June j, 1895.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 8 . 9 
neighbours with double that amount. This points 
to other causes than the scarcity of coolies, for 
want of labour, and proves that high advances are 
not necessary. Perhaps Proprietors and Agents, when 
they have dropped money on advances, will enquire 
into these matters and find where the fault lies, 
and if more credit is in future given to those who 
retain a competent labour force, on moderate advances 
while working at no higher rates than their neigh- 
bours, an improvement may ensue in time. An 
average of R40 per cooly means that some gangs have 
advances of RGO to 100 per head, and 2 or 3 estates 
in a district which pay these rates are rather an 
advantage to the remainder who can thus get rid of 
hopelessly indebted gangs at their expense. If coolies 
are given regular work, and bad working gangs 
shunted, they will make money and reduce their 
advances, and be more satisfied, and there is a 
knack in getting regular and fair work from coolies, 
thus ensuring fair pay and fewer half or no names. 
The Cooly question seems to be quite as bad on 
Indian tea estates as in Ceylon, probably owing to 
he boom in agriculture generally caused by the fall 
n silver.— Yours faithfully, A PROPRIETOR. 
CEYLON SEA IN AMERICA. 
LETTISH FROM MR. WM. MACKENZIE. 
Kandy, April 30th. 
Sir, — I enclose for publication copy ot a letter 
received from Mr. Win Mackenzie, Represen- 
tative to the United States, in the interests of 
Ceylon Pea in America, which speaks for itself. 
—I am, sir, yours faithfully, A. PHILIP, 
Secretary to the Planters' Association of Ceylon. 
London, April 8, 1895. 
The Secretary, " Committee of Thirty," Kandy. 
Dear Sih, — I returned here three days ago, earlier 
perhaps than you expected ; but not until I felt con- 
vinced I would be spending the fund uselessly, if I 
remained in America with restricted powers. I 
might with warmer weather, have had a good time 
at the island's expense, but further inquiry merely 
postponed action. 
From my letters you have already obtained grounds 
for my faith such as it is ; but I think it well to 
sum up generally for the Planters' Association and 
public, w-hat I have given you in full detail, with 
reasons annexed. 
I visited many large centres and had interesting 
interviews with leading importers, wholesale and re- 
tail men in each city — receiving from everyone the 
utmost courtesy. All were willing to listen — many to 
encourage ; but nearly every man pointed out that 
in endeavouring to push a comparatively new 
article, we should try as far as possible to meet 
the tastes of the people, rather than expect the 
taste to change to suit us. I was everywhere 
asked whether we could not make green or only 
slightly fermented teas, of unbroken leaf, and in 
lines of cvon quality which would conform to standards. 
" If we want whiskey why offer brandy, if mutton 
why show us beef," was an ever ready query. 
"Our custom," said the importers, " is to get orders 
from large dealers for next season's teas, to be 
similar to certain standards of last year. To secure 
tins, wo send men out to China and Japan, who buy 
teas and blend them to these standards, retire and 
pack them, and ship them confident that our custom- 
ers will bo satisfied. If you can send us lines of 
teas — matchable by wire, — we arc willing to handle 
them ; — but until compelled we see no reason why wo 
should take up your teas with all the difficulty in 
selecting and uncertainly of quality. to tin prejudice 
of our present business. " 
Besides, thoro is more profit to be made from 
China and Japan toas as they are Cheaper ; and 
witli the retailers, a strong argument against our teas 
is that the" go loo jar — a family consuming 5 lb. of 
China tea in the time they would uso 3 lb. of In- 
diaus or Ccylous, 
Tea is not an article of daily use with everyone 
in the States; — afternoon tea maycousistof clam broth, 
celery tea, or of one of many other things. The con- 
sumption of tea is 1J lb. per head. Unless in a "Grocer" 
! or "Xrade Journal" it finds no quotation or notice in the 
press such as is always given to wheat, coffee, hog 
products, sugar, cocoa, &c. — Advertisements of tea, 
broadcast over Britain, are rarely seen in America. 
Shops where tea alone is retailed, are not known, as 
the article would not pay rent. The Import trade 
is in the hands of a few firms, and fortunes have 
been made in it. These firms have establish- 
ments in China and Japan which make the busi- 
ness an easy one for partners in America. They 
are content and conservative. When I pointed out 
how successful our teas had proved in England 
and Australia, I was met by sneering references to 
"fizzles" in New York. When I called attention to 
our fund and our determination to make a strong 
effort, the reply was that much larger sums were 
constantly being speut in making known a new soap, 
flour, or baking powder. 
From the above it will be seen that our difficul- 
ties in finding a ready market in America, arise on 
the other side, from the existence of large firms who 
find their present business lucrative and "good 
enough for them ; " and to the fact that greens and 
slightly fermented oolongs have possession of the 
field ; — on our side, to the fact that toas as now 
made, pay so well that we are unwilling to alter 
our manufacture — (nor will we be willing, till lower 
prices compel us), and also because our teas are too 
broken, are in small breaks, and almost impossible 
to match. How strongly these points are against 
us, my letters have already shown the Committee. 
Besides the above there is the difference in price. 
There is nothing one hears so frequently, nor said 
with such unction and pride, as " when an American 
wants a thing, he is bound to have it — no matter what it 
j costs." This may be true of the consumer ; but the 
dealer is keenly alive to the profit to be made. On 
tea, which in America, is almost a luxury — the pro- 
fits are large. Although free of duty — a tea imported 
at 14 cts (7d) r-eaches the consumer at 40 to 50 cts, 
a 21-et tea at 60 to 80 cts, and at 35-ct tea at 1 
to li dollar. Russian caravan tea is sold at 2 
dollars. Rubbish costing 10 cts is sold at the rate 
of 4 and 5 lb. for a dollar. 
When the trade in our teas is larger, the leading 
houses must handle them, and then I believe they 
will come forward with a rush. The question mean- 
time for us is, how are we to hasten this halcyon time, 
— that is, how are we to induce the consumer to force 
the hands of the trade ? In so vast and sparsely 
peopled a country, the problem is hard to solve. 
Still, I think, there are obvious lines which we 
should follow. 
Our campaign will be much assisted by strong 
allies who have recently taken the field. The 
Sylhct Cos. have Agencies in New York, Chicago and 
Toronto, and are doing a large and increasing 
business — chiefly in Indian teas — with jobbers 
and wholesale people. Lipton and the Mazawatte 
Coy., (latter began 1st Januar}-) aro pushing black 
teas in packets by getting retailers to hold 
them, and are advertising largely in many ways. 
The Iowa Ceylon Importing Company have done "us 
great service, in tho vast region west of Chicago 
during the 12 months they have been working. Black 
tea was almost unknown there until they took it 
up. Encouraged by nopes of assistance from Cevlon 
they now propose to open in New York, and "work 
the populous States on the East coast. Thev use 
Ceylon teas only and are perhaps our best friends 
in America. They canvass from house to house 
advertise in several ways and with the aid of tho 
fndinn Courts Exhibits with native servants in New 
York, should make British grown tea known to every 
householder. Our fund alone could effect little com- 
pared to the combined efforts of such agencies. With 
the Iowa Co., and the Sylhet Cos. holding stocks in 
New York, there will he no necessity for our 
establishing any agency there, and our efforts 
should be confined to aiding them, and other 
