Sept. 1, 1900.] THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
165 
THE INDIAN TEA ASSOCIATION (LONDON). 
The report of the general committee for the year 
1899-1900, presented at the meeting held on Thursday, 
is a record of the work performed by the Association 
and its able secretary, Mr. E Tye, in the interests of 
the Indian tea industry. 
Under the heading 
INDIAN TEA CROP 01' 1899, 
the report says, " It is interesting to note the growth 
of the direct shipments to outside markets in view of 
the increased production both in India and Ceylon, 
and the continued efforts which must be made to 
absorb as large a proportion of the crop as possible by 
pushing consumption in foreign countries." Under 
" Ocean freights," the report states that owing to the 
dissatisfaction felt for some time past with regard to 
the high rates of freight charged on tea by the Steam 
Conference liners, repeated representations have been 
addressed to the Conference asking for a reduction of 
one half in the present rate, but with no result. A 
circular has, therefore, been distributed inviting ship- 
pers to terminate the existing agreement with the 
Conference. The committee records that it has been 
guocessful in its efforts to reduce the warehouse 
charges. Under this heading an account is given of 
the work performed by the Association, in con- 
junction with the Ceylon Association in London, 
in securing the 10 per cent reduction that 
was ultimately obtained, and which represents a 
considerable gain to the industry. It has, however, one 
drawback, viz., that in the case of the building and 
taring charges the full reduction previously conceded 
has not been continued. A very interesting feature 
of the report is the description of the enterprising 
efforts being made to push Indian teas on tne Con- 
tinent through the medium of the Paris Exhibition. 
Tea samples are being displayed, and a tea room has 
been established under the management of Mr. E F 
Langdale, who was in charge of similar work at the 
Health Exhibition at Earl's Court ; and who, it is 
Batisfactory to note, reports that the business is steadily 
improving. Samples are also being distributo3, and a 
stall has been fitted up at which teas are sold in packets. 
Keference is made to the fact that on the recom- 
mendation of Dr. Voelcker, Mr. H H Mann, B.Sc, 
F.I.C., was appointed as 
SCIENTIiaC OFFICER TO THE ASSOCIATION, 
•ftnd has submitted an interesting report on a short 
'visit he paid to Ceylon on his way out. The Labour 
JBiil, to which special objection has been taken by all 
interested in tea in Assam, who consider that no good 
or sufficient reason has been shown for the proposed 
increase of wages, was considered by a special sub- 
committee, and their report sent to Calcutta, and em- 
bodied in the representations laid before the Indian 
Government. The Bill was referred to a special com- 
mittee of the council, but the consideration of same 
Was afterwards postponed to next season. The next 
item of interest is an account of the one pound draft 
dispute, which describes the compromise ultimately 
effected as " entirely satisfactory to ifo one except the 
Treasury." We may here mention that the report 
states that the question of the revision of the Public 
Sale Conditions has been under discussion between 
representatives of sellers and buyers, but that difficulty 
is experienced in deciding on alterations which will 
satisfy both parties. Strong opposition was offered by 
the London Chamber of Commerce to the bills to be 
brought before Parliament by the dock companies 
regarding the imposition of extra dock charges, d'c , 
and they requested the Association to appoint a 
member of their committee to represent their 
interests. Mr. F A Roberts, on being re- 
quested, had consented to represent the Association. 
The Bill was thrown out on being brought before 
Parliament, and a Royal Commission is being ap- 
i pointed to consider the whole dock question. The 
(I -advisability of a Dock Trust is still engaging the 
, (attention of the London Chamber of Commerce, 
i ' With regard to the increased duty on tea, the report 
, noints out that although no doubt the Chancellor of 
'-.'■ill: Escheiiuei; iatandaJ that thU B£i39iM tas Bho^\'\ 
81 
be paid by consumers of tea in the United Kingdom, 
it is felt that it will fall chiefly upon producers, who 
were already sufficiently hampered by the increase 
in the exchange. It also comments upon the iiijostice 
of tea paying Od per lb. duty, while coffee and cocoa, 
which directly compete with tea, only pay l^d 
and Id per lb respectively, although the average 
price of all three, excluding duty, is about 8d per lb. 
The committee contemplate making a representation 
to the Chancellor of the Exchequer with a view to the 
more equitable adjustment of taxation on these 
articles, the early removal of the war tax on tea, and 
a further reduction of the duty, which imposes a 
heavy buiden on the industry. 
It is satisfactory to note that 
THE BF.GULATI0N OF SALES 
which was in operation throughout last season worked 
smoothly, and that the committee intend to take the 
matter up again this season, As the report points 
out, Ceylon teas are imported more or less all the 
year round, and therefore practically regulate them- 
selves, whereas Indian teas are nearly all imported 
within eight ornineraouths, and even in regard to these 
certain months, are heavy, others light, while the con- 
sumption '-aries very little all the year round. A? most 
importers know by now, the committee have decided 
to offer a bonus on green tea shipped direct from India 
in order to encourage planters to meet the large de- 
mand existing for it m America. As a further effort 
to exploit foreign rairkets, a circular was issued in 
April last inviting tea growers to support a levy for 
the current year on a similar scale to that raised in 
former years, and it is hoped that an equally good 
response will be made as for last year. It is proposed 
to apply the new levy not only to the American bub 
to Continental markets, concerning which special 
inquiries are being made. Useful work has been done 
during the past year v/ith regard to the joint advertis- 
ing of Indian and Ceylon tea in the United States, and 
the committee express their obligation to Mr. Macken- 
zie, the Ceylon Commissioner, who has superintended 
the business generally. The committee comment upon 
the officiousness of the Post Office in ruling against the 
delivery of samples closed against inspection. As 
everybody knows, it is absolutely essential that the 
samples should be sent in hermetically sealed boxes, 
as they have hitherto been done, and v.'hich is not 
objected to in India, in order that they should reach 
England in a fresh condition. Tlie Postmaster- 
General has been appealed to in vain, and a deputation 
was refused, but the committee will again address the 
above mentioned official as it is a matter of great 
importance to the industry. Finally the committee 
report that upwards of ±:2,080 has been generously 
subscribed in response to the appeal of the Viceroy 
and Governor-General of India on behalf of the in- 
habitants of the famine striken districts of India, and 
also that £400 was subscribed in conjunction with 
Ceylon for the relief of the sufferers by the tire in Ottawa. 
Some interesting, statistics concerning the quantities 
and value of the tea imported for home consumptioa 
in various Continental countries, kindly supplied by 
the Intelligence Branch of the Commercial Department 
of the Board of Trade, are attached to the report. 
The annual general meeting of the Association was 
held yesterday, A full report of the proceedings will 
be given in next week's issue.— /Joius and Colonial 
Mail, July 27. 
^ . 
BAMBOO GUM: A MODERN MIRACLE, 
I'robably no modern discovery in natural history 
has been more seeniinoly miraculous (says 
" Science Sittings ") llian the finding of an edible 
gum excuding from the bamboos ot Central India 
at a time when the people are suffering from tiieii" 
greatest famine. This substance is pleasantly 
sweet, occurs in wliite or brown rods about an inch 
long, and is found by Mr. David Hooper, of the 
Ind iau Museum at Calcutta, to consist mainly 
of a sugar related to, if nob iudentical with, can§ 
sugai',— (?;e5*.e, July 26, 
