July  i,  1892.] 
TH^  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
69 
ascertain  with  aoouraoy  the  causes  whioh  have 
led  to  this  sudden  determination  upon  the  part 
of  the  American  representative  of  the  Ceylon  tea 
interest.  When  last  conversing  with  him  he  told 
me  he  expected  to  remain  in  England  for  at 
least  several  months  further ; and  the  knowledge 
that  he  was  so  quickly  to  depart  therefore  oaused 
me  much  surprise.  Although  there  has  been  no 
opportunity  for  me  to  personally  see  Mr.  May 
since  this  determination  was  announced,  I learn 
from  those  who  have  conversed  with  him  that 
he  is  exceedingly  retioent  as  to  the  reasons 
for  his  taking  it.  He  says,  however,  that 
he  has  reasons  to  be  well  satisfied  with  the 
result  to  his  negotiations  here  in  London, 
but  that  he  fears  Ceylon  will  not  be  so 
well  satisfied.  We  can  ODly  guess  from  the  re- 
mark made  by  him  that  he  had  cabled  to  New 
York  to  discontinue  all  advertising  of  Ceylon 
tea  until  his  return,  that  he  has,  failing  sup- 
port by  the  Ceylon  interest,  entered  into  Borne 
arrangement  with  parties  here  for  pushing 
the  Bale  in  America  of  teas  of  good  quality 
generally.  We  surmise  that  in  such  an  adventure 
he  has  found  parties  willing  to  back  him  with 
pecuniary  aid ; and  it  is  rumoured — though  we 
believe  without  any  adequate  ground — that  Mr.  May 
has  entered  into  some  arrangement  with  Mr. 
Lipton’s  agent  in  London,  it  being  well-known 
that  that  enterprizing  person  has  long  had  a hanker- 
ing to  work  the  States  field.  It  is  certain  that 
Mr.  May  feels  somewhat  bitter  with  respect  to 
the  want  of  co-operation  tendered  him  by  Ceylon. 
I was  conversing  this  week  with  one  of  the  lead- 
ing London  tea  brokers,  who  told  me  he  felt  sure 
that  your  Planters’  Association  had  done  unwisely 
in  not  giving  Mr.  May  fuller  representative 
powers  and  acknowledgment ; and  he  told  me  that 
he  thought  muoh  of  Mr.  May’s  feeling  arose  out 
of  his  having  been  ignored  with  reference  to  the 
representation  of  Ceylon  tea  at  the  Chicago  Exhibi- 
tion. He  earnestly  advised  that  Mr.  May’s  efforts 
in  America  should  form  the  subject  of  disoussion 
at  the  forthcoming  meeting  of  the  Ceylon  Associa- 
tion in  London  fixed  for  the  30th  inst.  Mr,  May 
will  be  present  at  the  meeting ; and  possibly, 
if  he  can  be  induced  to  speak,  we  may  then 
learn  the  full  reasons  which  have  induoed 
him,  apparently,  to  throw  Ceylon  over.  At  the 
same  time,  although,  if  Mr.  May  has  beon  forced 
to  take  this  oourse,  it  will  have  to  be  much  re- 
gretted, wo  most  of  us  feel  sure  that  Ceylon  in- 
terests will  not  greatly  suffer  if  he  oonuuots  for  the 
future  his  American  tea  business  on  lines  a la 
Lipton.  The  last  mentioned  does  not  profess  to 
make  a speciality  of  Ceylon  tea  aB  Mr.  May  has 
hitherto  done.  He  advertisfs  all  sorts  of  tea,  and 
works  so  suooessfully  that  the  chanoes  are  he  sells 
as  much  of  Ceylon  tea  as  if  he  had  indeed  made 
it  his  sole  speciality.  Mr.  May  is  still  going  to 
work  the  Bhud,  Bungaloe,  and  Tiffin  brands,  but 
we  judge  that  he  will  no  longer  advertise  these  as 
consisting  of  pure  Ceylon  only. 
EXPORTS  OF  CEYLON  TEA  TO  AMERICA. 
But  this  matter  is  to  be  regretted,  for  the  broker 
referred  to — one  of  the  most  prominent  in  London- 
told  me  that  during  the  past  three  months  he  had 
Bold  a largely  increased  quantity  of  Ceylon  tea  for 
America.  He  believes  that  Mr.  May’s  efforts  are  at 
last  beginning  to  tell,  and  he  greatly  regrets  that, 
just  as  suocess  is  dawning,  anything  should  have 
induoed  Mr.  May  to  throw  over  Ceylon  teas  as  his 
speciality  and  to  discontinue  advertising  them 
as  such.  He  said  he  believed  that  if  Mr.  May’s 
efforts  received  due  recognition  at  the  meeting 
of  the  Ceylon  Association,  that  gentleman  might 
be  induced  to  reconsider  his  present  deoision, 
and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  something  may  be 
done  to  ensure  this. 
London  brokers  and  small  breaks  of  tea. 
We  hear  that  the  London  tea  brokers  are  endea 
vouring  to  make  arrangements  with  the  Custom 
authorities  at  this  port  by  which  may  be  sanctioned 
the  bulking  together  of  several  small  breaks  of  tea. 
You  are  aware  how  strong  has  been  the  com- 
plaint made  here  of  the  smallness  of  many 
parcels  received  from  Ceylon.  Eaoh  suoh  paroel 
has  to  be  separately  sampled,  and  the  time 
occupied  in  tasting  the  great  number  of  these 
is  declared  to  be  a serious  hindrance  to  the 
sales  and  to  the  conduct  by  the  brokers 
of  their  business.  Under  the  provisions  of  the 
Merchandize  Marks  Act  it  is  incumbent  that  teas 
included  under  eaoh  individual  mark  shall  be  sold 
separately,  and  hitherto  the  Customs  Department  has 
been  most  strict  in  ensuring  the  observance  of  this 
rule.  What  the  brokers  seek  to  obtain  permission 
to  do  is  to  group  a lot  of  these  small  consignments 
together  and  offer  them  for  sale  as  one.  Speaking 
on  this  topio  with  a well-informed  London  mer- 
ohant  largely  interested  in  the  Ceylon  tea  trade, 
he  remarked  to  me  that  he  feared  the  oourse 
proposed,  although  one  that  he  thought  to  be 
desirable  in  some  respects,  would  soarcely  be  deemed 
as  satisfactory  by  a large  proportion  of  planters  and 
tea  shippers  in  Coylon.  These,  he  thought,  could  have 
no  guarantee  that  the  reputation  of  their  particular 
brands  would  not  be  injuriously  affeoted  by  being 
grouped  with  those  of  a less  reputed  description. 
At  all  events,  in  his  opinion,  it  should  be  neoessary 
for  the  owner’s  sanction  to  this  course  being  fol- 
lowed to  be  obtained  in  all  oases,  and  how  this 
can  be  done  in  the  instances  of  owners  resident 
in  Ceylon  he  wholly  failed  to  see.  The  objec- 
tions taken  by  my  friend  are  very  obvious  ones, 
and  it  seems  to  us  that,  even  if  the  tea  brokers 
oan  persuade  the  Customs  authorities  to  grant 
the  permission  they  seek,  it  is  not  likely  to  be 
availed  of  in  any  large  number  of  cases.  But  it 
is  certain  that  these  small  breaks  give  rise  to  an 
immense  amount  of  trouble  and  inconvenience,  and 
I should  think,  save  in  very  exceptional  instances, 
there  must  arise  out  of  that  trouble  and  incon- 
venience a tendenoy  to  restrict  the  bidding  for  Buch 
breaks.  Cannot  your  planters  be  induoed  to  make 
some  change  in  their  present  system  of  despatching 
suoh  small  parcels?  I am  myself  too  ignorant  of 
the  exigencies  whioh  may  govern  the  system  of 
forwarding  practised  on  Ceylon  estates  to  be  able 
to  say  whether  such  a ohange  would  be  praotiaable 
or  not ; but  it  seems  to  me  that  some  effort  should 
be  made  to  effect  it.  If  something  be  done  on 
your  side  it  is  more  than  probable  that  the  brokers 
will  carry  their  point,  and  I believe  this  would  not 
be  for  the  welfare  of  your  island  interest.  Re- 
peated complaints  have  been  made  by  all  the 
leading  London  tea  firms  in  their  circulars  with 
reference  to  these  small  breaks,  but  apparently 
without  having  had  the  effect  of  diminishing  their 
number.  A leading  broker  told  me  that  large 
breaks  always  sold  more  freely  and  at  better  prioes 
than  small  ones ; so  it  would  seem  to  be  certain 
that  the  continuance  of  a system  so  opposed 
to  all  advice  offered  on  this  side  must  result  in  a 
positive  cash  loss  to  your  planters. 
mr.  John  ferguson’s  letters  on  the  ceylon  tea 
INDUSTRY. 
We  have  seen  two  very  long  and  interesting 
letters  addressed  by  Mr.  John  Ferguson  to  the 
editor  of  the  Financial  Neivs,  which  appeared  in  the 
issues  of  that  paper  for  Friday  and  Monday  last, 
