456 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [Jak. 1, 1900. 
Mr. Kenton thoup'ht he could corroborate that. 
Tlie Chairman thought Mr. Kenton had hit 
the nail on tlie head very fairly and clearly. If 
they wanted those who produced tea and had the 
disposal of it to put only certain grades in fjreater 
proportion on the local uiarkec, and .ship the 
remaining grades to London, it seemed to him 
that those remaining grades would create such a 
({Int in the market at iiomethat they would run the 
pricesdown of those grades quite enouglito balance 
the relief they would hare in selling their leafy 
teas. That was the difliculty and the true solu- 
tion of the difliculty was that if the Kussiau 
buyers wanted to assisli them in the niatter,'and 
they should like to assist them, by putting larger 
quantities of tea in the local market, and as Mr. 
Kenton suggested by getting the Ku-ssian people 
bj degrees, however small it might be at the 
beginning, to take some of our other grades. 
Mr. Lampard thought the wisest thing to do 
was to print the whole invoice. 
Mr. Lane said his reason for coming here was 
to learn as much as possible on that very im- 
portant point, because, as they were all aware 
tile Planters' Association and the Thirty Com- 
mittee were most anxious to develop the Kussian 
— and in fact all foreign — markets. Mr. Tok- 
makoff had made a suggestion that a letter 
•with certain suggestions should be addressed to 
the Thirty Committee. That would be the best 
tvay of meeting ihe difficulty, because they would 
liave in writing the views of those who were 
anxious to develop the niaiket. He had been 
ftnxious to hear whether tliere had been any 
Slxggestion made as to the reduction of duty on 
tea going into Kussia, and how that would help 
in the introduction of Ceylon tea 'into that 
country, and to cause a greater demand for their 
tea- It had been proved that the reduction of the 
duty had been of great assistance in opening up 
different markets in otlier countries, and the 
Hanters' Association, last year, addressed the 
Foreign Minister in hopes of getting a reduction 
6n the duty on tlie European frontier of Kussia. 
They made no reduction on the European frontier 
but they made a|slight addition to the dutyjon the 
Siberian frontier. The duty of Is lO^d on the 
European frontier fell very hard on Ceylon tea. 
He sliould like to hear from • those who were 
likely to know something on the matter ; whether 
they should press this subject still in the hope by 
reduction of duty and increasing facilities they 
could bring the tea within the reach of the 
poorer classes. He was very glad to see so 
luany persons present interested in the market. 
Another matter he would like to ask about 
was tliis. Tliey said that the planters upcoun- 
try did not know what grades were required, 
but it was very difficulfc for them, to know, 
nnless somebody interested in tlie development of 
the Kus.sian market made it known. He was 
sure, after the report of that meeting came out 
iind it was understood tliat pekoes and pekoe 
souchongs were the chief grades required for 
Russia, tliat there would be men— -there would be 
lots of independent planters — who would be very 
glad of the hint and send their better and higher 
grades in tlie hope of securing better prices. Of 
course the sale of tea in the local market would 
depend a great deal on the prices. If encourage- 
ment was given, teas would he sent here ; other- 
wise they would be sent to London. 
Mr. TOKMAKOFF explained that all attempts 
to have the duty reduced on the European frontier 
baillie^u unuuccessfui, The Ku^f=|jan revenue— 
nearly 60 per cent — was derived from the duty on 
tea. 
Mr. Lane said that with a lower duty there 
might be double the quantity of tea used and 
that would make up the amount to Government. 
Mr. ToKiMAKOFF said they tried this 
about three years ago, but could not manage it. 
Mr. Lank .=aid he would be glad to know 
whether Mr. Tokmakoff and his friends would 
advise the I'liui'ers' Association to keep on press- 
ing the point. They had already addressed the 
Secretary ol State, and the memorial of the As- 
sociation had been forwarded through the Foreign 
Office to the Kussian minister De Witt. A small 
concession had been made by the addition on 
the Siberian frontier of two pence, but they 
had asked for a reduction on the one and ten 
lience-half penny on the European frontier. Did 
they think it desirable, and likely to lead to 
success, if the P. A. again pressed the matter 
back by the Chamber of Commerce and the 
Knsrsian interests in Colombo ? 
Mr. lOKMAKOFF said he would not be sure 
of success, but he was jjerfectly sure, that if 
the duty was reduced the Russian Government 
would not lose anything, because the consump- 
tion of tea would increase. 
TUB STKRLING COMPANIES. 
Mr. Rknton thought the people they must 
go for were the London sterling companies. Of 
the ruiiee companies who had agencies in Colombo, 
fully 80 per cent of their teas were sold iii 
the local market, and he thought most of the 
independent proprietors sold their teas too. Of 
the large sterling companies, practically the whole 
of their teas went to London, simply because 
the London brokers and directors and the bond- 
ed warehouse men were all interested, and must 
have their pickings out of them. (Laughter.) 
They should make a special appeal, not to the 
Directors, and 'jot to the Secretaries of tlie 
London Companies, but to the shareholders. 
Mr. G. Thompson said he believed his firm 
represented a fairly large number of sterling 
companies. Of the Muir companies he had persuaded 
them to sell half their tea locally and half in 
London. 
Mr. Renton said that sterling Companies be 
represented also sold their teas here. 
After some remarks by Mr. Walthew and the' 
Chairman as to the cost of putting down tea in 
Russia from Colombo and London, 
Mr. G. H. Alston said that he had for many 
years endeavoured tt get sterling Companies to 
put the tea in the local market and it was chiefly 
with the object of backing up his own views on 
this subject, that he was so pleased to see that 
this meeting had been called, so that they might 
show that other people were interested in it. 
Mr. Lampard said the Russian firms would not, 
of course, pay the same rates in Colombo as they 
did in London, but perhaps tliere might be 
something to divide between them, something for 
the planters, and something for themselves. 
The Hon. Mr. Campbell said he did not know 
whether it was worth while for him to state, 
but he did not mind telling them, that he put one 
estate's tea on the local market a year ago, with 
fair results, and has just got permission to put 
another estate's tea on the local market, which' 
would amount to about a quarter of a million lb. 
per annum. (Applausfe,) 
Mr. LANS said, he supposed that application 
would be macle to the " Thirty Committee," 
