THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [July 1, IdO^, 
Colombo for export only, was to enable us to 
establish a Brick Tea Factory in the island, in order 
to compete with those in Russian hands in China 
for the Russian overland trade in this article, 
which is a very large business. Had our name 
and the reason of our advocating the abolition of 
the duty been given publicity to, our Russian 
opponents would have been placed in possession 
of more information than at that time we con- 
sidered expedient. 
Our contention is, that the Duty imposed upon 
tea landed in the island for export only, is operat- 
ing against the commercial interests and pros- 
perity of the island, keepine away a large amount 
of trade fronr. Colombo, which its geographical 
position would otherwise ensure ; and it is upon 
this ground that W8 ask the matter should be 
dealt with. 
The Import Duty was no doubt placed upon tea 
landed in Ceylon, under the impression that to 
allow tea from other countries of production free 
entry would prove detrimental to the interests of 
the Planting Community. It appears to us that 
the only possible harm that could result from the 
abolition of the present duty to the Ceylon pro- 
ducer, would be if that duty was rescinded upon 
tea landed for purposes of home consumption in 
the island ; but if only abolished in the case of 
tea landed in the island for re exportation, we are 
persuaded that the result would prove beneficial, 
instead of detrimental, to the Ceylon Planter. 
The restrictive duty now in force merely removes 
the operation of blending from Ceylon to London 
and other ports. And did the same Customs 
Regulations exist in Colombo, as in London, where 
facilities for Blending in Bond are freely given 
and a return of the constituent parts of the blend 
is the only Customs requisition, the Ceylon 
Industry would be efficiently protected 
against the export of Blends as that of pure 
Ceylon Tea, the packages being compelled to 
carry a correct description of the contents. And 
while the interests of Planters would thus remain 
safely guarded on one hand, we believe a further 
extension of the business of the Merchant Com- 
munity in Colombo would certainly follo\i' upon 
the suggested change. If all countries had adop- 
ted the same policy as that which exists in 
Ceylon with regard to the Import Duty charge- 
able alike on Tea for consumption in the Island, 
and also for re exportation, the progress made in 
the consumption of Cieylon Tea would have been 
indefinitely retarded. 
The history of the gradual progress of Indian 
and Ceylon Teas in the markets of the world, has 
been that of gradual conversion, commencing with 
an admixture of a small percentage of Indian and 
Ceylon grown Teas with those of China, slowly in- 
creasing the proportion of the former growths until 
the taste for the stronger tea had become firmly 
established, and the point reached when China 
teas could be discarded entirely. We have had, 
as is well-known, a considerable share in the 
introduction of Ceylon and Indian Teas into 
Hussia, South Africa, South America, the United 
States and Canada, and in all cases the successful 
introduction of British-grown teas has had to 
follow on the lines we have stated, This being 
so, it appears evident that the change in the Duty 
at present imposed upon Tea landed in Ceylon 
for re-exportation could nob but facilitate the 
distribution and consumption of that article. In 
regard to Brick Tea the case is even stronger. 
In Russia the Brick Tea is admitted under a much 
lower tariff' than for tea in bulk, thus rendering 
the outside manufacture of the Bricks an im- 
perative necessity of the trade in that description 
of Tea. To manufacture Brick Tea in Ceylon 
and to capture a share of the 40 niillion pounds 
of tea imported into Kussia every year in this form 
for the benefit of the Tea Industry of the island, it 
is absolutely essential that the present ImportDuty 
on other descriptions of tea should be rescinded 
in so far as it applies to tea for re exportation. 
Under present conditions it is not possible to 
compete with the Russian Houses established in 
China for this trade, as the ability to utilise 
Indian and China Dusts with those of Ceylon fur 
the manufacture of Brick Tea, is a necessary 
condition for the successful introduction of the 
Ceylon-made Brick into the Russian markets. 
The present Tea Brick manufactories in China 
are making large use of the privilege there enioyed 
by them, and import free of duty botli Indian 
and Ceylon Dusts to use with China Tea in theii 
manufactories. If the same process should be 
made possible in Ceylon, it would then become a 
case of the conditions being reversed in favour 
of Ceylon Tea* a smaller quantity of China and 
Indian Tea being used with larger quantities 
from the island, thus both helping the merchant 
and planter. Knowing your Excellency's keen 
interest in all that concerns the commercial and 
industrial prosperity of Ceylon, we venture to 
place this matter before you and trust you m<iy 
be able to bring the matter again under the 
notice of the Thirty Committee, to whom we are 
willing this correspondence should be submitted 
at your Excellency's own discretion. — We beg, &c. 
(Sgd.) HARRISON AND CROSFIELD, 
The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Colombo, 
Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Jan. 2.3' d, 1903. 
Sir, — With further reference to your letter No. 
021121, dated the 17th ultimo, 1 have now the 
honour under instructions from my Committee to 
inform you that the question of the abolition of the 
Ceylon Import Duly on tea has again received 
their most careful consideration. I am to state 
that at their last meeting the following resolution 
was passed, but only after a very long and full 
discussion :— " That the Secretary inform the Hon. 
the Colonial Secretary that this Committee adheres 
to the terms of its letter to Government, dated the 
10th of March 19u2, as they fail to discover any 
fresh arguments in favour of the abolition at the 
present juncture of the Ceylon Import Duty on 
Tea." In arriving at the above decision my Com- 
mittee are anxious that they should not appear to 
Government to be influenced by any particular 
bias or prejudice in favour of the present Duty, 
Without intention the Ceylon Government has in 
the present provided a powerful safeguard to the 
]jroducerof " pure Ceylon Tea " and the producer 
and the merchant alike have expended large sums 
upon the advertisement of this speciality. In the 
opinion of my Committee the abolition of the duty 
would involve a danger to " pure Ceylon Tea""' 
which, it is impossible to estimate, whilst on the 
other hand tliey do not consider that a sufficiently 
strong case has been made out by the advocates of 
such a policy so that until far stronger arguments 
can be brought forward, or until the local com- 
mercial conditions change considerably, they feel 
compelled to adhere to the terms of the resolution 
which I have had the honour to communicate 
