April  i,  1893.]  THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST, 
615 
REPORT  ON  CEYLON  COCOA. 
London,  Feb.  lat. — Daring  the  past  year  the  prices 
ruling  for  Ceylon  cocoa  although  lower  than  those 
of  1891  were  satisfactory,  viz.,  95s  to  114s  against 
105s  to  133s  6d. 
The  yield  of  the  crop  in  Java  was  expected  to 
equal  about  one-half  that  of  Ceylon  last  year,  this, 
however,  was  not  realized,  but  a considerable  in- 
crease is  anticipated  this  year.  Madagascar  is  com- 
mencing to  export,  the  characteristics  being  similar  to 
that  of  Ceylon,  and  one  Bmall  parcel  has  sold  up  to 
102s  6d,  good  red  Ceylon  being  worth  110s,  on  the 
same  date.  Planting  in  India,  especially  in  the 
Wynaad  district,  is  being  pushed  forward,  and  the 
trees  are  said  to  be  doing  well,  but  little  oan  be 
expected  from  this  quarter  i > the  near  future.  The 
attempts  made  in  the  West  Indies  to  produce  cocoa 
similar  to  Ceylon  have,  so  far,  not  proved  satisfac- 
tory or  encouraging,  the  most  successful  at  present 
being  Jamaica,  where  with  proper  advice  and  guidance 
should  be  able  to  produce  excellent  results,  a small 
lot,  oured  similar  to  Ceylon,  having  recently  sold  at 
80s  per  owt.  whilst  their  ordinary  quality  realized 
only  66s  on  the  same  date. 
Exports  of  Cocoa  from  Ceylon  and  Java. 
1893.  1892.  1891.  1890. 
Ceylon  tons...  1,000*  840  1,020  800 
Java  „ ...  500*  380  370  220 
COMPARATIVE  PRICES  OF  GOOD  RED  CEYLON  COCOA. 
Jan.  Jan.  Jan.  Jan. 
1893  1892  1891  1890 
107s  to  123s  103s  to  110s  105s  to  119s  95s  6d  to  113s 
The  probable  increase  in  supplies  from  the  East, 
similar  to  Ceylon,  need  we  think,  oause  no  uneasiness 
as  to  the  maintenance  of  remunerative  values,  if  only 
this  market  is  made  the  centre  of  supplies  from  the 
producing  countries  of  the  world,  as  the  demand 
for  this  olass  of  cocoa  is  steadily  increasing,  and 
would  attract  eompetition  from  all  countries,  in  addi- 
tion to  our  home  manufacturers.  The  growing  practice 
in  Ceylou  of  shipping  to  ports  other  than  London  has 
already  had  the  effeot  of  bringing  the  value  below 
that  of  Java,  and  should  this  unsatisfactory  system 
continue,  a further  lower  range  of  values  must  be 
looked  for.  Daring  the  prevalence  of  high  values  in 
1890-91,  strong,  and  partially  successful,  efforts  were 
made  in  various  quarters  to  obtain  direct  shipments, 
with  the  result  mentioned  above.  We  understand 
that  renewed  attempts  to  purchase  in  Ceylon  for  ship- 
ment to  other  ports  thsn  London  are  now  being  made, 
but  trust  that  the  past  experience  of  this  impolitic 
system  will  oause  producers  to  hesitate  before  con- 
senting to  accept  an  apparent  benefit,  and  will 
not  sacrifice  another  of  their  un:que  produces 
to  the  fetish  of  “ direot  ” business.  Further 
recent  advioes  to  hand  state  that  orders  for  America 
aud  Germany  have  been  in  the  I-land  at  more  than  the 
ourrent  rates  ruing  in  this  market,  but  those  who 
swallowed  these  “ gilded  pills,”  must  now  be  consi- 
derably ohagrined  when  they  learn  that  good  red 
has  sold  up  to  123s  per  owt.  hero  for  our  home 
manufacturers’  purposes. — Lewis  and  Noyes. 
GOVERNMENT  AND  THE  TEA  DUTY. 
The  Editor  of  the  Daily  Chronicle. 
Sib, — "Why  is  the  London  Liberal  Press  silent,  or 
nearly  so,  on  the  subjeot  of  the  tea  dutiess  ? The 
abolition  of  those  duties  means,  of  course,  the  fashion- 
ing of  the  free  breakfast  table  and,  thereby,  the 
oarrying  into  effect  of  one  of  the  b'.essedest  truths  of 
the  Newcastle  program.  To  judge  by  the  attitude 
of  the  London  Liberal  Press  it  matters  not  at  all 
whether  wa  get  a free  breakfast  table  now  or  a year  or 
two  hence.  1 venture  to  think  it  does,  aud  that  wo 
want  it  at  once.  Chiefly  because  it  would  be  the 
most  outward  a id  visible  manifestation  that  the 
Liberal  Government  could  possibly  make  of  their  pro- 
fession of  faith  as  the  working  man's  friend.  The 
gift  of  a free  breakfast  table  in  1893  would  immensely 
strengthen  the  hold  of  the  Government  upon  the 
popular  vote,  and  would  give  it  the  good  start  that 
is  now  of  overwhelming  importance.  The  present 
Government  is  more  dependent  upon  the  vote  of  the 
working  olasses  than  any  Government  has  ever  been. 
What  boon  can  Sir  William  Haroourt  confer  on  the 
working  classes  that  can  compare  in  value  and  in 
immediate,  intelligible,  and  widespread  effeot  with 
the  gift  of  a free  breakfast  table?  If  he  does  not 
give  it  now,  the  chapter  of  aocidents — such,  for  in- 
stance, as  a European  war— may  prevent  him  from 
giving  it  next  year  ; and  he  may  after  all,  have  to 
confess  at  the  next  General  Eleotion  that  he  has  left 
nudone  what  he  ought  to  have  done — and  so  be 
undone  himself  in  coneequenoe. 
Why  call  it  a gift?  It  would  be  the  repayment  of 
a debt  long  due  to  the  working  classes  for  having 
been  forced,  in  times  past,  to  finanoe  us  in  various 
injurious  military  expeditions,  by  means  of  tea  duties, 
&o.  Many  working  men  felt  that  Mr.  Goschen  had 
paid  them  back  something  when  he  reduoed  the  tea 
duty  by  2d  in  1890,  while  Liberal  Governments  had 
d^olined  to  refund  them  a single  sou  sinoe  1865. 
Hence  a heavy  retardation  to  the  hoped-for  Liberal 
majority  at  the  reoent  General  Election. 
One  word  as  to  the  economic  effect  of  Mr.  Gosohen’s 
“ Twopence.”  I believe — and  I ought  to  know  some- 
thing about  it — that  the  consumer  now  gets,  in 
oonsequence  of  the  twop  nny  reduction,  an  advantage 
of  3d.  per  lb.  at  least,  in  the  value  of  his  tea.  I 
know  that  since  the  reduction,  the  home  consumption 
of  China  tea  has  fallen  off  by  45  per  oent.,  while 
that  of  Indian  tea  has  risen  by  5j  per  oent.,  and  that 
of  Ceylon  tea  by  105  per  oent.,  that  is  to  say,  the 
reduction  of  duty  was  favourable  to  the  consumption 
of  the  best  and  unfavourable  to  the  consumption 
of  the  worst  teas.  It  cannot  be  doubted,  then,  that 
the  abolition  of  the  remaining  duty  of  4d.  per  lb. 
would  be  a great  stimulus  to  the  further  consumption 
of  high-quality  teas  ; to  the  disuse,  by  consequence, 
of  low-class  teas.  As  long  as  any  duty  is  maintained 
it  will  act  as  a handicap  pro  tanto  in  favour  of  the 
worst  and  against  the  best  artiole — a premium  on  rub- 
bish, in  fact.  Is  not  that  in  itself  an  all-suffloient  reason 
for  abolishing  the  tea  duty,  in  the  interest  ef  the 
community  generally,  by  the  1893  Budget?— Your 
obedient  servant,  C.  J.  Rowe. 
National  Liberal  Club,  Whitehall-place,  S.  W. 

TEA  IN  AUSTRALIA. 
(From  Alfred  Harvey  <&  Co.'s  Monthly  Tea  Report.) 
Melbourne,  Feb.  7tb,  1893. 
General. — A still  further  general  advance  in  value 
of  all  leaf  has  to  be  reported.  Very  high  prices  are  now 
being  paid  in  both  Calcutta  and  Colombo  for  all 
grades.  The  Customs  having  decided  to  allow  full 
drawback  upon  duty  paid  stocks,  a general  improve- 
ment in  deliveries  may  be  looked  for.  Trade  shows 
improvement  in  the  country,  and  exports  are  fully  up 
to  the  average. 
China.— Foochow  market  closed;  exports  to  the 
Colonies  14,500,000  lb.,  with  probably  a little  addition 
via  Hongkong.  Common  congous  have  continued 
firm  at  5|d,  5jd,  with  heavy  sales  ; market  stronger 
at  close,  owing  to  5.000  packages  of  low  coarse 
grade  being  ordered  by  the  Customs  to  be  re-shipped 
to  China,  leaving  but  small  quantities  available  in 
first  hands.  Good  common  has  had  good  inquiry  at 
6d  ; fair  flavoury,  6Jd  to  7jd  ; medium  panyongs, 
74d  to  8jd.  All  better  sorts  are  practically  in  dealers’ 
hauds.  Seenteds  had  sales  at  low  rates ; coarse 
pungent  pekoes,  6fd  to  7d  ; well-scented  mediums, 
I 8|d  to  9d  ; Kooloos  still  in  over-supply  at  lowest 
I rates — viz  , 84d  for  light-scented  common,  up  to 
lOJd  for  well-scented  pungent  brands.  Buds  are 
! without  inquiry  ; public  sales  have  been  unimportant, 
I beyond  showing  that  importers  were  firm  ; very 
| little  was  sold  at  auction. 
India. — Calcutta  shipments  to  date  are  3,240,000  lb. 
or  1,100,000  less  than  at  same  time  last  year.  The 
“ New  Guinea  ” having  arrived  with  340,000  lb., 
leaves  only  1,000  packages  afloat,  and  no  direct 
