June  i,  1896.J 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
847 
^ 
To  tlbe  Edilur. 
CEYLON  TEAS  !N  AMERICA, 
AIU.  MACKEN/.IK’S  Ol'lXIONS. 
Sii:, — Tlie  enclosed  cutting  from  a New  York 
]).i])er  of  21st  March  sullicieiitly  proves  the  wis- 
dom of  Mr.  Mackenzie  in  abstaining  from  join- 
ing in  the  proposed  Empire  Exposition  (in 
Montreal)  on  behalf  of  the  Thirty  Committee 
[Extract  reproduced  below], 
Mr.  Mackenzie  draws  attention  to  the  require- 
ments of  the  trade  in  C.  S.  A. 
(1)  Tliat  samjiles  should  lie  sent  o\er  in  time 
to  allow  the  ilealer  to  wire  an  oiler  before  the 
teas  ,‘ue  w.arehonsi'd  in  Jsiinlon. 
(2)  Lightly  fermented,  well  twisted  Orange 
I'ekoes— not  Rroken  Pekoes  (that  is  if  broken). 
“The  run  is  on  vei'3'^  good  teas  for  quality,  and 
to  a much  greater  extent  in  Pekoes  and  Pekoe 
Souchongs,  which  can  be  landed  here  under  14 
cents  (7d).  The  demand  is  strong  at  present  for 
Ceylons  and  Indians,  and  the  qn.antity  used  is 
limited  at  present  by  tlie  imjiossibility  of  obt.ain- 
ing  teas  unbroken  in  appearance,  evenly  twisted 
and  lightly  fermented,  which  can  bo  matcheil 
from  standards.’” — f am,  <!xe. , 
April  22nd.  A.  W.  S.  SACKVILLE. 
CEYLON  TEA  IN  AMERICA  : 
fM  POUT  ANT  LETTER  FROM  MR. 
MACKENZIE. 
New  York,  April  3rd,  18t)G. 
DiOAii  STOPFOliO  S.ACKVrLU'],— I tiiink  it  would 
be  well  if  I said  .something  of  the  position  here 
at  lu-e.sent  with  regard  to  Rritisli-grown  machine- 
made  teas.  Much  of  what  I niaj^  saj^  is  neces- 
sarily vague,  as  it  is  impos-sible  to  get  a hold  of 
facts,  though  surmi.ses  are  numerous. 
I am  afraid  the  great  increase  of  imports  of 
those  teas  into  the  States  and  Canada  last  year 
may  lead  one  to  believe  it  has  been  due  chiefly, 
if  not  entirely,  to  the  ellbrts  made  by  the  Indian 
and  Ceylon  Committees,  and  that  if  our  succe.ss 
was  so  great  in  1893,  it  only  requires  a vigorous 
prosecution  of  similar  means  to  insure  a complete 
victory  in  the  near  future.  I wish  I couhl 
delude  myself  into  accepting  that  view.  It  would 
bring  exceeding  comfort. 
The  iucreivse  in  ini|>orts  wnas  chiefly  due  to  the 
low-  price  of  teas.  This  le.l  to  buying  in  exce.ss  of 
requirements,  and  cho  inquiries  among  dealer.S 
leads  me  to  think  that  mucii  of  the  tea  imported 
has  j'et  to  be  consumed.  If  this  be  correct,  it 
w'ill  tell  against  imports  in  the  earl_y  mouths  of 
this  year.  All  we  know  about  them  so  far  is  that 
the  exports  of  Indian  tea  direct  from  London  dur- 
ing January  and  Eebrunry  are  very  mucli  below 
tliose  of  tl'ie  same  months  last  year.  Of  course, 
this  may  be  oil  set  by  larger  shipments  from 
Calcutta. 
The  two  largest  importers  of  Indian  teas 
now  draw  chielTy  direct  from  Calcutta,  one  by 
unconditional  consignments  and  the  other  by  a 
method  which  should  be  largely  used  by 
shippers  from  Ceylon,  but  which  so  far  is  very 
s]iaringly  adojited,  (and  only  by  one  firm.)  This 
firm  sends  samples  of  shipments  to  their  agent 
here  a week  before  the  teas  leave  Calcutta 
and  Colombo.  The  agent  here  examines  the 
samples  and  wdres  values  to  London.  If  the 
valuition  here  is  better  than  the  values  put 
107 
in  London,  on  duplicate  samples  sent  there  at 
the  same  time  from  Calcutta  and  Colombo,  tlia 
teas  are  transhipped  at  the  London  docks  and 
.sent  on  hero,  tlius  .saiing  London  charges. 
Many  buyers  here  have  asked  me  why  this 
system  has  not  been  largely  adojited  in  Co- 
lombo. I he  only  reasons  I can  urge  are,  want 
of  entpipusc  in  Colombo,  arising  from  great 
lo.ss  already  incurred  by  consignors,  and  the 
small  quantity  of  tea  shipped  from  Colombo  to 
JjOlulon,  w hicli  is  controllGd  byiirms  who  urG  tcH 
merchants  with  agencies  hero.  Mo.st  of  the  tea  imr- 
chased  in  Londogand  Colomobois  .sent  to  Amstralia 
India,  Russia,  etc.  Llie  teas  .s]ii|ipetl  to  London 
are  almost  entirely  on  account  of  grow'er.s,  who  are 
not  merchants  dealing  with  American  firms. 
Companies  m.anaged  by  “ live  ” men,  migiit  be 
asked  to  try  tliis  ,ad wince  sample  scheme"here. 
To  consignors  there  is  no  inducement  in  thi.s 
market,  as  inferior  teas  from  London  are  sold 
as  “ ju.st  as  good,”  at  prices  wliicli  would  not 
pay  Colombo  shipper.s.  Writing  to  the  Secretary 
latelj^,  I pointed  out  that  teas  were  .sacrificed  at 
the  auction,  (there  is  one  every  Wed ne.sday,)  for 
figures  mudi  below'  their  value.  Since  then  at 
this^  w'eek’.s^  auction  good  Ceylon  teas  were  .sold 
at  Gid.  to  7id.  ]ier  pound,  ‘much  below'  their 
valuations  as  the  leading  importers  will  not  buy 
at  auction  unle.s.s  at  a price  which  shows  a 
lo.ss  to  the  con, signor,  because  they  want  to  kill 
such  tm.siness. 
An  interesting  fact  at  this  amdion  w'as  the 
appearance  of  a small  parcel  of  Ceylon  green 
teas,  Rut  the  tea  should  not  have  lieen  otlered 
at  auction  sale.  The  pi  ice  of  best  quality  was 
two  cents  over  broker  s valuation.  Rut  'l  saw 
the  teas  tasted  and  valued  b_y  two  dealers  who 
h.andle  large  quantities,  as  well  as  by  a Can.a- 
dian  dealer.  They  all  pronounced  them  excel- 
IcTit,  but  said  Japs  are  so  cheaji  that  these 
nice  teas  have  no  chance.  To  me  the  teas  aii- 
peared  clean  and  free  of  dust,  but  as  coni- 
jiared  with  Japs  the^'  had  too  many  fann- 
ing.s.  One  dealer  said  the  best  graile  with  a 
little  more  sifting  w'ould  be  worth  2o  cents  It 
sold  at  17  cents.  The  price  w'as  better ’ than 
tnat  fetched  by  Ceylon  blacks  of  similar  quality 
at  the  saino  auction,  w'liioh  is  encoura^inf  as 
millions  of  pounds  of  these  teas  wonhr  liii’d'a 
ready  sale  here.  I hope  this  new  departure  may 
be  more  extensively  tried.  Rut  next  time  tlm 
teas  should  be  shipped  to  a fair  and  just  man 
w'ho  will  give  them  an  honest  trial,  and  who  will 
not  taue  an  interest  himself  in  iiavim'  them 
cheap,  I do  not  mean  to  insinuate 'tliat  they 
were  not  consigned  to  a just  man  ; I do  not 
even  know  to  whom  they  w'ere  consigned.  Rut 
I knoiv  others  valued  them  coii.siderably  over 
the  prices  they  fetched. 
A few  milli'on  pounds  of  Ceylon  Greens  sent 
here  would  keep  down  shipments  of  Rlacks  to 
London,  and  prevent  any  increase  in  the  future 
ill  total  shipment  of  Rlack  Tea  from  Ceylon. 
Ihe  example  would  be  followed  in  India  and 
the  speediest  solution  of  the  difficulty  of  an 
overcrowded  home  market  would  be  struck  at 
once.  Present  prices  are  near  the  point  where 
necessity  steps  in,  and  supplies  the  stiniulous  re- 
qiiired  to  force  growers  to  adapt  their  goods  to 
the  taste  of  the  market  they  may  beseekinor  In 
the  advance  sample  system,  and  in  Green°Teas 
1 think  I .see  agents  more  helpful  than  even  in 
the  money  being  spenc  as  aids  to  adverti.sim- 
I here  is  no  doubt  at  all  about  the  steady  yearfy 
tendency  to  lower  all  round  prices,  and  we  4ould 
exert  ourselves  in  other  ways  than  the  mere  spend- 
lug  of  the  cess.  And  this  I am  not  afraid  In 
urge,  every  while  Ceylon  planters  are  under  the 
