Vol. XI. 
COLOMBO, MARCH isT, T892. 
[No. 9. 
SETTLEMENT OF THE TEA SALES QUESTION. 
B are sinoerely glad to learn, 
as W9 do by our Loadon 
Letter last received, that tbe 
matter of Ceylon tea sales in 
the Minoing Lane rooms has 
been satisfactorily determin- 
ed. Indeed, it seems diffi- 
cult to understand why, the Committee of 
those rooms being ready and able on the first 
application to grant every desired facility, that 
we here and the trade and its brokers in London 
should for so long have had to submit to disabilities 
which we have little doubt have often been the cause 
for low prices having bean obtained for our teas. 
The Committee has readily granted the use of a 
second room ; and it seems to bo matter of general 
agreement by the brokers that Cayion sales shall 
proceed in it throughout the whole of Tuesdays and 
Thursdays, simultaneously with the sale of Indian 
sorts in another room. Whether this present limi- 
tation to the two days will eventually be found to 
suffice for the demands of the increasing trade 
in Ceylon teas it is not possible to say ; but 
should it prove to be incommensurate with that 
demand, the Committee, it would appear, 
raises no objection, should it bo necessary 
to do so, to sales being held on every day of 
the week. The determiaation to follow such a 
course will rest at any time with the brokers 
engaged in the trade. If they find it imperative 
to absorb another day, or even more days, Ihey 
can do so by arrangement among themselves 
without the chauoo of objection beiug raised by the 
proprietors of the sale rooms. For the future, 
therefore, we ought to hear of no more complaints 
as to tho impossibility of giving a Bufficienoy of 
time for the exhibition and testing of snmplts, 
though doubtless it will be desirable that our 
shippers should boar in mind the necessity for 
giving to their brokers greater latitude as I0 time 
than they have hitherto enjoyed, in deciding upon 
placing the shipments entrusted to them upc n the 
market. The only dillioulty which would seem 
to be apprehended by tho wholesale trade is the 
neocBsity which tho concurrent eales of Indian and 
Ceylon teas will place them under of providing 
additional buyers. It is evident one buyer oaunot 
be attending to the sales in both rooms at one 
and the same time ; and doubtless tho increase 
of tbe staff required will be viewed by 
a good many among the dealers with some 
amount of dissatiefaetion. But this cannot be 
helped, and wa are told that the dealers have 
expressed themselves ready to submit to the 
necessity involved in the change. To many of 
them the burden must prove to be but a slight 
one, because the largely decreasing volume of the 
China teas deult in must set free to a very great 
extent the buyers the dealers employ in that 
branch of their trade. We expect, therefore, to 
hear but of little opposition to the new arrange- 
m^nt, which came irto operation on the 15th 
December last. Proof has already been afforded 
to, and before quoted by us, of the serious 
monetary loss to which the system now abandoned 
has subjected our planters, and we hope that the 
concessions now yielded may have a sensible effect 
in maintainiug the prices of our teas p.t more 
level standards. At the same time, however, as 
we permit ourselves to express the expectation 
that sueh a result will follow the new arrange- 
ments, we would ask our planting brethren not 
to neglect the many warnings they have of 
late received as to other points by which they 
have themselves contributed to the serious fluc- 
tuation which they have had to submit to. 
NOTES FEOM OUR LONDON LETTER. 
London, Jan. 1st. 
There has for some time been a lull in the 
announcement of new companies starting in the 
tea enterprize .of Ceylon ; but one has just been 
announced which, from the weight of the names 
concerned with it, will probably attract much 
support. The following cutting from a financial 
paper will give you all the information as yet poss- 
eesed by me with reference to this new venture, 
though it may be hoped that by the time of my 
next writing it may be possible for me to afford 
you further details,; respecting it. 
iVIr. John Hughes has addressed a very lengthy 
letter to the Grocer (or it may be to the Spiccr, 
if there be such a paper, for the handwriting 
attached to the extract lent to me is so bad that 
it is impossible to accurately determine the name 
of the paper) on the subject of " tho agricultural 
value of shoddy." You will recollect that this 
subject received much ventilation in your columns 
at the time the proprietors of the Mariawatto 
estate decided, on Mr, Hughes' reccmmendalion, 
