J\N. 2, 1899.] THE TROPICAL 
THE DEFKESSION IN TEA. 
Tu I'IM; liDITOa of the "home and COLOXiALjM.VIL." 
Sii:, — T'le improvement in the rnannfiicture of In- 
dian tjua appfciil^ to all h=i.virig auy iutei-est therein. 
The f;enei-iil oiy at present is the positive and 
immediate necessity of finding new markets for our 
teas. Good work has been done in America in this 
direction, and the outlet is yearly increasing, but not 
to the extent of making a very appreciable (iifference 
to the over supply of the London market. We are 
at present introducing our ordinary black teas in 
America, and it has taken a long time to reach the 
present fi^.;ure of export to the United States, and 
it will talce many more years yet to wean the Yank 
from his China and Japan teas. 
Instead of insi .tinx on the tea drinking public of 
America taking our black teas (in fact, they must 
take them or have no Indian teas) let us make teas 
that they will drink, and give tliam soniething they 
iiie used to and been in the habit of drinking ; teas, 
in fact, tliat assimilate in llxvour those they are at 
present drinking, instead of forcing our (to th-mi 
unpalatable teas down their throats, and sitch teas 
as require considerable educii,tiou of palate. 
There is an enormous field outside the United 
States that could be induced to driok Indian teas 
if they were not so totally different to what the 
populace have been in the habit of driaking. \'erh. 
Slip. Let us supply these teas, and in a short period 
of time millions of pounds of tea will be taken off 
the London market, and our teas will be demanded 
where not one pound is now supplied. 
I am of opinion we have put too many of our eggs 
into one basket. There are other enormous markets 
besides the U.S. which have been entirely neglected. 
As retail deaLrs in New York, cvrc, are advertising 
and stocking our teas, they might be left to make 
further developments themselves. 
The Continent of Europe, and Russia in particular, 
is well worthy of attention. Common black teas will 
have an innings in years to come, no doubt, but to 
inaugurate the crusade let us introduce teas of a 
really good quality and flavour, something more than 
the common teas that flood the h'ime market. 
Oolongs and green teas are, to my mind, undoubtedly 
the teas to meet the requirements of introducing our 
teas into new countries. To meet this, action should 
be taken at once to produce these classes of teas. 
It seems the -art of making teas of this kind 
is more O'c less a lost one, but a little careful 
nursing will soon put the intelligent planter 
in the way of making the right sort. There 
should be no reaaon why an expert should, not 
be employed by the association to travel through the 
tea districts to give instructions and make experi- 
nientSj and also test teas made and see that the 
proper kind of tea is produced. 
It is astonishing what little is done to divert from 
tho accepted methods of manufacture. Wc have all 
got into a certain groove and stick to it. By far the 
greater number of tea factories have not sufficient 
machinery to do anything else but to rush their tea 
through their machines when tho leaf is coming into 
the tea house in largo quantities. 
The prodaclion of Oolongs and gieeu teas in auy 
quantity will, of course, require special machinery 
for the purpose, as that existing is hardly suitable. 
I would suggest the Tea Association form a sub- 
commitee of men really interested to carry out 
details of a scheme to improve the manufacture of 
India leas. Companies and larger estates might 
be asked to undertake to manufacture the first 
year 5 per cent, of their crop in the way suggested 
by the committee for the purpose of export to new 
markets. I am of opinion when these teas of the 
right sort are sold that tho rcqupst will not have to 
be made again, hut rather all will bo eager to make 
a tea that sells so well and creates a demand in 
countries in which- heretofore it did uot exist. An 
enormous benefit would accrue to all concerned, us 
the home market would also bo relieved of the ever- 
jucreasiug sui:plv, and up would go tha London prices. 
HU), bir, yours, Ac, Tli.MrOUA MUTA>;i UK, 
AGRICULTtJEIST. 4G9 
THE [NUIAN SUGAU INDUSTRY. 
Jusfc as tlie Nationalist Irish are believers in 
agrarian outi age and murders, as the best means 
of drawing attention to tiie needs of the peasantry, 
and the dreams and aspirations (>f tlie profes- 
sional agitator in Ireland, so, almost every ."school 
of reformers has its own si)ecial means of striving 
to secure attention to its demands. It is com- 
forting to know that the secure running of 
trains has been very widely ensured witiiout the 
sacrifice of Bishops ; and that Coloiiiai Dependencies 
of Great Britain have succeeded in having their 
wants understood before being linally snufied out 
of commercial or ]ialitical existence. It is not 
that there is not the will at home to help the 
outlying Deijendencies of the Empire; but, too 
frequently, tliere is not the requisite knowledge ; 
and when tiiis difliciilty is overcome, economic 
[irineiplcs which are iield sacred by the nation, 
or political engagements witii other States, op- 
pose insuperaVde obstacles. It is in this way that 
the West ludian Colonies, whose prosperity 
hinged on the sugar industry, have been brought 
to the verge of ruin. Countervailing Duties, or 
any interference with Free Trade, being pre- 
scribed, continental bounty-fed sugar practically 
commands the market. The only alternative has 
been direct financial help from the iiiotiier country, 
and that is now being extended in the hope of 
l\romoting etl'ective self help. But -ne, while 
watcliing with sympathy the struggles of far-otf 
sister Crown Colonies against adverse circum- 
stances, and while noting witli satisfaction tiie 
measures wliitdi the Home Government have de- 
vised to plnce the West Indian Colonies again 
on their legs, have either lost sight of the similar 
struggles oi our big neigiibour, or bestowed on them 
but scant attention. 
Kecent Indian files have made us acquainted 
with the aciion which is being taken by our 
iieighl-.ours, to secure some relief from troubles 
which seem to be on all-fours with those which 
have well-nigh ruined the Colonies in the Far 
West. The Bengal Chamber of Commerce have 
drawn the attention of the Bengal tiovernment, 
to tiie critical position in which the Indian 
Sugar industry has been ])laced by the increasing 
importations of foreign bounty-fed sugar, and 
have asked for the adoption of means to jn'otect 
the industry. In May last, the Government of 
India iiad, at the instance of the Chamber, sug- 
gested to tiie Secretary of State the aiipointment 
of air. E. C. Ozanne of the Bombay Civil Ser- 
vice, as a iiritisii Delegate at the Brussels Con- 
ference ; but tiie Conference had to dissolve witii- 
out beiug able to secure anytiiing in tlie direc- 
tion of the removal of bounties, ciiieliy owing 
to the attitude of France antl Rus>ia The 
British D.'legates in their Report were able to see 
only zwo coursesopen: — (1) To come to some agree- 
ment with all sugar-producing countries, wliereby 
a modilication of the French i-^nd Russian systems 
might be ado ted by all, in supersession of 
bounties ; (2) To conclude a Convention with tiie 
sugar-producing countries tiiat are agreeable, for 
the total supinession of bounties within their 
liorders, and for eitiier tiie exclusion of bounty- 
ted sugar from tiieir marlvcts, or tlie imposition 
of countervailing duties. Failing any inter- 
national negotiations on tlie lines ot the above sng- 
gestioii.s, the Chamber ask for countcrvailinu 
duties without delay, as tiie sugar industrv is 
hc.ng gradually ruined. The importance of tlio 
industry is proved by the fact tliat no less than 
million acres arc under siigai-caiie culti- 
