July 1 1898.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
3 
Apart from these reasons, have any other causes 
operated to check expansion, and if so, are they per- 
manent in their effect, or merely temporary ? 
The principal beverages competing with Tea are 
Coffee and Cocoa. The quantity of Ccffee and 
Cliicory taken for home use m 1897 was 37 million lbs., 
compared with 37j millions in 1S98. The quantity of 
raw Cocoa taken was 27j million lbs. in 1S97, com- 
pared with 2ik million lbs. in 189G, and the increase 
has continued since 1st January, which means that 
several million pounds weight of Cocoa and its 
compounds have beta pushed into consumption, 
with the aid of lavish advei tisemeut, mainly at 
the expense of tea. Opinions differ as .to its future as 
a popular beverage. It lacks some of the properties 
whic^i have made tea almost a necessary of life to 
the masses, and the price of the pure Cocoas retailed 
is nearly double that of tea. An indirect reason for 
the comparatively short Deliveries of tea last year 
may be the serious loss of income to the working 
classes incidental to the labour troubles. Renewed 
activity in the industries of the Midlands and North 
should beneficially affect a commodity of which wage- 
earners are the principal cou.?umers. 
Much attention has rightly been paid to fostering 
trade v,'ith other countries. The figures at foot 
show progress, but not sufficiently rapid to keep pace 
with the pruspeetive increase in production. Our 
trade with America, indeed, continues small in view 
of the energy and capital devoted to the work of intro- 
ducing our teas there, where we have to encounter 
the efforts of .Japan to fill the opening left by the 
smaller receipts from China. We regard Russia as a 
more hopeful market, for the Russian buyers appre- 
ciate the best Indian and Ceylou teas and will pay a 
good price for them, whereas in other outside markets, 
whether Australian, American, or Central Asian, the 
demand is chiefly for the cheaper kinds and depends 
much npon the lowness of quotations. Business with 
Russia W'Ould be helped by the shipment of the fine 
sorts they like in larger lines, which prove to be most 
attractive. 
The probability, then, seems to be that in tne coming 
year the total supply may be somewhat heavier than 
the United Kingdom requires, Rud the surplus a little 
larger, perhaps, than the other markets will absorb. 
Under these circumstances it will be prudent to modify 
the policy, which has lately prevailed in some districts, 
of making the heaviest crop possible, irrespective of 
quality. So long as there was a fair margin of profit, 
this policy was successful ; but with higher cost of 
production and reduced selling value it ceases to be so. 
Prices have fallen here for such kinds partly because 
London has become the destination of tea, from all 
parts, too common to find acceptance elsewhere ; and 
partly from a reason to which we referred a year ago, 
viz., that the principal vendors whj make tea a speci- 
ality have mainly built up and are maintaining iheir 
trade by selling letter tea than the average individual 
retailer — not by pushing the sale of inferior tea at 
lower prices. The proof that this is the case exists in 
the fict that for many years the finest qualities have 
met with the strongest competition, and in the evidence 
that those who have bought them are among the most 
successful traders of the day. 
The pr;>fitable nature of the Distributor's busiaGS:r is 
a factor ot importance, and an element of strength nut 
to be overlooked, as it ensures a biiying-power com- 
mensurate with the large dimensions of the ti-ade. The 
confiJenoe with which wealthy buyers handle crops, 
however, depends largely upon their quality — not 
merely upon the statistioal position — and tliere can be 
little doubt that the market has suffered more from the 
inferioriti/ of the last Indian crop than from larger im- 
portations. 
It is customary to assume that China tea has been 
ousted from Initish and Colonial markets, and need 
not be deeT ed a serious rival. Indian and Ceylon teas, 
however, have made their way ; 1, by their superior 
character and value, accentuated by the deterioration 
ia the quality of China Congou ; 2, by the help of their 
low cost of production. It must not be taken for 
granted that the Chinese are iacap.xble of reforming 
their methods and making good tea once more, in ordep 
to save a valuable trade now in danger of being lost; 
and it must not be forgotten that dear Rupees with 
cheap silver place British grov/ers at a serious dis- 
advantage compared with those in the Far Bast. There 
seems no occasion to fear competition at home from 
the produce of Java or .Japan, but the Japanese will 
compete strongly with us to keep their trade with the 
United States and Canada, approaching an annual 
value of nearly £1,000,000. 
Surveying the position as a whole, therefore, we 
conclude that the wisest policy for growers both in 
India and Ceylon will be, to pay the closest attention 
to improvement of quality; ;o check the tendency 
to pack and send forward to any part of tne world 
tea so common as to lower the reputation of their 
produce ; and to bo slow in extending plantations 
upon soil which has not proved its capacity of 
yielding good tea. The industry is so thoroughly 
established and sound, that with ordinary prudence 
and normal climatic conditions, successful results may 
reasonably be anticipated for well-managed properties 
not overweighted with unduly high capital. 
STATIvSTICS. 
Showing the development of the INDIAN TEA 
TRADE during the past three Seasons, ending 31st 
May :— 
Exported from 
Calcutta 
To the United 
Kingdom 
To Australasia 
To America 
To Asia and else- 
where 
1895-96. 
121,16^000 
6,812,000 
1,086,000 
5,390,000 
134,483,000 
1896-97. 
132,600,000 
6.171,000 
1,938,000 
4,855,000 
145,564 000 
1897-98. 
133,800,000 
6.803,000 
2,086,000 
4,400,000 
147.089,000 
From other Indian 
Ports to U.K. 
2,000,000 2,500,000 3,000,000 
Season's Re-Ex- 
ports from the U.K. 3,800,000 
5,2,50,000 6,000,000 
Showing the development of the CEYLON TEA 
TRADE during the past three years, ending 3lst 
December : — ■ 
Exported from 
Ceylon 
To the United 
Kingdom 
To Australasia 
To America 
To Elsewhere 
1895. 
85,573,000 
9,380,000 
394,000 
2,413,000 
1896. 
94,000,000 
11,808,000 
718.001 
2,270,000 
1897. 
99,000,000 
13,233.000 
831,000 
2,933,000 
97,940,000 108,794,000 110,002,000 
Season's Ee-Ex- 
portsfrom the U.K. 7,500,000 
Showing the 
London : — 
9,150,000 11,000,000 
progress of the Ceylon Tea Trade in 
Imported 
Season ending million lbs. 
31st May, 1896 .. 82 
,. ,, 18'i7 .. 92 
,, ,. 13^8 .. 934 .. 
London Warehouse Rsturns, inclndina all kinds of 
Tea, for the p.tst three Seasons, ending 31st May : — 
(Estimated Weight-.) 
1893 7. 
Total of 
Auctions, 
pkgs. 
975.000 
1.140.000 
1,160.000 
Av 
price 
ner lb. 
si:d 
. 8,1 
72d 
Import- 
Indian 
Ceylon 
China 
Java, etc. 
1895-6. 
lbs. 
117,932,000 
81,870,0 0 
40.9,1i;,000 
3,947,000 
lbs. 
131,6.50.1)00 
92,073,000 
33,012.000 
3,606,000 
I897-S. 
lbs. 
135,377,000 
93,580,000 
31.997,000 
3,682,000 
Total 214,745,000 260,311,000 264,636,000 
