Aug.  1,  i8g6.j 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
I2S 
MB.  EOGIVUE’S  WORK  IN  RUSSIA. 
From  Mr.  A.  Pliilij),  Secretary  of  the  Thirty. 
Committee,  Ave  have  received  the  following  copy 
of  a letter  received  from  Mr.  liogivue  regarding 
his  Avork  in  Rinssia  : — 
Moscow,  May  31st/.June  12th,  1890. 
A.  Philip,  Esq.,  Secretary  to  the  Thirty  Com- 
mittee, Kandy. 
Dear  Sir, — Confirming  my  last  respects  of  the  8/20 
May  and  acknowledging  receipt  of  your  valued  favour 
dated  15th  May,  I now  beg  to  hand  you  enclosed 
account  of  e.'cpenditure  under  the  grant  of  £1,000  stg. 
voted  on  the  20th  July  1895. 
From  ray  statement  you  will  see  that  the  total 
amount  I have  expended  is  considerably  more  than 
the  £1,000  granted  to  me,  but  the  results  I chink 
justify  this,  for  not  only  do  I notice  an  increase  in 
my  sales  and  a general  extension  of  the  business 
all  over  Russia,  but  also  that  the  export  fi'om  Colombo 
to  Russia  direct  from  1st  January  to  20th  April, 
1896,  is  more  than  double  what  it  was  for  the  cor- 
responding period  of  1895,  the  “ Times  of  Ceylon  ” 
giving  the  following  figures  in  its  list  of  export 
disribution  1895-96. 
1st  January,  20th  April  1896  1895 
Tea  to  Russia  . . . . 159,597  lb.  70,528  lb . 
Again  the  figures  quoted  in  the  tea  report  of 
Messrs.  Gow  Wilson  and  Stanton  for  13th  March, 
1896  show  how  largely  the  re-export  of  Ceylon  tea  from 
the  United  King  tom  to  foreign  markets  is  increasing, 
special  mention  being  made  about  Russia  and  at- 
tention drawn  to  the  fact  that  the  bulk  of  the  tea 
shipped  to  Germany  is  for  Russia.  The  numerous 
and  frequent  advertisements  in  the  newspapers  of 
every  part  of  this  Empire  have  been  a great  success 
as  evidenced  by  the  many  new  enquiries  I have 
received  about  Ceylon  tea  from  all  quarter  of  Russia, 
By  means  of  numerous  free  samples  and  by 
giving  bonuses  over  and  above  the  usual  trade  dis- 
counts and  supplying  tea  in  thefirst  instance  frequently 
at  cost  price  I have  induced  many  new  people  to 
give  Ceylon  tea  a fair  trial  which  generally  means 
a continuation  in  its  use,  so  I think  it  would  be 
by  all  means  advisable  to  continue  the  above  methods 
for  another  year. 
Nijni  Exhibition. — As  I wrote  to  you  in 
a previous  letter  I was  not  permitted  to 
build  a jiavilion  within  the  Exhibition  grounds,  but 
have  arranged  to  have  on  two  of  the  cars  of  the  electric 
tramway  which  runs  right  round  the  inside  of  the 
exhibition,  a large  advertisement  (Sft  by  2ft) 
soltiug.forth  the  advantage  of  Ceylon  Tea,  tho  latter 
words  being  in  very  large  letters  and  the  most  pro- 
minent feature  also,  inside  all  the  cars.  I am  having 
my  placards  fixed  as  well  as  in  all  the  rooms  of  the 
largest  hotel  of  (and  nearest  to)  the  exhibition,  on 
the  grounds  of  which  between  tw’o  wings  of  the 
building  and  forming  the  main  entrance  to  the  hotel, 
on  the  high  road  close  to  the  principal  gate  of  the 
exhibition,  two  pavilions  will  be  erected  in  the 
Hindoo  style  (each  15  feet  square)  joined 
by  a large  arch  36  feet  span  by  6 feet 
bearing  the  words  “ Ceylon  Tea  ” prominently 
painted  thereon  in  huge  letters,  the  whole  being 
nicely  decorated  and  lighted  outside  by  three  large 
electric  arc  lamps  and  inside  by  incandescent.  One 
of  these  pavilion  will  be  for  the  sale  and  distribu- 
tion of  tea  in  packets,  the  other  for  the  testing  and 
free  distribution  of  tea  in  cup. 
These  Pavilions  for  the  building  of  which  I have 
made  a contract  with  a competent  architect,  are  to 
be  finished  by  the  15th  June  (Russian  style  and  though 
the  exhibition  was  officially  opened  on  28th  May  (Rus- 
sian) it  is  so  far  from  completion  that  it  will  not  be 
ready  until  about  20th  June  and  no  lai'ge  attendance 
is  expected  before  that  date.  During  the  time  of 
the  exhibition  I am  having  a special  announcement 
published  in  5 Moscow  and  2 Nijni  papers,  inviting 
people  to  come  and  try  the  famous  Ceylon  tea  at 
the  Ceylon  Tea  Pavilion  at  Nijni. 
I am  also  having  new  brochures  and  leaflets 
printed  specially  for  the  occasion.  I experienced 
great  difficulties  in  obtaining  a position  to  erect  a 
building  on  and  could  get  no  assistance,  but  rather 
the  conirary  from  the  authorities  of  the  exhibition 
and  town. 
Finally  I obtained  the  present  place  by  private 
arrangement  with  this  hotel  ‘‘ Frantzia.” 
I will  keep  you  informed  as  to  how  matters  progress 
at  the  exhibition,  and  all  that  concerns  Ceylon  tea  in 
Russia. — I am,  dear  sir,  yours  faithfully, 
(Sgd.)  M.  Rogivue. 
TEA  COMPANIES  AND  SHARES. 
On  the  one  hand,  we  hear  nothing  but  good 
of  the  condition  of  Ceylon  tea  plantations  and 
the  pro.spects  of  the  enterprise ; and  yet,  on  the 
other,  we  lind  an  unusual  and  decided  depression 
in  the  Ceylon  tea  share  market.  Pos.sibly,  this 
may  be  partly  due  to  the  comparatively  large 
receipts  of  tea  and  a consequent  weakening  in 
price  ; but  the  more  direct  and  immediate  cause 
is,  undoubtedly,  the  report  of  depression  in  the 
Colombo  market  and  the  transfer  of  a consider- 
able number  of  tea  company  shares  thence  to 
London  to  be  disposed  of.  So  far,  again,  as  this 
check  is  due  to  action  on  the  part  of  Colombo 
bankers  to  check  speculation,  it  must  be  regarded 
w'ith  favour  rather  than  censure,  by  all  prudent 
colonists  and  bona  Jide  investors.  The  danger 
of  a crisis  arising  through  banks  making  advances 
on  the  security  of  tea  scrip,  such  advances  being 
used  to  buy  up  further  shares  in  new'  companies, 
was  a very  real  one ; and  a cessation  of  the 
))ractice— if,  as  w'e  hear  such  has  prevailed  and 
lias  now'  been  stopped,  — has  not  come  a day  too 
soon.  There  can  be  little  doubt  that,  after  a tem- 
porary check,  the  share  market  will  recover 
Itself  and  become  stronger  tlian  ever  probably, 
in  view  of  the  sounder  basis  on  which  the  busi- 
ness will  then  rest.  There  is  nothing  to  indicate 
a permanent  fall  in  prices,  or  other  than  a good 
crop  season  in  Ceylon,  with  the  nsual  dividend.s 
and  in  proportion  to  these,  it  cannot  be  said  that 
the  value  of  shares  rose  too  high.  But  it  is  w'ell 
that  individual  capitalists  or  investors  should 
understand  that  the  le.ss  bowed  money  is  intro- 
duced into  the  purchase  of  tea  or  any  other 
shares  the  better. 
Tho  face  that  there  is  no  abatemeuc  of  public 
confidence  in  the  Mctrojiolis,  in  tea  cultivation  in 
Ceylon  and  India,  as  an  im  estment,  is  shown  by  the 
favour  e.xtended  to  new  companie.s,  even  though 
they  appear  at  a time  when  tho  share  market  is 
said  to  be  de}ire.ssoil.  Sir  John  Muir’s  gigantic 
company— being  mainly  a consolidation  of  two 
existing  companies— may  be  .said  to  be  somewhat 
exceptional  ; but  though  criticised  a little  sharply 
in  one  or  two  City  paper.s,  the  demand  for  shares 
among  even  hard-headed  men  of  business,  on  the 
chance  of  getting  some  of  the  surplus  portion, 
is  specially  keen.  But  still  more  to  the  point, 
is  the  fact  that  iMessrs.  Chas.  Strachan  & Co.’s 
Gallaha  Company  should  be  in  so  much  favour 
that  all  the  capital  available  for  the  public  is, 
practically,  over-subscribed  before  the  prospectus 
has  appealed.  True,  the  ordinary  shares  in  this 
company  are  retained  by  Mr.  Strachan  in  his 
own  hand.s— only  debentures  and  preference  shares 
being  made  available.  But,  all  the  same,  con- 
fidence in  the  Ceylon  tea  enterprise  must  be  in- 
dicated by  the  facts  above  stated,  and  by  the 
encouraging  oilers  w'e  have  heard  made  of  late 
to  individual  proprietors  wdth  plantations  for  sale. 
A good  deal  of  the  criticism  extended  to  Sir 
John  Muir’s  company  must  be  deemed  personal 
and  indeed  puerile.  Of  this  type  is  a paragraph 
in  the  editorial  columns  of  the  Daily  Chronicle, 
condemnatory  of  Field  Marshal  Lord  Roberta 
lending  his  name  to  a tea  com))any  directorate, 
forgetful  of  the  lact  that  Lord  Robert;?  had  lon^. 
