Jan. 1, 1900.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
457 
The Chairman said tliey had received informa- 
tion which must be a pratification to the Russian 
buyers in this marl«et, inasnich as what they 
were urging them to do, had been taken up by 
a good many of them. In his own small way he 
liad succeeded in getting pern)ission to sell certain 
classes of tea which were serviceable for this market, 
allowing the rest to go home, but so far, he could 
not say which way the result would work. On 
the other hand, they had definite information of 
efforts wliich had culminated in success, some of 
them quite recently, efforts whicli had reached the 
point of considerably more quantities of teas 
being put on the market ; and no doubt, if these 
increased quantities met with the success, with 
which presumbly the previous quantities met, he 
did not think they need now have any fear of this 
market in course of time not being adequately 
supplied. He had been asked as regardedthe address 
to the !'lanter.V Association or Thirty Committee, 
to say that the following fire gentlemen might form 
themselves into a sort of letter : writing com- 
mittee, if they might put it in that way, viz , 
Messrs. Heath, Tokmakoff, Tchokoff, Thomson 
and Lampard. 
Mr. L.\MPARD said that as he was going to Cal- 
cutta he was unable to act, and suggested the name 
of Mr. Croll. 
On the suggestion of Mr. Renton, the CHAIR- 
MAN said that the letter drafted by the com- 
mittee might be put in such a way, that copies 
of it roigliC be sent to those in Colombo who were 
interested in the matter, and had some influence 
as regarded the disposal of tea. If that could 
not be done, he might draw up a separate letter. 
The Chairman in declaring the meeting closed 
expressed the obligation, that those present were 
under to the Russian gentlemen for coming 
there and laying their views before them. 
Mr. Thomson suggested the draft of the letter 
should be sent to the Chamber of Commerce, 
who .should send it to the agents of the Sterling 
Companies here. 
The Chairman.— I think I can say on be- 
half of the Chamber, that we should be quite 
willing to act in such a matter. 
On the motion of Mr. Renton a vote of thanks 
was passed to the Chairman, and the proceediugs 
terminated. 
PRODUCE A>JD PLANTING. 
LoW-Pbicbd Tea.— On the subject of low-priced 'tea, 
Ik 'correspondent of the G^roce;-, Mr. Hicks, of Leman- 
street, writes : " Some time since you were kind 
enough to insert some letters for me upon the posi- 
tion of the tea market and the inadvisability of push- 
ing low-priced tea. I pointed out then that no provision 
was made for a rise in the market. The position 
to-day is one which is worth the attention of svery 
grocer. Tlie facta are that, with a low exchange some 
three years ago, and a considerable amount of over- 
production, tea reached a very low level, and a very 
uneconomic one. The rate of exchange has greatly 
increased, making it quite unprofitable to sail tea at 
the prices which ruled some time ago. A.t the same 
time, the consumption of tea abroad has largely in- 
creased. The stocks of China tea, which used to be a 
large factor in low prices, have been consumed, and 
aa practically there is nothing to be seen on tea laid 
down under 6d in London there ia no reason why for 
Bon^e time the market should Be under that price. Up 
to the present time high pricea have generally pro- 
duced large suppHes, but as parts of Bome tea planta- 
tions have actually been abandoned it does not seem: 
as if there were any new indncements to put new 
ground to tea to any large extent, and until that is, 
done, and the tea ia ready for picking, there is not 
likely to be over-production. After all, the shilling 
canister ia not one to reflect credit either to the 
retailor or to the wholesale man, and I think that 
every retailer would be studying hia beat interests if 
h« threw the weight of his influence with hia cnsto- 
mera into educating them to higher things. We hear 
a lot of talk about cheap te», but tea is not a particularly 
che«p thing. It costs a good deal to produce to place in 
chests and lay down ready for the grocer, and a 
heavy exchange adds largely to the cost ; and, with 
BO many steamers taken up for trauRporta, freights 
will be exceptionally high. It ia difficult to see what 
the advantage ever was to the retailer to have tea 
advertised at a price which was practically im- 
possible to maintain. There never was any real profit 
in tonpenny tea, neither was there any likelihood of 
there ever being any ; and, «s most people worship 
the god of low pricea, it would no doubt aaccessfully 
divert their purchas^ing powers from better teas in 
the direction of no profit." 
The New Regulations. — It ia announced that the 
new regulations in regard to weighing tea by the 
Custom House, which it was hoped would have come 
into force at the beginnim; of October, are to com- 
mence on December 1. Under the old system pro- 
ducers were liable in an extreme case to a loss of 
30 oz. in a cheat in addition to the 1 lb. draft. Undei; 
the new regulations this possible loas in taring it 
redncfed by 50 per cent. — Home and Colonial Mail. 
INDIAN TEA ASSOCIATION (LONDON). 
The following is an abstract of the proceedings 
of a meeting of the committee held on Nov. 21. 
Present : Messrs. D. Crui'-kshank (chair), R. 
Lyell, J. Ridden, F. A. Roberts, A. G. Stanton 
J. N. Stuart, W. H. Vemer, -J. W. Wallace, and 
S. A. Went. The proceedings of the last meeting 
held on Tuesday, 7th inst., were read by the 
Secretary, and confirmed. 
Copies of correspondence with Calcutta, wliicli 
had been previously circulated to the members 
of the committee, were laid upon the table. 
ASSAM labour BILL. 
After discussion it was decided that the follow- 
ing gentlemen be appointed a Rub-commiktee to 
consider the provisions of this Bill. 
REGULATION OF SALES. 
The following has been issued to the members 
of the Association by the secretary, Mr. Ernest 
Tye:- 
Referring to the general meeting of importertf 
held on July 26th last to consider this subject, I hav«': 
the pleasure to inform you that definite adbesiona' 
have been received from members and others, re. 
presenting over 100,000,000 lb., of Indian tea. This 
represents the bulk of the Indian tea imported oa 
garden account and also a good deal of Calcutta 
bought tea. The scheme adopted by the general 
meeting of July 26th has now been in operation since 
the beginning of August, and has worked most satis- 
factorily. I am instructed by the general committee 
to hand you herewith copy of the report received' 
from the regulating committee, to which I am to ask; 
your special attention. You will observe that in thb" 
opinion of the regulating committee the work haW 
tended to steady the market, and my committee qq. 
hesitatingly endorse this opinion. 
The following ia, the report of the Regulating Oom^ 
mittee referred to in the foregoing : — 
The Tea Brokers' Association of London, H8 
Dunster House, Mincing Lane, E.G., Got. 20. ' 
The Regulating Committee beg to report as follows:— 
1, That in accordance with the rules agreed'tb 
by the Indian and Ceylon Importers' Sub-Committ^«" 
they wore elected by the General Committee of the 
Tea Brokers' Association to carry out the said rales', 
and commenced (be|r wQrk oo August 11, 
