January i, 1892.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
491 
course of time, however, the purohaeer of the first 
lot not only sold off all he had bought but found 
fresh demands made upon him for a further supply. 
This he now finds himself unable to obtain, the 
manufacture having been stopped by orders from 
home. It IS questionable, however, i£_ your planters 
would do wisely to recommence shipping green tea, 
for it has beeo told me that the market for it is 
most precarious. A demand may spring up for a 
short time and then die away suddenly, and any 
attempt to supply so capricious a market would 
almost certainly result in disappointment. There 
is no doubt that the prices obtained for the first 
Bhipmont could never again be got. From all I 
can learn, it appears to be the case that all the 
grePH tea coming from China is more or lees coloured, 
some of it so thickly that the scum can be taken 
off the infusion with a spoon ; others so delicately 
that not a trace is observable on the surface o( 
the hot wttter. The Chinese are said to be 
remarkably skilful in the manipulation of the 
colouring matter. A man will take a handful 
of this, and with it stir up a quantity of 
tea leaf with such judgment and deftness that 
not a single leaf will remain uncolored, and not 
one with more than its due proportion. 
Th^ state of the China tea market is, it would 
seem, a ruling factor just at present in paralysing 
all buBinebS on the Stock Exchange. At least the 
Echo seems to think this. That paper has declared 
thai the losses this year in dealings connectfd with 
China tea have amounted to no less than £750,01)0 
and that until the embarrassment caused by this loss 
h-.a liisap^ jareci, the present difficulties of the Stock 
Ex':hange must remain and speculation be slack 
and dangtjrous. And yet we have not heard of 
any serious failure amorjg the firms which deal 
mainly in tea from theCtlestial Empire, There is, 
however, probably some basis of truth for what the 
Echo has stated, though it may be doubted if the 
loss has been as that it could have the eSect mentioned 
on such enormous transactions as those of the Stock 
Exchange. Still, of course, the loss must mean 
diminished capital in this country to the amount, 
whatever it may be, of the losses if sustained. 

CEYLON TEA FUND. 
Minuiea of proci-e Jibgs ot n meeting of the Standing 
Oommirtee of the " Ceylon Tea Fiiud " held within 
the Plant e s' Association's Booms, Kandy, on Friday, 
thw Mih December 1891, at half past uiae o'clock 
(9 30 a.m.) in the moruing. 
Present: — Mr. Gilea F Wnlker (Chairman, Plan- 
ters' ABSoeiatiod of Ceylon), Mfssrs. W. D. 
Gibbon (Ka dy), T. 0. Huxlay (Kandy), W. S. 
Thooiaa (Chturman, Dimbnila Assooiation), A. M. 
WhitB (Kmdy and Kt-lb kka), A. W. S. Sackvilln 
(Chairman, Maskeliya Assooiation), Sholto G. D. Skrine 
(Chftiriuan, Dkoya Association), T. O.Owen (Kandy), 
John Avmer (Houoriry Secretary, Dolosbage and Yak- 
desaa Assooiation), A. B. VVi-i(,;ht (Maskeliya), L. Stuart 
(Chftirmao, Dolosbage nnd Yakdessa Association), A. G. 
K. Horrdu (K.n'ty), Hon. L. H. Kelly (M. L. 0., 
Kaiiily), MefS'M. VVm. Forbes Laurie (Kandy and Kuru- 
negala), A. Philip (Kandy, Secretary to the Planters' 
Aasoci.ition, of Ceylon). 
The notico oalling the meeting was read. 
The minn es of procecdinf^H of a raeeting of thp 
StiindinR Coramittc-e of tho " Ueylou Tea Fund " held 
ntNiiwara Eliyaon Friday, tho 9th October, were taken 
(kg rea l and were confirmed. 
Ckylon Tka Fund Sun^CBiPTiONS. — Read letter from 
Ml-. A (r. Liyard, Dotonugalla Bstnte, Boguwantalawa. 
Uoad letter from tho Honorary Secretary, Dikoya 
Planters' Aasociatiou. Ki'iid letter tromjtbe .Cluvirman, 
Dimliul » A»fiocittioi'.. Road letter fioni tho Honorary 
SocrotTiry, MtsliL-liya AMScointiou. Uoad letter from tho 
Chairman, KiUutara .Vsaocialioo. Koad letter from Mr. 
liobert Young, Ueuvoula Eatato Wattegama, iatimatiog 
that from lat January 1892 his estate will subscribe to 
the " Ceylon Tea Fund." Bead letter from Mr. George 
Beck, Henfold, Lindula, enclosing cheque to Ceylon Tea 
Fund, and inviting attention to his proposal to 
increase the rate of subscription to the Fund oij 
the ground that the funds at present available are far 
too small for the vast undertakings before the Com- 
mittee. Read letter from A. Bethune, proprietor 
Madooltenne, Yeyangoda, intimating that it is hia 
■wish that the estate ehould subscribe to the "Ceylon 
Tea Fund" on the usual terms. Read letter from R, 
Innes Berry on behalf ot Mr. Thomas J. Liptona' 
Poopraesie group stating that he has been instructed 
to notify that the subscription is discontinued from 
date. Read letter from Messrs. J, M. Robertson & Co. 
Resolved : — " That the letter be acknowledged." Read 
letter from Mr. A. H. Mallet intimating that tho pro- 
prietor of Ruanwella estate would subscribe to the 
" Ceylon Tea Fund" in 1893. 
Ceylon Tea at the AVoitLD's Expos. tion AT 
Chicago in 1893, 
Nomination op a Oommissioneb. — Read letter 
from Mr. Morey, United States Consulate of CeyloD, 
enclosing copy of his letter to the Hon. Geo. K. 
Davis, Director-General, Columbian Exposition 1893, 
Chicago. Read letters from Messrs. W, M. Smith 
& Co , Walter Agar, H. F. Dunbar, J. M. Macmar- 
tin, J. A. Roberts, A. Rossio Aahton, Thos. Dickson, 
Junior, James Weatland, F. J. Whittall, P. E. 
Radiey, J. Manley Power, Arthur Anson, Chas 
Ogilvie, \y. L'amy Smith, Reginald Ellis, L. B. H. 
Dickinson, E. R. Wiggin, H, W. Hornby, R. B, Hector, 
W. Hr.rman, J. H. Wynell-Mayow, F.D. S. Amarasuriya, 
E. V. Carey, E. do Fonblanque, H. D.Deane, E. Rod- 
well, Walker, A. M. Ferguson, Junior, and Honorary 
Secretary, Dikoya Association. 
Resolved (1) : — " That the Eomioation of the Hon. 
J. J. Grinlinton as a Commissioner to represent the 
planting interests of Ceylon at the World's Colom- 
bian Exposition, Chicago 1893 meets with the ap- 
proval of the Standing Committee of the Ceylon Tea 
Fund and that the Chairman do submit his name 
for approval at the general meeting of the Planters' 
Association of Ceylon to be held this day- 
Resolved (2) :— " That the sum of R30,000 granted 
towards the Chicago Exhibition he raised to R35,000 and 
that the half yearly instalments be made accordingly. 
Ceylon Tea in Russia. — Read extract of letter 
from the Secretary, Ceylon Association in London, on 
the subject. 
Ceylon Tea in Vienna, Prague, Eaelsbad &c.— 
Read letter from Mr. John Ferguson of the Ceylon 
Observer making suggestions as to further pushing the 
sale of and making known Ceylon Tea in Vienna, 
Prague, Karlsbad &c. Resolved : — " That the Standing 
Committee of the Ceylon Tea Fund do convey to Mr. 
John Ferguson their thanks for the interest he baa 
taken in pushing Ceylon Tea in Austria, and inform 
him that his recommendations will receive full con- 
Bideration." 
Ceylon Tea in Italy.— Read letter from Messrs. 
Whittall & Co. notifying that the Tea for presentation 
to Her Blajesty the Queen of Italy (1001b. finsBt 
Ceylon tea packed in two ornamental half-chests — one 
of Oilamander and the other of tamarind wood) had 
been handed to Mr. Geo. Vanderspar, the Italian 
Consul. Read letter from Mr. George Vanderspar 
intimating that tho tea had been duly shipped. 
Ceylon Tea in Germany.— Read letter from Mr.' 
Sbelton Agar enclosing a letter from Mr. E. Sohrader 
on the subject of further pushing the sale of and making 
knnwn Coylon tea in Germany. Mr. E. Sohrader 
addressed the Committee on the subject. Resolved:— 
' That a special meeting of the Standing Committee 
of the 'Tea Fund ' bo held in K^ndyon Monday, the 
4th January 1892, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, to oon- 
sidor the question of a subsidy of tea to Mr. Sohrader." 
Analyses oi' Samples op Ceylon Tba3. — Submitted 
letter from Mr. H. Atkinson. Resolved: — '! That its 
consideration be postponed to next meeting. ' 
Ckylon Tea ac iub Kimbehley ExuiniriON 1892. — 
Submitted letter from the Secretary Ceylon Chamber 
of Commerce. 
