January i, 1891.] 
tME tROPibAL AQftibULtUaiSt, 
483 
and Malay?, and here, besides the languages of these 
three races, there is spoken the patois known as Samsam, 
peculiar to the Siamese who have become Muham- 
madan.* The term “Samsam” is said on the spot 
to be a corruption of “ Siam-Islam.” 
September 18th.— Went up the river to visit the 
graves of Mr. Birch and the soldiers who are buiied 
with him at Bandar Bharu, and the monument erected 
to the former at Pasir Salak. Mr. Wray had kindly 
made excellent arrangements for the journey, and we 
left the “Sea Belle” at 6 a. m. and drove across the 
narrow neck of land behind Teluk Anson to Durian 
Sabatang, saving thereby five miles of river, and met 
there two of the Perak launches which had been sent 
round earlier with the servants and provisions. After 
an hour upstream in the steam-launches, we tran- 
shipped into three houae-boits at Bandar, where the 
river shoals considerably, and, poling upstream, 
arrived at 8'30 at Bandar Bharu, seventeen miles 
above Teluk Anson. Here wo were met by the 
Penghulu and headmen, and walked up to the en- 
closure containing the graves, which is about three 
hundred yards from the river, and is approached a 
well kept path bordered with flowering shrubs. The 
enclosure itself looks very nice and well-cared for. It 
is surrounded by an iron railing, and in the middle 
of a grass plot is an ornamental railing enolo.sing 
five graves with crosses of polished granite. They 
cover the remains of Corporal Fay, of the 10th Re- 
giment, killed at Knala Biah on the 7th November, 
1875; of Captain William Innes, h. e,, killed at the 
sametim® and place ; of James Wheeler Woodford 
Birch, B''Hish Resident, Perak, assassinated at Pasir 
Salak, 2nd November, 1875, aged 49 ; of Gunner 11. 
Hardy, b. A., died in Perak, 17th December, 1875, aged 
32 ; and of Private W. Smith, 3rd Regiment “ The 
Buffs,” died in Perak, February, 1876. There are 
also three unknown graves in the enclosure. On re- 
jojning the boats, we went 7 miles higher up the river 
to Pasir Salak, arriving there at noon, and finding that 
preparations had been made for our visit. Baja Musa, the 
younger brother of the Sultan Abdullah under whose 
suspioes the murder was committed, and who was him- 
self exculpated when the murderers were brought to 
justice, met us with a large number of the natives at 
the landing place ]ust opposite the monument. This 
stands about 30 yards from the river bank in a small 
enclosure and is an obelisk of unpoHsbed granite 
bearing an inscription in Malay and English on a slab 
of white marble. The English words are: — 
“ This, the site of the Fort of the Marajah Lelah, 
and near the spot where the British Resident, J. W. W. 
Biroh, was treaclierously murdered on the 2nd of Nov. 
1875, is ordered by the Government of Perak to be for 
ever kept desolate and uncultivated.” 
RUSSIA AS AN OUTLET FOR INDIAN TEA. 
To the Editor of the Home and Colonial Mail. 
Sir, — I think a brief account of a visit which I re- 
cently made to the country of the Ozars may not be 
without interest to many of your readers. The princi- 
pal object of my journey was to endeavour to ascertain 
on the spot what were the prospects of introducing Indian 
taea into that country, and to this end I was greatly 
assisted by the kindness of friends, through whom I 
was furnished with several good mercantile and other 
introductions. 
♦i'he mixed Malayo-Samese people, commonly known 
as Sameams, form the bulk of the population in 
the lower parts of Ligor and Sengora and in the north 
of Kedah. Although entirely assimilated to the 
Siamese in speech, customs and religion these Sam- 
sams appear to be allied physically mnch more to the 
Malay than to the Tai stock. Yet their national 
sympathies .seem to bo altogether with the dominant 
race, and the people, especially of Ligor, have 
during the present century zealously co-operated 
with the Siamese in their persistent efforts to sub- 
due the Malays of the neighbouring States.— A/icy. 
Z>V{lfff/i)iiic«'-Arliol9 “ Malay Peninsula.” 
At Petersburg, whither I first directed my steps, I 
had an opportunity of discussing tea with ^seveat 
persons connected with the as well as wit^ other 
oommeroial people, whose acquaintance I made on the 
Bourse. I was strongly advised, however, to proceed to 
Moscow, which is the chief centre of the wholesale 
trade. I accordingly went on to that city, and was 
sufficiently eucouraged by what I saw and heard to 
remain there for eight days. 
Here I had the advantage of the assistance, as well 
as the benefit of the experience, of Mr. Rogivne, 
the representative of the Ceylon planters, who 
had been at work, first for five or .six weeks in Peters- 
burg, and latterly in Moscow, introducing his 
Ceylon teas to the notice of the wholesale trade as 
well as to the large retail houses, such as Popoff, 
Kousnisoff, &c., &c. We visited (either .separately or 
together) the principal tea merchants, and tasted with 
them samples of both Indian and Ceylon teas. By 
most of these firms I was very kindly received, more 
particularly by the firm of Wogau, by Bergmann Bros 
(who represent Fred. Huth & Co.’s house), and by the 
representatives of the Koenigsberg Commercial Associ- 
ation ; also, both in Petersburg and in Moscow, by 
gentlemen who were formerly the tea specialists in the 
powerful house of Kuoop, when that firm made tea one 
of its specialties. 
As was, of course, to be expected, most of the “trade” 
expressed the opinion (just as was done in England 
formerly) that it would take a long time to change the 
Russian taste. Ah, however, complained of the great 
deterioration which was taking place in the quality of 
China teas, while the Russian tiste demanded, no 
worse, but JeHer teas. Most of the firms appear to be kept 
well supplied with samples, both of Indian and Ceylon 
teas, by their London agents ; but great expense and 
delay attends the introduction of Musters, while, owing 
chiefly to the delay, business in them is usually very 
difficult to carry through. The teas apparently which 
seem, most nearly, to approach the requirements of the 
are medium or good Pelcoes-Leaf teas toithout dust or 
broken, either Oeylons or Darjeeling and Dooars teas; 
but there were also Assam and Cachar teas among 
the samples which appeared suitable. 
Coarse Indians (i.e.. Souchong grades and lower); 
pungent teas, and teas with a flavour, appear 
to meet with feast favour; tippy too are to be 
avoided. Dark liquoring teas are needed, because, 
althongh Russians drink their tea light in colour, thi.s 
is effected by filling up a small quantity of strong 
extract with a large quantity of hot water from the 
Samovar. Everything appears at present to be 
favourable to the introduction of Indian and Ceylon 
teas. The duty of course, is high, about Is 9d per 
pound ; but the Government, while augmenting the 
duties on all other imports, has left tea alone. 
The exchange is favourable to importation and 
the gold premium (duty being paid in gold) is also 
comparatively favourable to importation. The 
Russians, both high class and low class. are, 
more or less connoisseurs of tea and their method 
of drinking it (without the addition ofmilk) is most 
in favour of teas possessing some pretentions fo quality. 
The overland trade appears to be much on the wane, 
so that the prejudices of Russians against ocean-borne 
teas is being rapidly dissipated. The Government is, 
moreover, giving great encouragement to the importa- 
tion of tea by way of Odessa, with the view of provi- 
ding a return freight for the subventioned line of steam- 
ers (the Volunteer Cruiser Fleet) trading between that 
port and Vladivostook — the eastern outlet of Siberia 
and the Russian Central Asian possessions. These 
vessels, moreover, pass Colombo, and moderate induce- 
ment would no doubt lead to their touching also at 
Calcutta, or other Indian ports. 
I leave the subject here, as this letter is already too 
long, but with your permission I may venture again 
next week to return to it, and make some further sug- 
gestions. — I am, &c,. 
Geo. Beton, 
14, St. Mary Axe, E, 0., 
London, Oot, 22ud, 1890, 
