THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[Jam. i, 1895. 
to America of the Planters' Association of Ceylon 
and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, to farther the 
interests of Ceylon tea. — I am, sir, your faithfully, 
A. PHILIP. 
LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS sent to the Represen- 
tatives of the Ceylon Planters Association, and Chamber 
of Commerce to push the sale of Ceylon Tea in the 
United States. 
Kandy, Nov. 1894. 
To Wm. Mackenzie, Esq. 
Representative of the Ceylon Planters' Association 
and Chamber of Commerce to the United States. 
Dear Sir, — In addressing to you this letter of in- 
structions, it is necessary for me first to point out 
to you that it is not desired to lay down any strict 
directions as to your course of procedure. On the 
contrary, it is the wish of the Committee that you 
should be given as free a hand as possible, but at the 
same time that you should be put in possession of the 
broad views of the Committee. 
2. — As regards the scope of your labours, it is 
deemed desirable that your attention, if not confined, 
should be particularly devoted, to the large towns East 
of Chicago, but including Chicago, on the ground 
that in that tract of country, are situated the greater 
centres of population, and of trade. Those towns West 
of Chicago, which are not in trade connection with it, 
should be approached through San Francisco as a 
trade centre, but it is questionable whether it would 
prove remunerative to us or economical to operate 
over so large a tract of country with so scanty a pop- 
ulation as the San Francisco trade centre would ne- 
cessitate. 
3. — Primarily your duty should be to ascertain, for 
the use of the Committee, the conditions of the tea 
trade in the United States, to follow the tea from 
the ship's side to the consumer, to ascertain the 
customs of each branch of the trade— importer 
wholesale, and retail dealer — as to credit, profit ex- 
pected, and method of supply advertising facilities 
(if any) granted, by one branch of the trade to 
another, and finally to consult with leading members 
of the trade as to how the Committee can best push 
the sale of Ceylon tea without interfering with the 
usual trade channels and setting the trade against 
Ceylon Tea. 
4. — The Committee deem it very desirable that you 
should furnish yourself with a list of the Ceylon 
Firms anxious to trade in tea with the United 
States ; that you should interview those Firms prior 
to your departure and ascertain their views; and 
that a list of these firms be handed to the importing 
houses in the United States. 
5. — It will also be your duty to call on as many 
importers and dealers as possible, to inform them of 
what this Committee is about to undertake in the 
interests of Ceylon tea, and to invite their assistance 
and co-operation, showing them samples of different 
grades whenever possible pointing out at the same 
time what the Planters' Association had already done 
by similar means in Great Britain, Australia, Russia, 
and other countries, and means to do in the States. 
6. — Attention should be paid to American systems 
and styles of advertising and pushing new articles so 
that you may be in a position to advise the Com- 
mittee as to the best and most economical form of 
advertisement for their future use — whether by bills 
or pamphlets or the wrappers of tea packets or through 
the press or otherwise, or by free distribution of 
small packets of tea to the consumers. 
7. — It is not desired that you should in any way 
oppose the representatives of Indian Tea. The Com- 
mittee on the contrary consider that you should act 
as far as possible with them, and should make en- 
quiries from Mr. P. R. Buchanan's firm, and from 
Mr. Blechynden as to their methods and the results 
therefrom. 
8. — While expecting your duties to be chiefly 
those of enquiry and advice to the Committee in 
regard to future operations) it is expected that you 
will not neglect to seize any good opportunity, which 
may arise in the course of your travels to push the 
sale of Ceylon tea, in the event of your coming 
across any importer or dealer anxious to take up the 
article at once, and who is of good boeuMM repute ; 
and the Committee would particularly mention m this 
respect Mr. L. Iiierach of 132 East 23rd Street 
New York, (who seems to very active in his support 
of Ceylon Tea and to deserve support) and Mr. i'. A. 
Cockburn whose last address was c o San Francisco 
Lumber Co. N. W. Corner Pine and Montgomery 
Streets, San Francisco. 
9. — It i* not proposed that you and your colleague 
should always travel together, but it is desirabe 
that you should when convenient consult together in 
advising this Coimmittee, particularly on financial 
matters ; and it is hoped that yon may find time to 
send a weekly letter detailing" your proceedings and 
giving any information you may have acquired which 
in your opinion may be useful or interesting to the 
Committee 
10. — I am anxious to impress very strongly on 
you that our funds are not unlimited. The amount 
available for the objects in view are not only 
limited but comparatively small — say R140.000, for 
the United States, and this fact must be borne in 
mind by you when granting assistance to any one 
as indicated in paragraph 7 above. The funds at 
the disposal of the Committee are primarily in- 
tended to carry on a permanent scheme after your 
report, and therefore it is undesirable that you 
should throw too great a burden on them at the 
first, without the sanction of the Committee. 
11. — In proposing any scheme to be worked by the 
Committee in the future, you will require not to 
lose sight of the fact that the scheme must be such 
as is likely to meet with the appioval of the Cevlon 
Government and that therefore a "bounty" scheme 
is likely to be unsuitable on political grounds 
12. — Finally the Committee would invite your at- 
tention to, and consideration of Mr. M. H. Thomas' 
proposed scheme as set forth in his essay and pub- 
lished by the Ceylon Obscrrer, except in so far as 
it refers to the establishment of a depot or 6tore at 
New York (which seems undesirable according to the 
present information of the Committee and the posi- 
tion of the two bodies whom you represent j) and 
they would also wish you to turnish them, when 
you arrive in London and the United States respec- 
tively with lists of firms anxious to do business 
in Ceylon Tea. You should also provide yourself with 
as many business introductions as possible, and one 
from H.E. the Governor to our Ambassador at 
Washington claiming for you such assistance as he 
may be able to give and a passport. You will have 
no difficulty in getting yourself "interviewed '' imme- 
diately on your arrival in New York by several in- 
fluential papers. 
You are requested by the Committee to provide 
yourself and colleague with a Telegraph code on 
your arrival in London, choosing the one you think 
most suitable, and to forward to Mr. Philip a copy. 
You will probably be able to supplement the code with 
a few words and phrases deemed specially necessary 
for your purpose. 
In conclusion I take this opportunity of wishing you 
a pleasant voyage and safe return, and of hop ing your 
mission will be attended with that measure of success 
which your ability merits. — I remain, faithfully yours, 
(Signed) A. MELVILLE WHITE, Chairman, Joint 
Committee, Ceylon Planters' Association and Chamber 
of Commerce. 
Heavy-bearing Tea.— We hear of a sheltered 
rich valley of tea near Nawalapitiya where 35 
acres have yielded during December at the rate 
of 1,500 lb. per acre made tea per annum. We 
should like to learn of bigger yields than this, 
for December — Ave hear there are some. 
