6o2 
THE  TROPICAL  AGKICHL'I'URIST. 
[March  2,  i8y6. 
yeut  of  the  “ li.  0. 'T  U.  S."  (1  bdieve  the  full 
title  of  the  Convent  \a  “llelperd  of  Holy  SoviIh 
m Purgatory.’  ) The  tea  was  made  the  special 
feature  at  the  ^yal(lorf,  although  there  were  the 
usual  Lazaar  nick-nacks,  flowers,  etc.,  sold,  and 
the  sniiUl  sample  boxes  of  tea  were  sold  at  the 
high  price  of  ‘2")  cents  each,  the  usual  price  we  have 
sold  tlieni  being  lu  cents.  The  table  which  was  laid 
out  m the  best  style  by  the  Hotel  people  was 
crowded  the  whole  evening.  The  Jjaisaar  was  conti- 
nued at  the  Convent.  where  one  room  was 
given  up  to  the  tea  and  laid  out  with 
small  tables  and  chairs.  1 supplied  the  now 
packages  recently  described  and  of  which  1 
sent  a sample,  and  sent  first  (I  lb.  w'hich  w’as  sold  at 
once  and  order  taken  for  another  (lib.  Some  difn- 
culty  was  experienced  at  tlie  Convent,  as  strangers 
are  not  allov>’cd  in  the  kitchen,  and  we  liad  to  arrange 
to  meet  this  with  our  own  gas  stove. 
I’.UUS. 
On  the  1‘Jth  to  the  21st  November  thei'c  was  a 
Fair  held  by  the  Y.  W.  C.  A.  at  Ellerslie  Hall  in 
Harlem  (12tith  street.)  A small  room  was  set  apart  for 
the  tea  beside  the  refreshment  room,  in  which  also  the 
same  tea  was  used.  The  room  was  hung  with  our 
Indian  draperies  and  made  to  look  very  nice,  and  the 
tea  was  served  by  several  young  ladies,  our  own 
colored  girl,  on  whom  we  can  rely  for  making 
it  inoperly,  being  behind  a screen  and  making  the 
tea.  We  got  a supply  of  tea  free  from  Tetley,  and  they 
also  sent  some  packets  to  be  sold,  the  proceeds 
to  go  to  the  fund.  In  all  some  20  lb.  was  used  and 
sold  in  the  throe  days.  On  the  same  three  days 
there  was  a Church  Fair  at  St.  Thomas’  Church, 
Brooklyn.  Tetley  gave  10  lb  of  lea  in  half-lb.  packets, 
and  we  kept  a girl  there  on  whom  we  could  de- 
pend to  make  tlie  tea,  which  was  served  by  two 
of  the  youn^  ladies  in  native  costume.  Tbe  Church 
choir  had  charge  of  the  Grocery  Counter,  where  the 
teas  were  served  and  where  there  was  everything 
from  a barrel  of  potatoes  unwards  for  sale,  all  do- 
nated by  different  people,  some  by  way  of  charity 
and  others,  like  ourselves,  with  an  eye  to  advertising. 
On  the  3rd  December  a Pair  opened  at  St. 
Andrew’s  Church,  Harlem.  We  had  a colored  girl 
to  make  the  tea  and  presented  ,>  lb  of  the  new  ; lb 
packets.  I3ut  as  the  liidia-Ceyloii  Co.  had  also  given 
tea,  we  did  not  interfere  further  or  push  the  matter 
at  all.  This  affairs  wciU  on  from  tlie  3rd  to  the  tith. 
On  the  fth  Docembev  there  was  a '■  Birthday 
Tarty  ’ given  by  the  Westminster  L’lcsliytcrian 
Church,  Brooklyn,  the  name  being  given  to  alfiirs 
of  tliis  kind  where  those  attending  are  expected  to 
bring  one  eont  for  every  year  of  their  age.  ’The 
school-room  was  set  aside  for  tlie  entertain- 
ment, and  the  corresponding  room  above  it 
was  for  the  tea ; after  the  entertainment  closed 
I gave  a lecture  with  tlie  aid  of  a professional  wlio 
handled  the  light  and  lantern  as  I have  no  assist- 
ant ; the  charge  strikes  me  as  liigli,  ri,v..  '‘fl2-uU  for 
the  evening.  The  lecture  lasted  just  an  hour  and 
was  (puite  successful,  and  some  music  and  recitations 
follow'ed.  After  this  the  whoJe  of  the  comjiany  pire- 
seut— some  250  people— adjour  ed  to  Llio  rooiii  up- 
stairs, where  tea  was  made  by  our  ow'ii  colored 
girl  and  served  by  three  of  the"  young  ladies  of  the 
congregation  dressed  in  native  costume.  I supplied 
six  pounds^  of  tea  here  in  the  i lb.  packets. 
A great  deal  of  time  has  been  given  to  trying  to  get 
a footing  at  the  Jewish  P air  in  aid  of  liebre  -v  cha- 
nties, which  is  now  going  on  at  the  Madison  Square 
Garden.  Ever  since  the  P''ood  Show  we  have  been 
trying  to  got  a chance  to  get  in  lierc  with  some 
of  the  numerous  Jewish  ladies  witli  whom  Mrs. 
Tiptou  came  in  contact  then.  ’L’he  P’air  is  a very 
important  one  as  the  Jews  ai'e  powerful  peopile  here 
and  they  have  organised  the  thing  very  cleverly. 
Yesterday,  for  instance,  was  “Military  Day’’ 
and  also  “ Autliors’  Day,"  and  in  addition  to 
the  uniformed  Blilitia  men,  several  more  dr 
less  well  known  authors  sold  copiies  of  tlicir  own 
works,  and  Melba  and  similar  operatic  and  theatrical 
stars  had  booths.  We  struggled  against  some  difli 
culties  here,  as  pi’isher  of  the  caravan  lea  is  a Jew 
B.ud  has  bi3  tea  njado  “Kosher"  (or  \vhatsver  tha 
term  is  for  ceremonially  jjure)  by  having  the  head 
llabbi  in  New  York  bless  or  purify  it  in  some  way. 
The  lady  on  whom  we  relied  tor  help  is  unfortunately 
ill  and  so  vva  were  at  some  loss,  hut  Mrs.  Tipitoii 
managed  to  get  a space  in  the  “ Russian  Booth," 
where  Fisher  has  also  his  caravan  tea  and  where 
we  are  thus  brought  into  shai-per  competition  with 
him  than  I would  have  wished  had  I choice.  1 
liavo  presented  some  packets  of  the  tea  and  will  give 
as  much  more  as  they  can  sell  as  the  Jews  are  great 
drinkers  of  black  leas  and  want  the  best  of  every- 
thing— Indian  I'innlern'  Oar.ctte,  PYb.  1. 
'I'lN  TEA  niESTS. 
'The  movement  already  sot  on  foot  to  carry  out 
the  suggestion  made  by  Mr.  Ph'ank  Randell,  of 
Eanelly,  of  superseding  the  pjrcsent  means  of  con- 
veying tea  in  wood  boxes  by  substituting  boxes  of 
tin  has  resulted  in  several  gentlemen  connected  with 
the  tinplate  trade  taking  the  matter  up  in  a prac- 
tical way.  Among  them  Mr.  G.  P’.  Dewdney,  of  the 
Cambrian  P'in]jlatc  Works,  Dumballs  Road,  Cardiff, 
has  taken  out  a patent  for  a tin  tea-box,  which  is 
to  bo  brought  before  the  notice  of  the  Tinplate 
Makers’  Association  of  South  Wales  and  Momuoutli- 
shire.  The  box,  which  is  remarkable  for  its  simplicity 
of  construction,  is  made  of  one  cross  tin,  and  is  formed 
of  four  separate  jilates  which  tit  together  in  grooves 
by  which  means  the  box  is  made  air-tight.  The  ob- 
ject of  making  the  box  to  take  to  pieces  is,  of  course, 
so  that  when  shipped  out  from  the  place  of  iiianu- 
facturo  to  the  tea  lields  it  shall  ocuuiiy  as  little  space 
as  possible.  Mr.  Dewdney  has  sent  a sample  of  his 
box  to  Messrs.  Webb  cl’  Williams,  of  the  Hendry 
and  Glamorgan  'Tinplate  Works,  Pontardulais,  and 
that,  firm  is  now  in  communication  with  London 
hrms  of  tea  packers,  who,  in  the  course  of  a few 
days,  will  express  an  opinion  as  to  the  suitability 
of  the  box  for  the  purpose  intended.  If  such  opinion 
be  favourable,  Mr.  Dewdney  will,  it  is  said,  at  once 
commence  to  build  additional  worlts,  for  which  plans 
are  now  drawn  up,  and  the  manufacture  of  his  box 
will  be  carried  on  in  Oardiff. — Iron  ami  Coal  Tvadett 
Ilccicc',  Jan.  17. 
CUUAJ.  STONE. 
Wu  doubt  if  the  value  of  the  coral  deposit^' 
ill  llie  iiortlieru  part  of  this  island  is  fully  rc- 
cogiii/ed.  In  them  our  builders  liave  a source 
for  materiiil  that  iiiiglit  lie  usefully  applied  to 
many  of  their  jmrpose.s ; and  we  believe  that 
hitherto  this  fact  has  not  been  fully  appreciated. 
But  what  we  should  like  to  he  iuformeil  upon 
is  as  to  why  this  formation  should  so  materially 
differ,  as  we  believe  it  to  do,  from  any  coralline 
formation  in  any  other  part  of  the  island.  South 
of  Mannar  island,  so  far  as  we  are  aware,  no 
6vli(l  deiiosit  of  coral,  caiiahle,  as  is  that  i 
north  of  that  limit,  of  being  cut  into  large  slab.-'  I 
and  hloc'ks,  is  to  be  fouiul.  The  .sonthevn  coral 
growths  are  charaeterijable  only  as  ‘‘ stick”  or 
liraueh”  coral,  and  are  of  no  commercial  r ulne, 
save  for  the  manufacture  of  lime.  What  is  there 
about  the  noitlierii  waters  that  tends  to  cause 
this  distiiietiveiiess  of  coral  formation  . And,  fur- 
ther, what  can  he  the  originating  cause  of  the 
difference  of  structure  i By  .some  it  is  thought  that 
the  coral  si  one  of  the  north  is  due  to  the  deposit  i 
tlironghont  loii^  periods  of  the  broken  “stick” coral  I 
and  Hie  consolidation  of  its  ikbria  by  the  pres-  r 
sure  of  tlio  relatively  still  waters  of  our  nortlieni  ■ 
region.  It  seems  ditlicnlt  to  assign  any  more  f 
likely  cause-,  hut  some  other  suggestion  may  oH'er  )• 
itself  1,0  the  minds  of  .some  of  our  eorrei^poiidents,  , 
'The  stone  of  the  north  has  long  been  used  in  | 
many  de]iartmeiits  of  building.  It  is  admirably  f 
uited  by  its  lightness  and  longliiiess  of  texture 
for  use  as  arch  s ton e.s,  being  lery  readily  shaped 
by  au  ordinary  nav,'.  set  erul  long  arcbea  bridge^ 
I 
