country west of the Cape 
of Good Hope. Therefore tea or any other pro- 
duct of the so-called East may become s bjeet to 
20 per cent duty in the United States as 11 under- 
rated viz : — 
If in a foreign bottom differential duty 10 per cent 
If from a country East of the Cape 10 „ 
20 per co t 
A test case has been going on in the United 
States Courts for some years on the grounds that 
these duties were waived and abolished by the 
Tariff Act that placed tea and many other pro- 
ducts on the free list. A judgment was got 
against the Government in the United States Cir- 
cuit Court of New York, and the case went in 
appeal to the United States Supreme Court, where, 
I believe, it still remains unsettled.— Yours truly, 
W. Mobey. 
P. £>.— The duty would be levied on cost f. 0. b. of 
the goods at port of shipment. — W. M. 
United States Consulate at Ceylon, 
Colombo, 22nd April 1889. 
Sir, — Please correct error in my letter of the 18th 
instant re duty on tea in the United States. The 
correction should read : — 
" If from a country east of the Cape of Good 
Hope but shipped west of the Cape 10 per cent." 
One salutary effect of this impost is, the preven- 
tion of intermediate manipulation of an article origi- 
nally shipped rjure from the producing country. 
The Americans like good things, and won't have 
anything bad when they can help it. No tea could 
be sold there at a penny per lb. as has lately been 
done in London. Such stuff would not be con- 
sidered lawful merchandize. 
The laws of New York forbid its importation, and 
tea that is either spurious, adulterated, or seriously 
damaged, is condemned to destruction. 
You are right about the feasibility of chartering 
an American steamer to take a cargo of tea to 
New York, thus securing its delivery there free 
of duty. 
The American ship " South American " brought 
kerosene oil here two years ago, and was chartered 
back from Hongkong with a cargo of tea to New 
York. The same manosuvre could be easily made 
in the case of an American steamer. 
W. MOREY. 
PROGRESSIVE CEYLON. 
The rivalry that exists between the planters of 
Ceylon and of Southern India gives special in- 
terest to any sign of progress or retrogression on 
the part of either as compared with its competitor. 
In his report for 1888, the Director of the Royal 
Botanic Gardens throws muoh light upon the 
course of planting enterprise in that island. Dr. 
Trimen may fairly be regarded as a scientific guide 
and monitor, a man who suggests new ideas and 
weighs suggestions made by others, who experiments 
with the object of introducing novelties or making 
improvements, and who watches closely the pro- 
gress made by the general run of planters. His 
report may be accepted as sound and impartial, 
based upon ample scientific knowledge, a close 
acquaintance with facts, and a keen desire to 
